Future Carrier (Including Costs)

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Originally Posted by Asturias56

Well then we could save a fortune by taking the aircraft of them and putting them on airfields, no? And since the T45's spend so much time in port maybe resusciate the trial barge for the missiles.

Logic - what logic? The argument that carriers already based in the European area are important because they are able to rapidly deploy to places such as the Norwegian Sea is very similar to the argument for deploying a carrier as part of your naval forces.

The carrier puts fighters in close proximity to the assets or area to be defended without needing an excessive number of aircraft, and Geography, Mathematics, and Physics show that attacking aircraft carrying anti ship missiles are best dealt with using fighters to kill the archers, not the arrows. Airborne radar can see far beyond the radar horizon of shipborne ones and can detect low altitude targets at range, and fighters provide the means for interception and visual identification beyond the horizon, and engagement far beyond the range of shipborne missile systems.

Constant ASW helicopter operations are best supported by a large deck with multiple helicopters, as collocating them simplifies coordination, communications, and maintenance and support...

This is of course of from conclusion B on the carrier/sea control thread, and part of my list of specific posts.

1. The initial post - which contains a link to an official report, my main conclusions, and is of course the start of the thread.

2. The comment by a former US Navy flyer that the main role of the [USN] carrier in the Atlantic was Anti Air Warfare.

3. The employment of USN helicopters in lieu of the old S-3 Viking.

4. Early USN recognition of the value of ASW helicopters.

5. Exercise Teamwork 88.

6. Intercepting Russian aircraft and tracking Russian submarines during the CSG21 deployment.

7. The late Professor Eric Grove speaking at the IISS about the Cold War and today.

8. 1980s US Naval Strategy.

9. The potential vulnerability of Soviet cruise missile firing submarines.

10. Dr John Lehman talking about the NATO Maritime Strategy.

11. Routine NATO ASW.

12. The late Sharkey Ward talking about defence in depth and the limitations of the Invincible class.

13. Videos from the CSG21 deployment - including intercepting Russian aircraft and tracking their submarines.

14. Using airborne radar to keep submarines down and to cause them difficulty.

15. Early RN recognition of the importance of the ASW helicopter with dipping sonar.

16. The reasons for putting multiple ASW helicopters in one ship.

17. Video of Sonar 2087/Merlin combination.

18. CVF Residual Threats Study - yes, they were always intended to be able to protect task groups or forces ashore.

19. A 2008 exercise pairing a frigate with sonar 2087 and Merlins aboard a carrier.

20. The RN Maritime Operating Concept and similar US documents.

21. Air defence and Shooting Archers - naval fighters for long range defence.

22. Carrier operations in the Adriatic in the 1990s.

23. USN Super Hornets splashing Houthi anti ship missiles.

24. A simple scenario with simple speed/time/distance calculations.

25. The ability of USN fighters from the carrier in the Red Sea to respond to ships being attacked. Proximity is a virtue.

26. The control of intercepts by surface warships.

27. Control of Sea Harrier intercepts by destroyers in the Falklands - a key role for the anti air warfare ship.

28. Russian use of the TU-22 bomber and the Kh-22 anti ship missile.

29. Simple calculations to demonstrate defence in depth.

30. A Navy Lookout article of the carrier and sea control.

31. A post containing a quote from the JAPCC about airborne ASW - and the ability of ASW helicopters to protect the ships in a task group.

32. Exercise Steadfast Defender 24.

1, 2, 21, 24, and 30 address your idea with respect to embarked jets, 1, 3, 14, 16, 17, and 30 address your point with respect to ASW helicopters (which cannot sensibly be operated from a distant airfield due to their shorter range and lower speed).