500N - don't know.
For that very reason, tried to total up the number of weapons the US Navy et al had in theatre at the moment.
Others correct me if I'm wrong - there's 5 Arleigh Burkes and 2? Ohio class boats?
Back of the fag packet calc:
5x90 TLAMs = 450 from the destroyers
2x154 TLAMs = 308 from the subs
means the US alone could theoretically put 758 warheads on foreheads.
Now - I assume that each ship/boat may not necessarily carry a full load out - and that also doesn't account for anything fired from other French platforms, or from forces in the gulf (would they really shoot overland from the south to hit Syria?)
A quick and dirty Wikipedia search shows 700+ were fired at the start of the Iraq war.
So, are they likely to shoot that many this time? No, probably not - low value targets, very expensive ($1.4m ea) missile.
Take down or degrade the air defence radars/C&C centres enough with TLAMs to get in some Predators, Reapers etc to plink the rest of the AA assets?
I reckon they won't fly in a Batmobile or two from Whiteman - too risky.
If you're not wanting to put soldiers and airmen/women in harms way - what else can you use?
Just interested as to the game plan.
Last edited by tartare; 4th Sep 2013 at 02:03.