Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreadnought
If you decided to engage an Iowa at 100 miles stand off distance your dead end of story. If her Harpoons have 85 nautical mile distance and her Toms have 1500 miles imagine how far her radars can see. The best strategy for the Kirov is sail away in the other direction and dont risk your ship over a fight you certainly wont win. 
Being Americas most decorated battleship (18 stars) means that you dont run from anybody at anytime. After 48 years of service to the USN and several direct encounters in conflict they have a awesome track record second to none that has tested her time and again.
Kirov has yet to even see a conflict that would test even her slightest ability at conflict and sea handeling skills. That alot of wishfull thinking about a ship that still has yet to get her feet wet. |
The problem is that the Iowa's surface search radar has only a range of the horizon. Your long range missiles range will be useless unless you have the ability to see your target. It's like having a sniper rifle but without a scope. You can still hit a target, but not the ones that arefar to see.
Secondly, modern naval warfare (even during the 80's) involved finding the location of the enemy without him locating you. This battle will always start out with both captain's launching their helo's over the horizon to locate the enemy. The main advantage of the Kirov is that it can shoot down a helicopter at altitude at range. On the other hand, the Helix can stay within 10 nm of the Iowa and be relatively safe.
Yes the Iowa's were great ships but they are unfortunately obsolete. A single burke Flight II/A destroyer has a much better chance of engaging the Kirov 1 on 1.