How close can a CVN battle group get to mainland China (or Taiwan) or Russia before it’s targeted by steerable land, air and ship-based mobile hypersonic ship-killer missiles?
Asking for a friend.
(It’s not the 1930s, AB. Not by a long shot. Back when Americans proudly thought “the Japs” were cross-eyed morons who could only try to badly make copies of cheap toys, that broke after a week of playing with them. How did that work out? Please read the link.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_Prince_of_Wales_and_Repulse
I do agree ship killer missiles are the future and the carriers would be vulnerable. I don’t have the answers regarding them, but I think they would do well to station themselves far from mainland China like the Indian Ocean, straits of Malacca, etc., which are vital to China but beyond the range of their weapons.
Nor do I think they will use heavy missiles like the D-20. Since these can carry a nuke, the enemy/us would have to treat them as such, and then the whole world goes to a nuclear conflict which nobody wins, especially China. The Chinese aren’t that stupid, are they?
By the way, don’t be so insulting! I’m well versed on WWII Pacific history. When I was in Australia, I was lucky enough to catch the C-141 milk run back to Hickam AFB, and then the next week return flight via other islands. At the time I was reading John Tolland’s Rising Sun and William Manchester’s American Ceasar.
I was delighted to go to many of the South Pacific islands that were so prominently part of the War.
Do not confuse me with some civilian a hole from the 1930s. I much admire the Japanese and I was born in the 50s anyway.
I also believe the Japanese forces were perhaps the most fearsome enemy, man for man, we ever faced.
Chill man, I’m not your enemy!