Red Sea Ballistic Missile Attacks Trigger Asian Interest in Defenses

gcaptain ^ | 2/21/24 | Reuters

[hardspunned]

SINGAPORE, Feb 21 (Reuters) – The use of anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) in the Red Sea has spurred interest in Asia about the systems used to shoot them down, experts and industry officials say – although China, with its huge ASBM arsenal, presents a tougher challenge.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) media releases from Nov. 27 – the world’s first documented use of an ASBM in combat – to Feb. 20 mention a total of 48 ASBMs and 12 interceptions in the Red Sea. Those releases noted that many ASBMs fired by the Iran-aligned Yemeni Houthis posed no danger and were not engaged.

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“It turns out we can do this ballistic missile stuff,” Hewson said. “It costs a lot of money and shoots big expensive missiles, but it looks like it all works. What we’re not really able to do reliably is handle swarms of small threats that are coming at us … at the same time.”

And the hypersonic missiles? It’s insanity to talk about putting fifty billion dollars worth of naval assets and 25,000 US sailors around Taiwan and then bumbling into a war with the CCP.

[Mariner]

That would not be the plan.

[hardspunned]

What is the plan to protect Taiwan? The 101st dropped into China? Resurrecting the Higgins boats? Pray tell, how does the U.S. protect Taiwan if not with its naval assets?

[wildcard_redneck]

With guided missiles and reconnaissance satellites surface ships are dinosaurs. The carrier fleets that the globalist trash in America are so proud of are nothing but floating targets.

A war with China will be rough and must not be attempted while our industrial base is still hollowed out. China produces eight times as much steel and has 200 times the shipbuilding capacity than does the United States. Our garbage ruling class has rendered us defenseless against the Chinese threat.

[going hot]

As a side, if ships are easily targeted dinosaurs, does it matter what the steel and ship building capacity is?

[Robert357]

Very well said. The face of naval warfare is changing. You look at Ukraine and Russia, you look at what Iran is doing with its proxies in the Middle East, you will see that swarms of inexpensive drones (either UAV’s or naval surface drones) are the next generation threat.

Rather than anti-missile missiles, laser and projected energy weapons are where the smart military planners should be headed in spending for stopping China and other rouge powers.

[JohnBovenmyer]

If ships are easily targeted dinosaurs then how is the PLA planning to cross the 100 mile Taiwan strait?

While I'd agree laser or other speed of light, or nearly so, weapons will probably be better choices against missiles and drones, single or swarmed once enough power, range and target acquisition speed is reached—reversing the offense's current cost advantage—submerged drones remain a concern. Not getting many laser kills at depths where drones still kill shipsl

[Mariner]

USAF is the plan to augment subs from US and all allies.

[hardspunned]

USAF from where, Taiwan? There will be no airbases left in Taiwan in very short order. South Korea? Do you have any idea the NORK ordinance in range of Seoul? Do you really think the Japanese are going to war with China and the NORKS, conceivably the Russians too over Taiwan? I would not be surprised if that is the type plan the traitors and dip$hits in the Pentagon might attempt, thinking they could pull it off. Kind of like the idea of destroying Russia using Uke cannon fodder in an unprovoked proxy war of conquest.

[hardspunned]

By the way, what are the subs going to do? They can use conventional cruise missiles against land targets with relatively little effect. There will be nothing to torpedo. The Chinese blockade of Taiwan would be by missile and drone.

[Mariner]

“USAF from where, Taiwan? “

Guam, Tinian, Philippines, Japan, Korea, Australia and Diego Garcia. Even Hawaii.

And yes, Japan and Korea will engage, and allow all the US forces we want to put there.

[Mariner]

“The Chinese blockade of Taiwan would be by missile and drone.”

And the PLAAF.

BUT THEIR STUFF IS NOT AS GOOD AS YOU THINK IT IS. And the Chinese know it.

That’s why they have not made their move. They know they cannot prevail.

If they thought they could prevail and forcibly take Taiwan, they would do so.

[hardspunned]

How do you know the CCP’s hypersonic missiles don’t work? What do you base that on? How do you know the CCP’s millions and millions of drones don’t work? What do you base that on? I know for a fact the U.S. ability to defend friend or foe from missiles and drones sucks. The Russians and Houthis have proven that. The level, sophistication and quantity of the weapons possessed by the Chicoms have only been seen in Pentagon nightmares so far. You must remember also, China is not projecting its military half way around the world here. They are a land power and have the air assets that can protect their homeland. I think you will be surprised IF NATO ever gets those F-16s up close to Russian defenses in Ukraine. Over the past two years we have been shown that our MIC is incompetent (except for reaping profits) and the weapon systems we have are rapidly becoming obsolete. DC ignores that fact and continues these suicidal globalist misadventures as if it were 1994.