I think most people really underestimate the huge number of tankers needed to fight a LR naval air battle.
This is one of the things i've learnt in my many convos with the pilots over at Whiskey Tango.
The USN even with it's compliment of six S-3's per carrier still has to rely heavily on USAF KC-135 and KC-110 assets to maintain a deep strike capability.
To control the Indian ocean(or even a portion of it) you would need many carriers and dozens of tankers.
Besides the US...and maybe(doubtfully) Russia, there is no nation on earth that can maintain a 24/7 high intensity air battle out on the high seas for any duration.
Not even Britian could do it now that they've retired so many vessels and aircraft.
And france...they can't even get their carrier to work right, lol.
This is one of the things i've learnt in my many convos with the pilots over at Whiskey Tango.
The USN even with it's compliment of six S-3's per carrier still has to rely heavily on USAF KC-135 and KC-110 assets to maintain a deep strike capability.
To control the Indian ocean(or even a portion of it) you would need many carriers and dozens of tankers.
Besides the US...and maybe(doubtfully) Russia, there is no nation on earth that can maintain a 24/7 high intensity air battle out on the high seas for any duration.
Not even Britian could do it now that they've retired so many vessels and aircraft.
And france...they can't even get their carrier to work right, lol.
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