China is Testing DF-21 Anti-ship Ballistic Missile to Target US Aircraft Carriers:USA

[Officer of Engineers]

In what way Colonel?

I was under the impression that there was to be both a land and sea based version of a conventional tipped ICBM- 2 ea D-5 per SSBN plus a not-yet-defined land version, possibly a converted Minuteman III or (more likely, imo)a new missile based on the Ares booster, to be siloed at Vandenberg.

Now, this is weird. The Prague Treaty counted ICBM launchers as nuclear whether conventional or nuke tipped. It doesn't allow any more launchers than what's there so either you use it for nuclear or conventional. Gates apparently wants people guessing whether it's nuke tipped or straight HE.

[highsea]

^^^ Right.

Plus, we can't convert existing ICBM silos to house missile defense interceptors.

[TopHatter]

That is one of the most stupidest statements. Would you need to build a conventional ICBM when you can build a long range cruise missile that effectively employs the same killing power of a conventional ICBM but has better accuracy and is more versatile than an ICBM?

Speed of response. An ICBM can hit it's target far faster than a cruise missile.

And the CEP for an ICBM with a massive conventional warhead, far larger than anything your garden variety conventional cruise missile can carry, makes absolute pinpoint accuracy redundant.

[Deltacamelately]

Doesn't US considers its Carrier fleet as strategic assets that carry nukes?
If so, then its pretty suicidal for any nation, China or otherwise to build something to hit such strategic assets.

[Officer of Engineers]

Major,

India had plans to sink the USS ENTERPRISE.

[Blademaster]

Speed of response. An ICBM can hit it's target far faster than a cruise missile.

And the CEP for an ICBM with a massive conventional warhead, far larger than anything your garden variety conventional cruise missile can carry, makes absolute pinpoint accuracy redundant.

Only stationary targets but you run into the problem of Russia mistaking it for a nuke launch. Not a smart thing to do, especially knowing that Russia is trigger happy.

[Stitch]

Doesn't US considers its Carrier fleet as strategic assets that carry nukes?
If so, then its pretty suicidal for any nation, China or otherwise to build something to hit such strategic assets.

Officially, the US Navy will neither confirm nor deny that ANY of it's ships ever carried nuclear warheads of any kind. Twenty years ago, it would've been a safe bet that all of the carriers (and a few other ships) DID have nukes onboard; nowadays, I'm not so sure. Our main strategic threat is now gone (USSR), but there are still lots of threats out there that might justify carrying a few nukes onboard, just in case (China comes to mind).

[weaponww]

Officially, the US Navy will neither confirm nor deny that ANY of it's ships ever carried nuclear warheads of any kind. Twenty years ago, it would've been a safe bet that all of the carriers (and a few other ships) DID have nukes onboard; nowadays, I'm not so sure. Our main strategic threat is now gone (USSR), but there are still lots of threats out there that might justify carrying a few nukes onboard, just in case (China comes to mind).

in the event of sinking US carrier group by the chinese via ballistic missile, what kind of response expect from US?

[highsea]

in the event of sinking US carrier group by the chinese via ballistic missile, what kind of response expect from US?

A whole CSF you say? Oh, well I'm sure Obama's response would be devastating. He would bring all elements of US "soft power" to bear, including pressing for UN sanctions, condemnations in the loudest vocal terms, new treaties limiting US naval power, possibly pulling the Pacific Fleet back to port for safety, etc.

He would follow this up with another world tour apologizing for the US, with much bowing and robe kissing by the Pres, maybe ending up the tour by insulting a couple of our few remaining allies...

[gunnut]

A whole CSF you say? Oh, well I'm sure Obama's response would be devastating. He would bring all elements of US "soft power" to bear, including pressing for UN sanctions, condemnations in the loudest vocal terms, new treaties limiting US naval power, possibly pulling the Pacific Fleet back to port for safety, etc.

He would follow this up with another world tour apologizing for the US, with much bowing and robe kissing by the Pres, maybe ending up the tour by insulting a couple of our few remaining allies...

He may even stop bowing to President Hu.:))

[highsea]

He may even stop bowing to President Hu.:))

Yeah, he'd send Geithner instead. And while he was there he'd borrow another 50 billion to build another CSF...

[chakos]

Yeah, he'd send Geithner instead. And while he was there he'd borrow another 50 billion to build another CSF...

Well the money needs to come from somewhere...

[dundonrl]

Major,

India had plans to sink the USS ENTERPRISE.

well.. I'm sure that the US military has plans on attacking pretty much everyone on earth, including our closest allies (just like they have plans on attacking the US and their other allies)


in the early 20's they were the "rainbow" plans..

you can google them if you wish..

[bull]

Major,

India had plans to sink the USS ENTERPRISE.

During 71, India - Pak war. Did we plan to attack the 7th fleet? I think Indira called the it a 'bluff' and asked to carry on with operations as it is.

[BenRoethig]

in the event of sinking US carrier group by the chinese via ballistic missile, what kind of response expect from US?

Since you can't tell what kind of warhead it has until it explodes, you can expect our trident and minuteman crews to get ready. There's a very good reason neither we, the Russians, or anyone else has tried putting a conventional warhead on a theater ballistic missile.