Aircraft Carriers?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by GePap
You think I actually read that? At best I skimmed it. Standard procedure with Patrokolos posts.

That explains a lot...

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
How is my argument semantic?

My comment was on the state of affairs in the real world, not an abstract arrangement between country A and country B.

[Kuciwalker]

Taiwan declares independence -> China attacks Taiwan -> is basically an attack on us given how they know we'd respond

It's not that implausible.

[Zkribbler]

After the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, we took the Japanese by surprise by invading North Africa. Maybe if China invades Taiwan, we could blow-up Wal-Mart; that'd fix 'em!

[Patroklos]

You think I actually read that? At best I skimmed it. Standard procedure with Patrokolos posts.

In other words you know your wrong before I even respond.

[Az]

you're.you're. not your. I am begging you.

[Toby Rowe]

Hi all,

I don't see real Aircraft carriers being supplanted over the next 30 years or so.

Drones were mentioned, but size limits the distance they can travel, yet they can be launched from any real Aircraft carrier.

Submarines are best tacked by ASW helicopters as they can be both based on land or sea, whilst a vastly expensive hunter-killer submarine cannot, nor can it hop between bases, with 10 minutes notice, and NATO nations can each afford many ASW helicopters, whilst only a few of us can afford many hunter-killers.

The "Invincible" class in my Royal Navy was a joke in the Falklands War, whilst HMS Hermes, our last real Aircraft carrier was the saviour. That war finally ended USN experiments in tiny-tinnie-wincy carriers- they are useless.

The average size of a British Carrier carried 40-60 fixed wing aircraft, the "Invincible" class carried 12 Harriers and 8 helicopers, or a mix and match.

"Invinciible" class:

The Admiralty was told that no Aircraft carriers were needed in the Royal Navy in the then modern world (1970's), so the Admiralty told the Government that Cruisers would need to replace them, they agreed.
4 would be built; as usual 3 were made, the RN cunningly called then "through-deck criusers" and they started life with the "C" pennant.

The government finally realised what idiots they were in not allowing the RN any air cover-at all, at the Falklands and they were given the "A" pennant after the war, around the time Thatcher sold our very last real one to India once she returned from the war.

Hey, that's Politicians for you, short sighted as ever.

Politicians, forever starting wars whilst taking away the tools the men and women actually need to do their bidding, and the senior officers remain silent as they want an OBE, KBE or JCB upon retirement......

Toby

Ps: sorry, bit of a gripe, but people died as the government didn't listen.
Put it this way, if an office-worker says I need a pen to sign checks as a pencil isn't allowed, your boss then says you can only have pencils as it's cheaper, who will win?

[Odin]

Originally posted by Sikander

I suspect that bombardment from rail gun munitions utilizing the same satellite targeting capabilities currently used by the J-Dams will play a large role in replacing the carrier's strike capability.

The return of the battleship:

[Addled Platypus]

they might go the way of the do-do

once we implement orbital platforms that will rain down hot stinky death on your parade

[axi]

You shouldn't bring weapons to space. You have signed an international treaty not to. If you do, your word won't be worth the paper it's written on.

[Kuciwalker]

I believe we said we wouldn't bring nukes to space.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Taiwan declares independence -> China attacks Taiwan -> is basically an attack on us given how they know we'd respond

It's not that implausible.

I don't think we'll defend Taiwan anymore.

[Dis]

we already withdrew from the ABM treaty. What's one more?

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Dis

I don't think we'll defend Taiwan anymore.

I don't think China will break from its peaceful builder strategy to attack Taiwan, anyway. If they leave it alone, at best they'll reunify via diplomacy, and at worst it'll become intractably linked to them by economics.

[Kuciwalker]

I agree that's most likely, but the scenario I proposed has a non-negligible probability, you'll agree.