Chinese "Kill Weapon"

[Oxlan]

https://www.usni.org/forthemedia/ChineseKillWeapon.asp

[Fireplace]

That's why the USN are seriously looking at unmanned combat aircraft. They may need something with a lot longer range than the F/A-18 or F-35. There is some doubt as to the accuracy of the ASBM, hitting anything that moves with a ballistic missile is far from easy.

[paul g]

That's why the USN are seriously looking at unmanned combat aircraft. They may need something with a lot longer range than the F/A-18 or F-35. There is some doubt as to the accuracy of the ASBM, hitting anything that moves with a ballistic missile is far from easy.

Carriers are far from easy to sink even with nuclear weapons, the USS Saratoga for example survived one air burst weapon at the Bikini atoll tests in 1946 at a mile distance, and was eventually only sunk when an underwater nuclear weapon was detonated beside it.

More importantly, its 60 years since the Bikini Island tests, and a lot of work has gone into ship design and damage control, especially on carriers that have vast amounts of aviation fuel, I'm not saying that they're invunerable to attack, but they are heavily defended.

Perhaps the USN needs to finance one of its new projects.

[easyrider]

Maybe that Chinese missile is one reason why the US Navy are fielding the SM-3 anti-ballistic missile on some cruisers and destroyers. (Or else stories about a Chinese missile are a good way of ensuring funding for the SM-3 project is maintained.)

As for accuracy, presumably the missile carries MRVs with terminal phase sensors and guidance.

[The_Equalizer]

As for accuracy, presumably the missile carries MRVs with terminal phase sensors and guidance.

[easyrider]

"The US Department of Defense has stated that China is developing a high hypersonic land-based anti-ship ballistic missile based on the DF-21, with a range of up to 3,000 kilometres (1,900 mi). These would combine manoeuvrable reentry vehicles (MaRVs) with some kind of terminal guidance system." (Wiki)[/INDENT]

[Fireplace]

There's nothing new about terminal phase guidance on a ballistic missile. The Pershing II had active radar guidance 30 years ago. The Chinese seem to have taken note of this.