Super Carriers. Why not 6?

Check out a couple of passages from National Defense Magazine.

“Go back and look at the capabilities or reasons we used carriers 20 and 30 years ago and then look today,” Polmar said. “You’re going to reprogram a satellite — it’s cheaper, easier, faster.You’re going to send [an unmanned aerial vehicle], you’re going to dispatch a U-2 or you’re going to try to do it with cyber.”

The Navy has more than 50 submarines and more than 80 surface combatants that can launch Tomahawk missiles.

and...

While Preble believes 11 is too many, he doesn’t necessarily buy into the idea that the heyday of the super carrier is over. Large numbers of relatively low-cost anti-ship missiles and quiet submarines can cause serious problems for an aircraft carrier task force, but these threats are not insurmountable, Preble said.

“There are some people who believe that subs are such a game-changing technology and the advantage so disproportionately in the subs’ favor that a carrier is a sitting duck. I don’t believe that,” Preble said. “They’re big and they’re targets, but we have other big targets. Yes, we’re investing a lot of resources and money and time and people in a really, really big vessel. And so we invest a lot in protecting that vessel. This is not a new phenomena. We did the same thing with battleships.” 

Seems like the establishment is having the same conversation we are.

Interesting.

But it brings me to the real issue.  11 carriers is definitely too many.  Especially in light of how we're using them and the utility that the bring to the fleet.

If we lack the courage to change the size of our carriers then its time to change the number.  We need 8 max, 6 minimum.  I'd lean toward the 6.  We could have one deployed, one doing workups and one on a rest period.  Duplicating that on both coasts and you have it.

What do we get out of the deal?  A surplus instead of a deficit.  We will finally have enough aircraft to fully man our aircraft carriers.  Going to sea with 60 airplanes on deck is a crime.  We can pump that number up to a little over 100. 

Its doable.

We're building LCS, while China is pumping out Frigates.

Many thanks to Paralus for pointing out this article to me.

Sidenote:  I've publicly questioned Feng's motives.  He's a constant over at ID, and I've wondered if he was a Chinese sympathizer.  I was wrong.  Its more like he's simply informing us all of the strides that the Chinese are making in becoming a military as well as economic superpower.  Additionally Mike at New Wars caught alot of grief from me when he was writing.  I was wrong too.  He was into smaller, simpler and more plentiful ships before it was cool.  He was right.  And we all were so wrong.  Let me also add that I'm into small arms and armor.  But I will be focusing on China with a bit more gusto now.  They're the 800 pound gorilla that's a real threat to the US.

Go to Feng's place to get the full story on these ships....but one thing is obvious.  We're playing checker---testing out concepts----while the Chinese are playing chess----opting to product improve what is KNOWN to work.

Things aren't looking good for the home team.  We MUST get our shipbuilding plan and designs for smaller combatants going again!

Informational. Spratly Islands.

Flashpoint.

The Spratly island chain will be the area where the next major naval battle will probably occur. 

Consider this.  The Spratly Islands chain is reported to contain vast oil reserves.  Also consder that Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines and China all claim itt.

Now think about all the wars that have started over less.

Israeli and Chinese Navy. 20 years of cooperation.

Uh quick question.  When the fuck did China and the Israeli Navy become BFF's?

The Israel Navy congratulates the Chinese Navy on docking at the Haifa port. On August 13, 2012, the Chinese vessels arrived at Israel in order to celebrate 20 years of cooperation between the Israel Navy and the Chinese Navy. RADM Yang Jun-Fei was welcomed by the Haifa base commander, Brig. Gen. Eli Sharvit, upon his docking.

HMH-362 Memorial Flight.

Completing 60 years of service, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362, known as the 'Ugly Angels,' completed a memorial flight over Helmand province, Afghanistan, Aug. 9. The squadron was created in 1952 and holds the distinction of being the first Marine helicopter squadron to arrive in country during the Vietnam War  Photo by Cpl. Isaac Lamberth.

Navy Matters. A blog you should check out.

Navy Matters.

A blog I recently discovered and you should check out.  If its not on your daily list of spots to stop by then correct yourself and subscribe!

Indian- Indigenous Light Combat Helicopter

Task Force Jaguar. The Apache Attack Helo.

H-8 Stealth Bomber. The next shoe to drop from China.

I had fun with a series of posts on a Chinese strike on an American Carrier Battle Group.

A light Google search reveals the next shoe to drop from Chinese design bureaus will be a stealth bomber---the H-8.

Several Chinese language blogs are talking about it and it just plain makes sense.  A glaring hole in Chinese force projection is the lack of a bomber with hemispheric reach.

A nation that is putting up a space station, has designed its own stealth fighter/striker and is producing 4.5 gen fighters surely is capable of producing a modern bomber...at least equal to the B-1.

Yet we still haven't seen it.

And that's why I predict the next shoe to drop from the land of the Dragon will be a stealth bomber.

Imagine designing a defense for a carrier when they have several regiments of homegrown stealth bombers to throw into the mix.

SOCOM in Afghanistan. We're doing it wrong.

Green Berets in Afghanistan via NATGEO.

Was talking to some friends about the ass sore that is Afghanistan and we all came to the same conclusion.

We're doing it wrong.

More specifically, SOCOM is doing it wrong.  They're about to have free reign (again) to operate the way that they want to and while they have conventional forces in country providing support (and will once they become lead force again) they're concentrating on raids, raids and more raids.

This might be a cultural issue, since the Commanding Officer is a Navy SEAL.

It might be part of an actual plan.

But from the outside looking in at SOCOM, it really appears like this should be a US Army Special Forces show.  I mean seriously.  THINK ABOUT IT!

AQ is done in country.  The only enemy that remains is the Taliban.  This is a classic Foreign Internal Defense Mission.

Everything else we're doing is not going to work until the politics of the simmering civil war is solved.

Rights for women?  Not gonna happen until they solve their issues.
Educating girls?  Same.
Religious freedom?  Ditto.
Reconstruction of the country?  You're kidding me right?

Only the Green Berets are culturally equipped to deal with Afghanistan.  US Marines, US Army and allied forces are not the forces to lead this fight.  Unfortunately the bureaucracy has settled in and thinking about winning the fight has taken a backseat to running a war.

Afghanistan is a Green Beret fight.  It probably always has been, but now it should be obvious to all.  Last week we had 10 US service men killed about our supposed allies.  Its past time to accept the reality of this situation. 

To solve Afghanistan you assign a Special Forces Group to the country and get everyone (including other SOCOM units) out of their way.  Then you do yearly assessments of progress made.  After 10 years at war, giving SF two more might not seem fair but when you consider the treasure expended in this effort its more than the Afghan people deserve.  If SF can't turn it around in that time frame then its a done deal.  That's how you solve Afghanistan.

Space Exploration Vehicle.

Fixing the fleet. USS America class should be the next carrier.

Embarrassing.

During the aftermath of the earthquakes in Haiti, the US Navy rushed an aircraft carrier with a skeleton crew on board to provide assistance.  It had no manpower to search for survivors or provide assistance.  It didn't have helicopters to move supplies ashore.  It was a case of image over substance.

All this leads to the situation the Navy finds itself in today.  Too few aircraft, too much ocean and not enough ships to go around.

The solution is simple.  Fix the Navy by adding an angled flight deck to the America class LHD and get numbers, reinvigorate rotary winged aviation in Navy use and get almost 40 F-35C's (or F/A-18's) on board.  Oh and be advised.  We've done this before.  We did the same thing to straight decked aircraft carriers after World War 2 and we were served well by the modifications.

Putting angled flight decks on the America class would be the first step to the Navy buying Ford's not Ferrari's.  We should start the planning today.

UPDATE:
A world war 2 aircraft carrier was under 30,000 tons in wieght and carried 100 aircraft.  When they were refitted witth hurricane bows and angled flight decks they still came in under 50,000 tons and operated primitve jet aircraft...meaning weak engines and avionics.

We can make a 40,000 ton carrier with an angled flight deck out of the America class and still operate 50 aircraft. If we take the space used for Marines and equipment then its beyond doable, its easy!  It can be done today, all it takes is the will.

Where are the pics?

Just a bit of blog promotion here.

If you're into military photos without all the glaring watermarks that some blogs paste onto their photos (even though a military journalist took them and only request that they be given credit) then look at my bar at the top of the page.  You'll see a label called SLIDESHOW.  Click on it and it'll take you to my collection.  Enjoy.

Russian Heavy Armor river crossing ops.

Pics are via English Russia. 

 

31st MEU. The year so far!

Freakin' Awesome!  Nicely done!

Political Animals...Quote of the week.

Mythical Secretary of State....Who's above your President?

Mythical Chinese Diplomat.....Naval Intelligence!

This is about the most self important bullshit I've ever seen on US politics.  If it even has a whiff of truth about it then we'd be better off being ruled governed by Caligula.  This show is such a bag of shit that its oddly fascinating.

The word Amazing is just not strong enough.

KMW has updated the website.

KMW has done a real neat and attractive update to their their website.  If you have any interest in armor its well worth a look see.

When does the cost of sinking an aircraft carrier become too high?

Was talking with a reader and this question came up.

How much did the Chinese lose in my mythical war?

Easy...

*A couple of regiments of SU-27 type fighters....
*Around 30 J-10's...
*A regiment of TU-22M Backfire bombers...
*A squadron of Fast Attack Missile boats....
*A squadron of Diesel Subs....

They sunk a carrier though and I say that it is well worth the price.  I couldn't bear to give you all the war with anti-ship ballistic missiles included.

Another statement was made that "hey, its ok, even if they sunk our carrier we still win"...they have to rebuild all those planes and ships and retrain aircrew lost.

Uh....we lost a carrier.  We lost aviation mechanics, air crew, nuclear propulsion experts, and sailors that know there stuff....in addition to a small nations worth of aircraft.

And that's the real point.  We can't afford to lose a carrier.  Yeah we have more but that isn't the point.  Every aircraft carrier represents a tremendous amount of national treasure....in people and equipment that just can't be reformed in less than a couple of years at best.

While we're focusing on littoral combat, every other navy in the world is concentrating on two things.  Power Projection in the form of amphibious assault ships and multi-mission frigates.  The reason is simple.  The amphib can perform many of the missions of the carrier without the danger of "placing all our eggs in one high tech basket" and the multi-mission frigate can perform many of the rest without the tremendous cost of a carrier.

As the carrier is currently equipped it is incapable of properly influencing a battle at sea.  While the Navy is seeking a UAV to attack targets on land, it relies on a short ranged missile (Harpoon) to attack other ships at sea.

Put another way.  If the Marine Corps could be accused of becoming a second land army then the Navy could be accused of becoming an air force.

This isn't a slam at the carrier navy.  Its just an observation that we have inflated the value of carriers to such an extent that the costs to destroy one pale in comparison to the need to keep one afloat.  Additionally the mission set of the carrier has become so focused on influencing the land battle that naval warfare has become a secondary consideration. 

Required reading.  Buy Fords not Ferraris.

Its time to bite the bullet and consider downsizing carriers.  A fleet of 20-25 fifty/forty thousand ton carriers might be more useful than what we have right now.

End of watch.

This looks like it might be good!  I think I'll plop down cash to watch this when it hits!

Carrier Navy. Fixing the fleet. Reformatting the DDG-1000.

I love the Marine Corps.

I believe in forcible entry.

I think naval gunfire is important.  But.  And here comes the sacrilege.  I don't think we need a cruiser that is committed to providing those fires.

The USMC provides one of our three forms of forcible entry but it has evolved to a point where another Tarawa or Iwo Jima shouldn't happen.  With the guns on the Burke's, with the airpower from our carriers and LHA's and with the ability to go over or around beach based obstacles we shouldn't dedicate a large ship to this function.

The Zumwalt class should be reformatted as the replacements for the anti-air cruisers that are soon to be retired.  Considering the magazine capacity that these ships have we would have an amazingly capable anti-air arsenal ship that could cripple a strike on our carriers.  By having these ships at the center of our formations along with our carriers and pushing the Burke's out to picket duty we could easily handle any Chinese Alpha stike with ship based assets alone.  

There would be no need to rush fighters into the air to reinforce the CAP.  Those fighters that we do have in the air can focus on killing the launch aircraft instead of attempting to knock down missiles heading toward our ships.

This one move could accomplish...

1.  It would provide a platform that would have instant influence on enemy actions causing them to rethink any current plans on how to destroy a carrier battle group.
2.  It would provide a platform that would have the power generation necessary for the next step in naval firepower...lasers or another form of electronic attack.
3.  It would be a better test bed for reduced manning and automation of the fleet.
4.  It could provide a strategic strike asset if the follow on to Tomahawk has the range desired by the CNO.

If we want to fix the fleet we need to get back to winning at sea.  Winning the blue water battle.  A DDG-1000 reformatted as an anti-air cruiser would be a smart move.