On the "instant impact" of US aircraft carriers

[DARPA]

Every time the US government is beginning to have an active pressure on the state with access to the seas and oceans, we can hear a lot of talk about so-called "instant impact."



Trying to understand what it means to the so-called "instant hit", you can find a lot of different information. From the use of destroyers with cruise missiles on board to use of tactical nuclear weapons. However, there is in this list, and something else than the Americans are particularly proud of. This aircraft carrier Fleet, consisting of more than a dozen huge, the size of a city, ships.



Four reasons not to be afraid



First, noting the concept of floating airfields in the service of the United States, you should immediately remember one important detail: aircraft carriers after the Second World War have been recognized by the US command one of the most effective tools to influence the situation in a particular sea or coastal areas. Simply put, you can "adjust an aircraft carrier to the shores of" the enemy and force him to make such a decision, which must be the US government. After battleships Send to retire after the war, on aircraft carriers assigned huge hope. However, the carrier fleet is almost always used against Americans obviously weaker opponent.

Secondly, the American military machine gave birth to a lot of interesting from an American point of view, ideas to win global supremacy in the area of hostilities. As part of a single type of aircraft carrier USS "Nimitz" can be up to 55 aircraft F / A 18-C and F / A 18-EF to combat a range of about a thousand kilometers. Armament carrier, at first glance, very serious, but here it is worth recalling that these floating giants almost never go to sea alone. Each type of aircraft carrier "Nimitz" accompanied by at least a dozen vessels. One-two destroyers "Arleigh Burke-'with air defense systems, three or four missile cruiser" Ticonderoga "1-2 NS" Los Angeles "with cruise missiles on board and a division of supply vessels (tanker ship carrying ammunition and bombs) other auxiliaries and vehicles. The cost of maintaining a single carrier strike groups can vary between $ 10-12 million per day, if it is a military operation.



Thirdly, the very concept of "500 aircraft in one place, at any time" in the professional military raises a smile. If you go into the history of the use of the US carrier strike group (CSG) in a more or less significant conflicts, you'll find that suppressing the enemy from the sea, the US Air Force did not meet almost no resistance. The campaign in the Gulf exposed, perhaps, the main problem AUG: low efficiency in terms of organized air defense system.



The vast calculations defense not only aircraft carrier-based aircraft. At the beginning of August 1990 in the Persian Gulf were concentrated 15 US warships, including aircraft strike group led by the aircraft carrier "Theodore Roosevelt", which bore the almost one hundred combat aircraft. However, very few people are aware of the fact that the first flight on the job with this ship was nearly ended in tragedy. 10 aircraft were shot down and returned reported on the impossibility of continuing operations and for re-assignment to go abandoned. This happened despite the fact that the United States has the largest striking force in the region. Suppress enemy air defense systems to land-based airfields began 249 F-16 fighters; 120 aircraft F-15C; 90 attack aircraft "Harrier" Marine Corps; 118 bombers, F-111F, whose application then so vividly described by US military commanders and 72 aircraft fire support near the A-10. Not much there for, in general, is not very strong Iraqi army?

Fourth, based on all the same, Iraq in the early nineties, you can develop an interesting thought. What would Unfold Iraq occupied Kuwait earth coastal defense system? And what would happen to the US Navy, if the system of coastal defense were Soviet-made? Developing this theme, you must make a small digression. Development of coastal defense systems against attack in modern history began to engage more during conception of the First World War. Then the concept of the protection of the coastline was except in the minds of the generals and their immediate commanders. Put a gun with a caliber larger, surround it with better protection - and here's a modern and reliable protection for all attacks from the sea guests that you do not particularly expect. The thought of coastal artillery took place in the Soviet Union. For example, the 35th coastal battery until the liberation of Sevastopol Crimea successfully fought against the Nazis with the help of the caliber of 305 mm. Over time, however, the idea of large-caliber came to naught because the bomb could now be delivered from a distance of more than 500 kilometers. It took a landmark decision. Development of rocket technology itself has prompted the direction of motion on the issue of security. Complexes of coastal defense based cruise missiles - that could be spent on the bottom of the ship any aggressor. And I think that to get Iraq during the Gulf War at its disposal such complexes - "Roosevelt" in the same hour would have gone to the bottom. The level of development of the then naval air defense systems on ships escort was certainly high, but not enough to "break" the Soviet cruise missile.



Excursion into the history and the present



What can we oppose this terrible eagles from overseas? Experience! Completion of the Second World War and the subsequent technological leap on both sides of the ocean in front of Soviet engineers put one simple task: to protect the country from attacks of the enemy in the air, on land and sea. And if the air and the ground it was clear that the protection of the coasts had to tinker. In the 50s, realizing the threat from aircraft carriers in the Soviet Union developed the first anti-ship missiles: Aviation COP-1 and KSSCH for shipborne. They stood for a long time in service and were able to hit any marine goal near the Soviet border. Even in the Soviet Union was widely known missile P-15 "Termite" - the world's first anti-ship missile, preserved in the launch canister. Further development of rocket technology in the Soviet Union is truly surprising. At the moment, to counteract the ship (but primarily destroyers and aircraft carriers) in the arsenal of the Russian Federation has the following types of missiles: P-800 "Onyx" (a modern version of PJ-10 Brahmos), P-270 "Mosquito" (a modern version of X 41 with the possibility of a nuclear warhead), P-700 "Granite», K-310 "Yakhont". The challenge in missiles with a different name one - to prevent enemy ships in the protected area. And if the majority of these missiles mounted on ships of the Navy, the "Yakhont" is part of the coastal defense "Bastion", and for other complex coastal protection "ball" was developed more advanced missile Kh-35 with a range of more than 300 start-up kilometers. The above missiles are not the only problem for the US aircraft carrier group. In addition to missile onshore and offshore in the arsenal of the Russian armed forces and there is something else. Russian Air Force currently has a whole list of rockets, whose main task is to combat aircraft carriers. And if you remember the recent incident with the destroyer "Donald Cook" in the Black Sea, we can easily understand that "put out" of the system of air defense destroyers, an aircraft carrier would be completely unprotected.

The US Navy is definitely good. In technical equipment and application of advanced technologies it will always be one of the first places. However, following a well-known saying goes, every cunning aircraft carrier, there is even more cunning knife rip up his belly across the AUG as tin. Another set of questions is itself a niche application AUG today. If you encounter in open confrontation with cruise missiles AUG is not ready, where it then use it? The only option for the use of the organization can be the air defense system in the open ocean, but it is enough for several smaller vessels. The conclusion suggests very simple. AUG - nothing else, as a show of force, which in general is not. Spread democracy in the Third World and receive cruise missiles below the waterline - things are quite different. And if to beat the crowd obviously less strong enemy personnel AUG ready, the cruise missile will be for members of the crew of an aircraft carrier surprise, followed by the desire to carry democracy across the oceans will evaporate.