CVN-78 Gerald W Ford

[Monash]

Simply by observing China and India's efforts to get into the carrier business it's pretty obvious that they're not easy. Simply by having 10+ of the planet's biggest and best carriers gives the US and enormous advantage in a conflict. The only scenario where I could see the carrier rendered obsolete is if the US was to fight the US. I believe China probably has the strongest airforce that the US may find itself in conflict with. I doubt all those land based aircraft could overcome 3-4 US carries sitting off the coast of China. So just the US naval air arm could potentially deal with any other nations airforce. I'd keep em.

I think that pretty accurately sums up the status quo now and for the next decade or so. The question is, what happens after that? And it's not necessarily a matter of China (or for that matter any other nation) simply building a fleet of large carriers comparable in performance to that of the US. Rapid advances in various forms of hyper-sonic cruise missile technology, drone/swarm robotics and other land based defense systems are starting to render conventional carriers more vulnerable to attack - of they are are loitering 500-1000 miles of the coast of a hostile nation.

So as the engagement range of land based defenses extend carriers will find themselves having to deploy weapon systems that can match and exceed those kind of ranges. At some point it might become cheaper simply to opt for arsenal ships crammed with similar single use, 'smart' weapn systems or even just land/space based strike platforms that can reach out and 'touch' someone from home soil - or if your lucky an allies soil.

[SteveDaPirate]

There are a lot of ways to counter land based missiles. You can hide from, spoof, or jam them; and the USN has a number of means to intercept them at various ranges with Standard missiles, ESSM, RAM, Phalanx, etc.
Land based missiles are also vulnerable to being destroyed before they ever have a chance to be used, since aircraft with standoff weapons or subs firing cruise missiles can hit them without the surface fleet coming into range. Satellites can locate land based missile launch sites and that dramatically reduces their effectiveness.

The biggest threat to carriers is the same as it's always been. Submarines.

[surfgun]

Builders trials have concluded.
https://news.usni.org/2017/04/14/car...elivery-spring

[Albany Rifles]

There are a lot of ways to counter land based missiles. You can hide from, spoof, or jam them; and the USN has a number of means to intercept them at various ranges with Standard missiles, ESSM, RAM, Phalanx, etc.
Land based missiles are also vulnerable to being destroyed before they ever have a chance to be used, since aircraft with standoff weapons or subs firing cruise missiles can hit them without the surface fleet coming into range. Satellites can locate land based missile launch sites and that dramatically reduces their effectiveness.

The biggest threat to carriers is the same as it's always been. Submarines.

This reminds me of a story I heard from the 1980s.

A US Fleet was at sea at the same time as a Soviet fleet. The US fleet ran a set of offset Alpha Strikes for about 10 days and the Soviets had no clue where they were or about the strikes.

Then on the last day the sent it towards the Soviet fleet.

The Sovs about shit themselves when their systems lit up with 80+ aircraft!

[surfgun]

Builder's trials highlights.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OPsOsjhO72Q

[SteveDaPirate]

The Sovs about shit themselves when their systems lit up with 80+ aircraft!

Understandably so!

[surfgun]

A shipyard production of the trials.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nvWhAVnec20

[astralis]

sigh...

https://www.theatlantic.com/technolo...rriers/526386/

[JCT]

sigh...

https://www.theatlantic.com/technolo...rriers/526386/

It's just a minor change, rip it out! Probably save a lot of money too. Steam is just heated water, right? Easy to make...

[surfgun]

Yes, Trump likes to act the like he is the smartest man in the room. That is why he has professionals to take him aside in private to set things straight. Yup, he's a big mouth. Always has been.
Oh, I'm sure BHO was right on top of catapult tech!? Remember, "corpse man"?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlKIfzoC8D0

[jlvfr]

sigh...

https://www.theatlantic.com/technolo...rriers/526386/

The stupid, it burns. Just not with steam...

[tbm3fan]

The stupid, it burns. Just not with steam...

Ah, the simple minded. I see them all over. They know Facebook and Twitter like the back of their hand and that is the extent of their life. Epidemic. So sad...

[jlvfr]

I now have a vision of a bunch of docks workers climbing all over the Ford, cuting holes for steam pipes, while other weld other pipes around the outside of the hull. And the captain is handed over the end of string "connected to the catapult trigger"...

[surfgun]

Acceptance trials are to be held later this month.
https://news.usni.org/2017/05/11/car...ery-afterwards

[SteveDaPirate]

I now have a vision of a bunch of docks workers climbing all over the Ford, cuting holes for steam pipes, while other weld other pipes around the outside of the hull. And the captain is handed over the end of string "connected to the catapult trigger"...

‘You going to goddamned black powder’ — Trump rails against the Army’s search for a new rifle

Read more: http://www.duffelblog.com/2017/05/go...#ixzz4guhCdUaR