Harry J. Kazianis, National Interest: America's Lethal Iowa-Class Battleships vs. China's Missiles: Who Wins?
Imagine this fictional showdown: It's July 2026, and the United States and China are on the brink of war in the South China Sea.
Despite years of negotiations and what amounts to a ‘frozen conflict’ on the water, China, the Philippines and Vietnam are more deadlocked than ever before when it comes to various claims and counterclaims in this hotly contested sea. Tensions are now near the boiling point as Beijing has finally begun reclamation work at Scarborough Shoal, blockaded once again Second Thomas Shoal and placed multiple oil rigs off Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone in response to another loss in the international court of arbitration in the Hague, this time brought by Vietnam.
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WNU Editor: Not going to happen .... the U.S. Navy prefers high priced items like air craft carriers that do not work .... U.S. Navy's new $13B aircraft carrier can't fight (CNN), and stealth destroyers that are overpriced and already out of date .... America's Zumwalt-Class Destroyer: Too Few, Too Advanced and Too Late? (National Interest).
"Not going to happen...." Very respectfully it may be to early to definitively conclude this. Under President Trump US policies and priorities will change. As to whether they will change for the better, this is not known with absolute certainty.
ReplyDeleteWhile we cannot "know" for certain what he or any aspirant to a leadership position of any type will do until it is achieved, I believe we can make certain inferences based upon their background and their past.
With that said, as a businessman, Mr. Trump will do that which American business people tend to do. That is they tend to stick with that which is tried and true even if it is not flashy and tend to shun those things which may seem sleek and fancy but are not tried and true. Also, the most expensive option tends to get shunned straight away even if it may be better than other options. In other words, the most expensive option available has huge obstacles to overcome before being accepted/implemented. As such, Iowa class battleships may receive strong consideration under a Trump Administration.
A battle scenario between the US and China in 2026?!!? Apparently some people have to much time on their hands, are over compensated and have time to waste, or some combination of these things. As it is today, China would easily defeat the United States in a conventional war. If current trends continue, there would be no use in even contemplating such a confrontation in the 2026 as it'd be over even before it starts.
The United States will have to redeploy its military assets in the region back to the US. The only question is will it be an orderly redeployment where it is coordinated with "allies" in the region to ensure they have adequate time and any assistance needed from us to be prepared for their own defense or will it be a hasty and chaotic redeployment. President Trump and his team will have their work cut out for them!!
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ReplyDeleteWNU Editor,
ReplyDeleteIn peer to peer combat in an AD/AC environment, both large Aircraft Carriers and refurb' d Battleships, are steampunk fantasies from the past.
For the cost of one Ford Class Carrier, you can buy 3,825 P-800 Oniks missiles,
or 815 DF-21D's, or 1534 3M-54 Kalibir missiles.
Or, if I count right you could build 8.654 houses and employ 4700 workers for 2 year and give housing to 35.000 people.whit money to spare for 2 hospital's 4 school, 3 fire stations ,3 recreation centers .
DeleteSince the late Eisenhower Day's, Bullets have always won over Butter.
DeleteBesides Public hospitals, schools, firefighters, and recreation centers are all socialism.
Am l missing something here about the need and abilty to project airpower?
ReplyDeleteIn an AD/AC environment, the Carrier Group is in range of AD systems long before the Coast is in range of the Carrier Air Group.
DeleteIn the case of the DF-21D, 1000 nm before the Carrier Air Group reaches the South China Sea, in the case of the 3M-54LM Kalibir, 500 nm after the Carrier Air Group leaves Newport News with 15 days more sailing time before the Air Group can launch strikes.
In addition, any significant damage, shut downs air operations, and the Carrier Air Group has to return Stateside for repairs.
As a result, in an AD/AC contested area, the Carrier Air Group has to "stay out of the fight", until other long range strike groups have negated the AD/AC challenge.
Like Battleships during WWII, which could only be employed effectively, ( and then only as bombard ships), after air superiority had been achieved,
The Carrier Air Group can only be deployed after the AD/AC threat has been eliminated.
"For the cost of one Ford Class Carrier, you can buy 3,825 P-800 Oniks missiles, or 815 DF-21D's, or 1534 3M-54 Kalibir missiles."
ReplyDeleteLearned this from Battle tech players.
Some super ____ hot engineering students spent their points on kamikaze kinetic kill vehicles.
They won in short order. There were no mano e mano robot on robot mayhem. Many people were disappointed and infuriated. Sometimes you can learn much from games. I never played Battletech myself. Did play a knockoff one time though/
"Besides Public hospitals, schools, firefighters, and recreation centers are all socialism."
ReplyDeleteWithout the Great Wall the Chinese would have been able to keep their hospitals, schools, firefighters, and recreation centers?
Public hospitals? It seems that the hospitals have the word Methodist, Lutheran or some religious name such Saint Joseph in from of the word hospital.
This before 1900. why is that JJ?