LRASM concept
Posted on 03/13/2013 11:58:15 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Surface Combat Fleets: Obsolete?
By James R. Holmes
America is developing its own carrier killer. Defense Industry Daily reports that the U.S. Navy has budgeted some $198 million through 2017 to fund a sorely needed replacement for its swiftly aging RGM-84 Harpoon antiship cruise missile. The workhorse Harpoon is rapidly being overtaken by rivals such as the Indian Navy's supersonic BrahMos, which outranges the American bird by a wide margin. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency started developing a subsonic and a supersonic variant of a long-range antiship cruise missile, or LRASM, in 2009. It subsequently dropped the supersonic LRASM-B while pressing ahead with the subsonic LRASM-A. Testing will commence this year. Assuming all goes well, the navy may soon accept ownership of — and begin funding — the missile's development, manufacture, and deployment in fleet warships.
The Defense Industry Daily report speculates that budgetary woes may sink the LRASM program. That would represent a grave mistake, not to mention an awful signal to send to competitors in today's increasingly stressful maritime environment. Not only do U.S. surface combatants increasingly find themselves outranged, but the short tactical radius of contemporary naval aircraft has abbreviated the striking reach of carrier task forces. American forces must venture closer to enemy fleets or shores at the same time defenders are extending the lethal reach of their ASCMs and, in China's case, adding a panoply of other anti-access weaponry to the inventory. The LRASM's approximate 500-mile range is crucial to restore the balance of hitting power.
What does the more distant future of surface warfare hold? Suppose antiship missiles come to boast transoceanic ranges — hardly a whimsical prospect if the DF-21D pans out. Sooner or lat
(Excerpt) Read more at thediplomat.com ...
LRASM concept
Like whether or not we can save the purple tailed snail darter, or even if fracking is safe, or maybe even the effects of the unprovable global warming!/sarc
Had to think of this.
How far are we away from reporting to the Death Chambers after being classified as “casualties?”
So silly in the ST Universe. So close in ours...
SEA RAM concept
Couldn’t ICBM’s be modified to carry conventional warheads and strike globally at ships? With GPS and sensor technology, it would not be difficult to hit a ship.
Land lubber bump
Did the invention of gunpowder make soldiers obsolete?
The instinct for self preservation has been bred out of people.
Americans abandoned their religion (whatever the various belief concepts they held) and accepted a PC agenda in its place. This made it easy, natural and NECESSARY to demonize the concept of self preservation.
Junk science and some pathetic, crying need to meet a BS global test have reduced once free and autonomous Americans into vulnerable and apathetic sheep.
Those with foresight will look at what is needed in the future, not just what is needed today.
Beautiful picture.
Well if the past two administrations didnt pour trillions down the Iraq and Afganistan ratholes while China and Russia were developing this advanced stuff instead (and while China was colonizing parts of Africa for $$$), we wouldnt be in this mess.
What poor islamic craphole does McCain and Grahamnesty want us to dump $$$ and lives into next. That is why they need amnesty so bad.
Seems unlikely we will give up on surface ships. 80% of shipping travels on the ocean. This article neglected an important function of a surface navy, to protect the shipping.
Instead of re-inventing the wheel why not buy some of the BrahMos missiles from India or the Hae Sung missiles from South Korea? It will upgrade our weapons system without the time and expense of R&D.
Rods from God, a very economical approach compared to retrofitting or creating new ICBMS. Old concept so it might already be implemented.
http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2004-06/rods-god
Concur - but I do see moving to a more drone centric offensive/defensive scheme. Was just reading in Proceedings about a number of drone concepts that will provide anti-surface/air/subsurface capabilities without onboard personnel. Could easily foresee smaller more numerous vehicles - possibly even drone launch and recovery platforms - that provide a more extensive and less costly approach. They are stealthier and there are even versions that are submersible but still provide the same missle launch capabilities.
Good point. Drones, including drones launched from cargo ships (in a time of war) open up a number of possibilities.
Because then we are at the mercy of a foreign entity for our supply of a critical weapon.
The invention of dynamite made war itself obsolete. People died so fast that everyone agreed it was too horrible to wage war anymore.... or so some thought.
Then license the design and build them ourselves, though I don't see South Korea as being a risk as a supplier. Nor is India really, considering how our arm sales to them are growing. If we purchase their missle from them then they would probably increase their purchases of arms from us.
The Brahmos is only half-Indian; it can’t be exported without Russian consent. Besides, it’s size (3+ tonnes) is not exactly an advantage.
The Hae Sung missile can be considered to be in the same league as the Harpoon Block-2 (medium size/range and sub-sonic).
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