AMRAAM Question
Back to the main issue(s)...
I think we established some time ago that the main airborne threat to naval/maritime forces comes from missiles, many of which are air launched. The most effective method of dealing with this threat is using fighters to deal with the launch platform before it gets within firing range, or at least at a range beyond shipborne wapons. This is, perhaps, the crux of the debate.
However if the missiles do get fired would it be possible for AMRAAM to engage them? Can an aircraft equipped with a suitable radar (eg Blue Vixen, APG 65 ec) and AMRAAM deal with non aircraft (ie missile) targets?
Also this could apply to surface or submarine launched missiles, particularly the latest Russian and Chinese ones that are long ranged and have speeds of Mach 3 or 4.