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The SSGNs will be involved...but there involvement will not be one in any kind of strike at sea mode...which is really what the site is about. They would be lobbing TALMs from far away at land targets if they got involved...probably port or support facilities for the PLAN or PLAAF.

Thanks, for that, Jeff. Considering the following, though - The US puts two Ohio SSGNs into the Straight to either conduct no-notice TLAM attacks on ChiCom coastal facilities, or to hit targets much deeper in the interior.

My guess is that if the PLAN thinks the Ohios are inside the Strait, sinking them becomes an overwhelmingly signficant priority. It'll really change how they deploy their assets.

Reference, for example, the impact the Doolittle Raid had on the Japanese - compelling them to bring lots of aviation assets back to the home islands and spurring Yamamoto to press ahead with an invasion of Midway.

The questions then are whether the USN would put the Ohios into the Strait, and then if they would be able to protect them enough to make the risk worth it (possibly assigning a Seawolf to ride shotgun on each Ohio?). Having a significant portion of the PLAN ASW force drawn off into beating the bushes for the Ohios would probably make it worth it ... especially if the PLAN can be convinced that the Ohio(s) is at location X, and in trying to get there they run smack dab into a wolfpack of 688Is.

I think under no circumstances would we put even one of our SSGNs actually in or very near the straits.

They can accomplish the same mission from much further out with much less risk. Then, if the Chinese know they are pout there, they may come further out to try and do the same, at much more risk to themselves.

But my money is on them going all out to get at our carrier (one or two of them) off to the east of the island somewhere...and suffering horrifc attrition in the attempt.

The Navy Fact File contains descriptions of the roles and characteristics of Navy ships.

The make-up of a Carrier Strike Group (CSG)
The make-up of a Carrier Air Wing (CVW)
The make-up of an Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG)

Navy Personnel
Active Duty: 340,636

Officers: 51,548

Enlisted: 284,736

Midshipmen: 4,352
Ready Reserve: 129,077 [As of 07 March]

Selected Reserves: 69,117

Individual Ready Reserve: 59,960
Reserves currently mobilized: 5,646 [As of 16 May]
Personnel on deployment: 56,613
Navy Department Civilian Employees: 175,119

Ships and Submarines
Deployable Battle Force Ships: 277

Ships Underway (away from homeport): 143 ships (52% of total)

On deployment: 101 ships (37% of total)

Attack submarines underway (away from homeport): 24 submarines (44%)

On deployment: 17 submarines (31%)
Ships Underway

Carriers:
USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) - Pacific Ocean
USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - Atlantic Ocean
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) - Arabian Gulf

Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG):
USS Boxer (LHD 4) - Pacific Ocean
USS Bohomme Richard (LHD 6) - Persian Gulf

Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG):
USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Bataan (LHD 5) - Red Sea

Amphibious Warfare Ships:
USS Tarawa (LHA 1) - Pacific Ocean
USS Peleliu (LHA 5) - Pacific Ocean
USS Wasp (LHD 1) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Essex (LHD 2) - Pacific Ocean

Aircraft (operational): 4000+

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NAVY.mil ,,, June 1 07~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now Ya’ See’Um~~~Now Ya’ Don’t~~~Count The Carriers~~~
Now Count The Subs~~~(countin’ on his fingers)~~~
mmmmmmm,,,143- ,,,,,,,,er,,,,,,uh,,,,,??? Gitin’ “Tatooed”!?
Goofin’ Off ?? Fishin’ ??...;0)

Now, having said that...I also believe that we would send 4 or more LA SSNs, in the event of war, on a coordinated "sweep" of the straits, taking down whatever enemy combatants or other targets of choice that might present themsleves.

Then, that same force of SSNs would turn around and do it again going the other way and keep it up until they had either cleared the straits, or the PLAN cleared itself from the area.

The biggest threat to those subs would not be any of the PLAN surface ships to this point because, quite frankly I believe their sonar and ASW capabilities are fairly weak. The biggest threat would be a half dozen or more of the newer Kilo class and other AIP diesel electrics the PLAN has.

Those vessels are best suited for littoral waters where they can wait for our forces to come to them, which is exactly what the LA class boats on such a sweep would be doing. Whether the PLAN boats would be fast enough, or trained enough, or equipped well enough to confront our SSNs is another question and it would be shown in such a confrontation.

Let's pray that our continued arming of the ROCN and our own commitment to the ROC remains strong enough so that conflict is deterred and we never physically have to find out.