Five ways Russia and China could sink American aircraft carriers. Can the Russian fleet sink at least one US aircraft carrier? Can US aircraft carriers suppress enemy air defenses?
October 13, 1775 is considered the day the US Navy was created. At the moment, its strength is 286 ships of various types. The most impressive ships of the US Navy are considered to be aircraft carriers, which look unsinkable.
Currently, aircraft carriers are the largest warships ever built. A modern aircraft carrier can carry from 70 to 100 aircraft, which may include fighters, attack aircraft, refueling aircraft, airborne early warning and control aircraft, etc. Along with this, the aircraft carrier has a group of helicopters, which are search and rescue, reconnaissance, anti-submarine and transport vehicles.
The cost of building a modern nuclear-powered aircraft carrier propulsion system is about 4-6 billion US dollars. The monthly costs of maintaining an aircraft carrier (without salaries to personnel) amount to over 10 million US dollars. It is not surprising that serious forces are always devoted to the protection of these ships.
The aircraft carriers themselves cannot carry a large number of defensive weapons, therefore, for their protection they are always allocated great forces. One such ship can guard about 10-15 heavily armed ships, which create a safe zone within a radius of 300 kilometers. Therefore, sinking an aircraft carrier is a very difficult task. But, as usual, there is always a solution to even the most difficult problem.
SmartNews has compiled a list of 5 possible ways to sink these huge ships.
Massive attack. This method requires a lot of effort and money, and is most likely doomed to failure. The approach of an aircraft carrier to the enemy's shores always implies great trouble for the enemy. Therefore, the defending side can put all its forces at stake to sink a ship of this type. Of course, this method initially implies large losses, since breaking through the ring of guard ships is a very difficult task.
However, with the right tactics and a certain amount of luck, this task can be accomplished. Accuracy and coordination of actions will be required from attacking ships. First of all, the main work will fall on security and air defense ships, since the enemy is guaranteed to use all of its attacking potential in the form of missiles and aircraft.
After the threat from the accompanying ships is neutralized, it will be necessary to concentrate all attack potential on the aircraft carrier. Since these ships are equipped with a lot of different compartments, you will have to try hard to bring it to the bottom.
SABOTAGE
Modern aircraft carriers are equipped with a nuclear power plant, thanks to which they can remain on combat duty far from the port for a very long time. But sooner or later the ship will have to call at some allied city to replenish supplies, stock up on fuel for aircraft and carry out maintenance.
This is what sabotage units of combat swimmers can take advantage of. They must dive quietly and approach the aircraft carrier. Next, the swimmers will need to attach several charges to the giant’s hull throughout the ship’s hull. Then it remains to leave the zone unnoticed and detonate the charges from the shore. Even if the aircraft carrier is not sunk, it will suffer significant damage and will no longer be able to participate in hostilities.
TORPEDOING
Modern submarines are distinguished by special stealth and camouflage. All the designers’ work always comes down to reducing the noise of the propellers and the submarine as a whole. Besides modern boats They also carry time-appropriate torpedoes.
The main task for a submarine is to get close to an aircraft carrier unnoticed, which seems to be a very difficult task. However, with a successful combination of circumstances, this task is quite feasible. Low-noise diesel-electric engines are suitable for these purposes. submarines. Project 877 boats belong to this class.
The aircraft carrier needs to be hit with as many salvos as possible in different parts of the hull. A large and massive ship simply will not have time to dodge the oncoming torpedoes.
True, this will most likely be the last mission for the submarine, since after torpedoing all the guard ships will throw all their strength and resources just to sink the enemy submarine.
MISSILE STRIKE
This option is considered as the main method of combating aircraft carriers. For example, you can take the Russian P-800 Oniks missile. It can be fired at a target from the shore, ship or aircraft. This missile is of particular interest when installed on strategic bombers.
A long-range aircraft only needs to get within 300 kilometers of the aircraft carrier and fire a missile at the target. Then Onyx will do everything himself. The missile can fly along a mixed trajectory at altitudes from 10 to 14,000 meters. Flying up to the target, it literally spreads over water surface and becomes inaccessible to enemy air defense systems. In most cases, the enemy will not be able to find a counter to this missile, and it will complete its combat mission.
NUCLEAR STRIKE
This method is a very effective measure. True, nuclear weapons will be used as a last resort or in a desperate situation. For these purposes, a ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead will be used. It can be launched from any carrier, be it a stationary silo, submarine, aircraft or mobile launcher.
Everyone knows about the effectiveness of this weapon, but there are also negative consequences. On aircraft carriers nuclear reactor, which will contribute to the contamination of the ocean. But, in conditions of war, the command would rather contaminate the ocean than endanger its territory.
A swarm of missiles flies past the main target
Heavy anti-ship missiles (ASMs) have a number of important advantages that lighter and simpler missiles do not have. The balanced development of light and heavy anti-ship missiles will significantly increase the capabilities of our fleet in the fight against the most powerful formations of a potential enemy, primarily aircraft carriers.
Military-technical policy in this area has recently been focused on equipping combat surface ships, submarines and attack aircraft with relatively small-sized missiles. The development of complexes with heavy anti-ship missiles has been curtailed, although Basalt, Vulcan and Granit are still in service. Long-range aviation (and naval missile-carrying aviation if it is recreated, which is undoubtedly a necessary step) has the X-22 missile system as its main anti-ship weapon. However, all these systems are relatively outdated, as they were developed in the 60s and 70s. New heavy-class anti-ship missiles are not being created at present and are not expected in the future.
Among the recently adopted long-range anti-ship missile systems, Onyx has the greatest capabilities to destroy modern surface ships. Launch weight is about 3000 kilograms (with a transport and launch container - 3900 kg), warhead - about 200 kilograms. The homing head is capable of tracking cruiser-class surface targets at a distance of up to 75 kilometers and has two flight path options. The first is at high altitudes up to 14–15 thousand meters with a decrease to 3–10 meters in the target area. This achieves a maximum firing range of 300 kilometers. The second option involves flying on the march and in the target area at extremely low altitudes: from 3–10 meters in the target area to 10–15 meters on the march. However, the maximum firing range in this case is reduced to 120 kilometers. The missile's flight speed is supersonic - from 2.0 M on the cruising phase to 2.5 M in the target area. When flying along a combined trajectory, the missile initially locks onto a target at a high altitude, after which it turns off the radar station and descends to extremely low altitudes. As a result, in the middle section the flight is carried out under the lower boundary of the air defense zone. Subsequently, after the anti-ship missile reaches the radio horizon range, the homing head (GOS) is turned on again, captures and tracks the target at which the missile is aimed. In this relatively short section (no more than 20–30 km) supersonic speed“Onyx” makes it difficult to defeat it with short-range air defense systems, as well as to interfere with the homing head. This anti-ship missile system is universal and can be used from surface ships and submarines, as well as from aircraft and coastal missile launchers.
Another system belonging to long-range complexes is the Caliber family. These are subsonic missiles with a maximum firing range of 300 kilometers. The flight to the target is carried out at an extremely low altitude. The energy of the homing head makes it possible to auto-track cruiser-type targets at a distance of up to 65 kilometers. However, the actual range will be limited by the radio horizon (30 - maximum 40 km, depending on the size of the target and its height above the water surface). The missile warhead is about 400 kilograms. This universal system allows the use of missiles both from surface ships and submarines, and from coastal installations.
In addition to long-range missile systems, there are also short-range systems that can fire up to 50–130 kilometers. Of these, the most common is the RK X-35. This is a subsonic missile with a low-altitude trajectory (10–20 m), which, with a launch weight of 600 kilograms, has a warhead weighing about 150 kilograms.
Many small or few powerful
All these missile systems appeared in accordance with the concept of creating an inexpensive and high-density missile salvo - a kind of “missile swarm” that makes it possible to oversaturate the air defense system of a naval formation or an individual enemy ship and thereby guarantee its defeat with several missiles. It is believed that although the relatively small warhead of each missile is not capable of reliably disabling or destroying an enemy ship, the possibility of placing a large number of missiles on a carrier and using them in a salvo will make it possible to inflict the required damage on the target. Such missiles should be relatively simple, which ensures their low cost and, accordingly, reduces the cost of a salvo.
Previously, the development of anti-ship missiles, especially long-range ones, was based on a different concept. It was based on the idea of the possibility of destroying or incapacitating a large ship if even one missile hits it. Accordingly, its warhead should be quite powerful - 500–700 kilograms or more. This is exactly what distinguished the “Basalt”, “Vulcan”, “Granit” and the Soviet-designed X-22. It is clear that it is impossible to place a large number of large missiles on the carrier. Consequently, they are required to be highly selective and additional features overcoming the air defense of a ship's formation. This means that they need to be equipped with sufficiently powerful radar homing heads, allowing them to detect and track naval targets at a distance of 100 kilometers or more, and highly effective onboard recognition systems in order to highlight the main object in the enemy’s naval order. At the same time, the seeker must have high noise immunity, and the missile itself, if possible, must have its own electronic warfare systems to break through enemy air defenses. That is, the rockets are both heavy and expensive. “Basalt”, “Vulcan” and “Granite” have a starting weight from 6000 to 8000 kilograms and corresponding dimensions. But their firing range significantly exceeds that of the newest “Onyx” and “Caliber”, ranging from 500 kilometers for “Basalt” and “Granite” to 700 kilometers for “Vulcan”.
So is the concept of a heavy, powerful, and therefore large and expensive anti-ship missile outdated? Or is it premature to abandon the development of this direction?
Advantages and disadvantages
Undoubtedly strong point The “missile swarm” concept is the ability to place a large number of missiles on one carrier (even relatively small ones). This significantly increases the flexibility of use: it allows you to create a reserve, more rationally distribute work among targets, and avoid allocating excessive destructive potential to weakly protected objects.
When equipped modern ships With powerful multi-channel air defense systems, the “missile swarm” concept provides a high-density salvo that is guaranteed to overcome the air defense system of even heavily protected formations, such as American aircraft carrier groups.
The low cost of such weapons allows them to be produced in large quantities and to create sufficient reserves for combat operations in a short time. Another advantage is the simplicity of both the missiles themselves and the complex as a whole. This promotes universalization and allows the complexes to be placed on ships of all main classes and even on civilian ships in the event of their mobilization. The strike capabilities of the fleet are significantly increasing.
The weaknesses of the “missile swarm” concept include, first of all, the fact that strict weight and size restrictions exclude the placement on missiles of powerful radars and other systems, in particular electronic reconnaissance, high-performance on-board computers, which would allow the main target to be identified as accurately as possible. At a maximum range of 300 kilometers, the Onyx will fly for about 10 minutes, the Caliber - more than 20 minutes. Target distribution is carried out on board the carrier based on data received from external sources. After launch, correction of the flight mission is impossible. With a relatively high probability, the enemy will identify preparations for a strike and the moment of the salvo based on indirect and direct signs. During the missiles' flight time, the enemy's naval formation will be able to rearrange the order and create a jamming environment. Targeting the main target will be significantly more difficult - the missiles will be distributed among all ships.
The short target acquisition range of low-altitude and low-speed anti-ship missiles creates the danger of the target leaving the viewing range of their homing head (GOS) when firing at extreme distances. It is for this reason that American Tomahawks provide the ability to additionally search for a target by moving along a snake in the area of its intended location when firing at maximum range, when target designation is given with low accuracy. A salvo of “Caliber” missiles, when fired at maximum range in conditions of enemy movement in a tactical zigzag and when issuing target designation from sources with low accuracy in determining the target location, can with a relatively high probability (up to 0.2–0.4) miss the designated target.
The warhead weighing about 200 kilograms is capable of reliably disabling ships of no higher than the frigate class. It will take at least three or four hits to destroy the cruiser. This is evidenced by the experience of World War II (to sink a ship of this class, an average of three to four hits from 250 kg aerial bombs were required). The death of the destroyer Sheffield from being hit by an Exocet anti-ship missile during the Falkland Islands War is atypical and indicates rather the ineffectiveness of the crew’s struggle for survivability rather than the power of the missile’s warhead, which did not even explode: the fire caused by the missile’s engine could not be extinguished. To disable an American aircraft carrier, such missiles will require significantly more – 10–15. This is due to the fact that the zone of destruction from the explosion by the warhead is relatively small and does not allow the vital parts of a large ship to be reliably hit. Its failure or death will follow not so much from the explosion of missile warheads itself, but from subsequent secondary destruction, which in turn is countered by a highly effective system for combating the survivability of a modern aircraft carrier.
Finally, a target acquisition range of 75–80 kilometers, achieved at high missile altitudes, will not help to avoid being hit by the air defense system of modern ships, whose anti-aircraft fire weapons (AAF) can hit similar air targets at a distance of up to 120–180 kilometers or more. This means that the salvo’s missiles will be destroyed at the most vulnerable part of the trajectory.
These disadvantages are absent in severe RCC. Among their main strengths is, first of all, the ability to place powerful, highly efficient radio-electronic equipment (RES) on board. With a target acquisition range of more than 100–120 kilometers, the possibility of an enemy order going beyond the viewing range of the seeker of salvo missiles is virtually eliminated, even with low target designation accuracy.
Less stringent weight and size restrictions make it possible to place on them a seeker with a target acquisition range that exceeds the capabilities of existing and future anti-aircraft missile systems (AAMS), that is, 150–200 kilometers, and thereby avoid destruction at the high altitude part of the flight path. This also allows for the placement of our own active electronic warfare systems on heavy anti-ship missiles, which ensure a significant reduction in the effectiveness of the enemy’s anti-aircraft defense system. In this case, information exchange between salvo missiles is possible, as well as further automatic selection of their combat order, optimal from the point of view of overcoming air defense. We are talking about actively countering enemy electronic missiles and radically increasing the reliability of missiles firing a salvo at the main target in automatic mode. Thus, heavy anti-ship missiles have a significantly higher selectivity of hitting designated targets than light-class missiles.
Low requirements for the target designation system create favorable conditions for the development of especially long-range anti-ship missile systems - 1000–1200 kilometers or more, which allows their carriers to be taken beyond the effective range of carrier-based aircraft and anti-submarine defense of aircraft carrier groups and formations. Accordingly, the combat stability of carriers of such weapons increases. Reducing the requirements for the target designation system is very important for the Russian Navy, especially in areas of the far sea and ocean zones.
The warhead of heavy anti-ship missiles, weighing more than 700–800 kilograms, is guaranteed to penetrate the structural protection system and ensure the destruction of vital elements deep in the hull of the largest warships. This means that it would take two or three or four or five such missiles to disable or sink an aircraft carrier.
Disadvantages include high cost, limited on-board carrier kit and, as a consequence, the difficulty of creating a high-density salvo.
Develop both classes
An analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the two conceptual approaches to the development of anti-ship weapons gives reason to say that they are complementary. The weaknesses of one become the strengths of the other. Thus, the low selectivity of light anti-ship missiles (in conditions of a limited target designation system) combined with the ability to create a high-density salvo allows one to count on a significant weakening of the air defense system of an enemy naval formation. At the same time, the relatively small destructive power of the warheads of such missiles is quite consistent with the targets of attack - cruisers, destroyers and frigates from the escort of the main forces.
After the enemy’s air defense system has been weakened, when a high-density salvo is no longer required, but reliable, with a high degree of selectivity, destruction of the main ships of the order is necessary, heavy anti-ship missiles come into play, which can solve the problem of disabling or destroying core ships, in particular aircraft carriers.
That is, the feasibility of the integrated use of different classes of anti-ship weapons is visible, which will significantly increase their effectiveness compared to the use of any one class.
The concept of heavy anti-ship missiles was abandoned too early. It makes sense not to rely only on the light class and return to work on heavy-type anti-ship missile weapons. The balanced development of both directions will significantly increase the capabilities of our fleet in the fight against the most powerful naval formations of a potential enemy, primarily aircraft carriers.
What can the Russian Federation oppose to the “invincible armada”.
Once, while still the US Secretary of Defense, Leon Edward Panetta, stated: “Any fifth-grader knows that the US AUG (carrier strike group) cannot be destroyed by any of the existing powers in the world,” writes blogger Anton Rumata.
Wait! What about Russia! Personally, I was always and everywhere told that the Russian army could deal with the US Navy - somehow, but it could. Those more advanced in this matter stated: well, with the entire fleet, maybe not, it’s even possible that we won’t defeat an aircraft carrier force, but we can definitely send one AUG to the bottom. Well, very few still agreed with the Americans in their bravado.
Let's look into this issue (it's interesting - it's true).
I’ll say right away that I won’t overload the post with numbers and enumerations, there will be a lot of links, by going through them, you can get all the data and performance characteristics from different sources. I also won’t elaborate ad infinitum. Those. I count on visitors to be somewhat well-read on this issue; the rest, if something is unclear in the names or terms, can freely get definitions through a search engine. Although I will try to provide almost all links.
A typical US AUG is a group consisting of:
Flagship aircraft carrier groups with a Nimitz (or Enterprise) nuclear power plant with a carrier-based aviation regiment based on it (60-80 aircraft). According to usual practice, an aircraft carrier, as well as a carrier-based aviation regiment of a group, are separate military units of naval aviation and are under the command of naval aviation officers with the rank of U.S. Naval aviation Captain.
Air defense division of the group- 1-2 CR URO of the Ticonderoga type. The basic armament complex of the missile cruiser division includes the Standart air defense missile launcher (SM-2, SM-3) and the sea-based Tomahawk missile launcher. All Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers are equipped maritime complex weapon control and Aegis missile firing. Each of the division's cruisers is under the command of a US Navy officer with the rank of U.S. Navy Captain.
PLO division of the group- 3-4 EM URO of the Arleigh Burke type with depth charges and torpedoes to combat submarines, as well as (some ships) with Tomahawk missile launchers on board. The commander of an ASW division is a Navy officer with the rank of U.S. Navy Captain, while each of the division's destroyers is under the command of a U.S. Navy officer with the rank of U.S. Navy Commander.
Multi-purpose submarine division- 1-2 submarines of the “Los Angeles” type with torpedo armament and the Tomahawk cruise missile (with launch through the submarine’s TA) on board with the tasks of both ASW groupings and strikes against coastal (surface) targets.
Supply vessel division - 1-2 Sepla type transports, ammunition transports, tankers, and other auxiliary ships.
OAP Navy- up to 60 US Navy aviation aircraft, consolidated into attack aircraft, airborne early warning aircraft, anti-aircraft warfare aircraft, military aviation aircraft, etc. The Navy air force is a separate military unit of the US Navy aviation. The Navy OAP, like the AVMA, is under the command of a Navy aviation officer with the rank of captain first rank or a USMC aviation officer with the rank of colonel (USMC Colonel).
So what can Russia counter to such impressive power? Russia does not have the resources to compete with the United States on equal terms in terms of the number of ships. In terms of aircraft carriers, the US has an overwhelming advantage; now the Americans have 10 aircraft carriers, the Russian Federation has one aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral of the Fleet Soviet Union Kuznetsov, which can be qualified as a light aircraft carrier, but actually without aircraft. There are ten Su-33s in service out of the planned twenty-five, which they already want to replace with the MiG-29K. In 2013, in addition to the existing “dryers”, two MiGs were added. The situation with escort ships is also not the best.
Many will now say, what about aircraft carriers, Russia has a lot of other things to destroy AUGs. I agree, in a situation of total superiority in ships, an asymmetrical response is needed. So what is he like?
The Russian Armed Forces see it in missile weapons, specifically in anti-ship missiles. Those. in the effective delivery of a conventional or nuclear charge directly to AUG ships.
First, I suggest you familiarize yourself with the carriers of anti-ship missiles: the Project 1164 Atlant missile cruiser, the Project 949A Antey submarine, the Project 1144 Orlan heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser, and the actual heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov.
There are also small rocket ships, aviation and coastal missile systems.
Since the US AUG has a serious missile defense and air defense system, and naturally a powerful aviation fist, the main characteristics for combating and defeating it are the detection and possible attack distance.
In order to hit an AUG composition: aviation, ships or submarines must ensure timely detection of an aircraft carrier group, classify it, approach within missile strike range, while maintaining combat effectiveness, and launch missiles that, having overcome air defense and electronic warfare systems, must destroy the ships in the composition AUG.
Let's consider the option of attacking AUGs by surface ships of the Russian Navy in the world's oceans:
The detection capabilities of Russian ships are actually limited by the radio horizon; the helicopters on board the ships are of little use for solving this problem, due to the small number of these machines and their short range. They can be effectively used only in the interests of issuing target designation for missile weapons, but before that the enemy must still be detected.
Of course, when missile cruisers were created, i.e. under Soviet navy, their activities were to be carried out with the support of a naval intelligence system in the ocean theater of operations. It relied on a developed system of radio-technical intelligence, the basis of which was ground-based centers located not only on the territory of the USSR, but also in other states. There was also effective space naval reconnaissance, which made it possible to detect and monitor naval formations of a potential enemy, and provide target designation for missile weapons throughout almost the entire territory of the World Ocean. Russia at the current moment in time does not have all this. In 2006, they began to revive the system, but it is still very, very far from completion.
Therefore, the AUG will see Russian ships long before it itself is detected. The group constantly provides air control to a depth of 800 km, with the help of Grumman E-2 Hawkeye AWACS aircraft, we will be attacked by 48 aircraft, of which 25 will carry the GARPUN anti-aircraft missile system, and electronic warfare will be provided by almost 8 Boeing EA-18 Growlers.
It is impossible to fight off the cruisers with their air defense, and even the Kuznetsov with a dozen aircraft.
The Russian Federation will not be allowed to use the main weapon in the fight against AUG, namely the P-1000 Vulcan, a range of 550 km and the P-700 Granit, a range of up to 625 km, as you can see, the Russian Federation cannot aim these missiles, even at launch range, it is extremely unlikely that will do.
But if, by some miracle, the Russian Federation still shoots down enemy planes. There will be a duel of anti-ship missiles, and a fight between electronics; if in anti-ship missiles we are superior to the Americans, then in electronic warfare there is again almost no chance. IN best case scenario Russian anti-ship missiles, some of which will pass the AUG missile defense system, will be able to damage the aircraft carrier and, in extreme cases, sink several ships of the group, but all this based on the above, unfortunately from the realm of science fiction.
Also, a strike on the AUG with nuclear weapons is also unlikely, again due to the fact that the Russian Federation simply will not have time to strike, since they will be discovered first.
The most advanced Russian anti-ship missile system today is Granit. Currently, there are no analogues to this rocket in the world. Its flight range is 625 km. This is one hundred kilometers greater than the range of the Tomahawk anti-ship modifications, almost three times the flight range of the main American Harpoon anti-ship missile, and approximately corresponds to the range of the F/A-18 carrier-based fighters. The Granit's marching speed is 660 meters per second, in the last part of the trajectory - a kilometer per second, which is three times the speed of the Harpoon and Tomahawk and twice the maximum speed F/A-18 fighter. “Granit” carries a warhead containing 500 kilograms of powerful explosives, the TNT equivalent of which, according to various sources, ranges from 1000 to 1500 kilograms. The power of the Granit warhead significantly exceeds the 454-kilogram TNT warhead Tomahawk and the 227-kilogram Harpoon. The power of "Granit" allows you to destroy any destroyer or cruiser with one hit. In addition, missiles of this type can be equipped with nuclear warheads, which do not require a direct hit to destroy a ship.
Breaking through the enemy's air defense "Granit" is facilitated by the armoring of the warhead and important components, which reduces the likelihood of the anti-ship missile being destroyed by a close detonation of an anti-aircraft missile, and the low flight altitude. The Granit anti-ship missile system is a highly intelligent weapon capable of carrying out “collective” actions, countering enemy air defense and independently selecting the most important target. In the computer memory of missiles there are so-called “portraits” of radar for all ships, and information about all possible options orders. The missiles attack along the most rational trajectory, forming a combat order and exchanging information among themselves. A salvo of one Project 949A submarine contains 24 missiles, each of which also carries its own decoys to break through the missile defense system. 23 missiles fly low over the water, one rises higher, periodically turning on the radar to aim at targets. It determines the number of targets and distributes them among other missiles. If the “leader” is destroyed, the next missile takes its place. The largest target, that is, an aircraft carrier, is automatically identified by missiles in the order of ships. After a breakthrough, the missiles rank targets in order of importance to ultimately ensure the destruction of the aircraft carrier. First, the cover ships in the path of the missiles are destroyed, and then the aircraft carrier is struck. But there is one big BUT, the missile requires precise target designation until the seeker locks onto the target, and this targeting is achieved only with the help of aviation or spacecraft.
Conclusion: missiles are good, and they are much better than American ones, but unfortunately flying electronics and AUG fighters nullify this advantage.
Now consider the option with a submarine, the Project 949A Antey missile boat can, using its hydroacoustics, detect AUG noises at a distance of more than 100 miles, i.e. being in the far zone of the anti-submarine defense of an aircraft carrier group, where the likelihood of its detection and destruction is very low. The boat is armed with 24 P-700 Granit, respectively, the boat is already in a state of striking the AUG, since the Granit’s range is up to 625 km, and we remind you that it is 100 miles from the escorted aircraft carrier. But here again the problem of insufficient awareness arises; again, a specific system for issuing target designation is needed, which can be provided either from space or by aviation, and this is this moment Russia, I repeat, does not have it, and what is available from aviation sources of target designation will quickly be destroyed by AUG fighters. Based on all of the above, “Antey” is an excellent machine, but it will not be able to classify, let alone determine, the battle formation of the enemy formation with the identification of the main order. To do this you will need to log in middle zone anti-submarine defense group, where the probability of detection and, accordingly, destruction is already significant.
But that’s not all, in order to destroy an aircraft carrier, it is necessary to hit it with 8-10 Granit anti-ship missiles with conventional equipment. When missiles break through to an aircraft carrier, it is also necessary to destroy up to half of the escort ships. Taking into account air defense countermeasures, to guarantee the destruction of the AUG it is necessary to use 70-100 anti-ship missiles from all types of carriers in one strike.
Conclusion: one or even three submarines (Russia currently has only five of them afloat) will not be able to destroy the AUG alone; they can only work together with surface ships and aircraft. Which, again, in the current conditions of the state of the system for detecting and issuing information of the Russian Navy, is impossible. By the way, some refer to the miracle weapon, the Shkval missile-torpedo, which has no prospects for fighting a group of Americans, you just have to read its characteristics.
Coastal anti-ship missile systems can not be considered because the AUG will not approach the shore within the range of the anti-ship missiles.
All that remains is aviation: the Tu-22M, which can strike the X-22 anti-ship missile system against a group, and this is perhaps the most promising option for causing damage to the AUG, but out of the 150 Carcasses in service, only 40 can fly throughout Russia. Even if we assume that they all reach the enemy ships and strike, then this is only 40 missiles, which is clearly not enough to destroy an aircraft carrier with an escort. But if you reduce the range from 2000 km to 1500 km and hang two missiles on the “Tushki”, then again, you can take out the AUG only if all the planes and missiles break through to the enemy, which is again unlikely, the group’s air defense very much.
Based on all of the above, in the current situation of the Russian army, Leon Edward Panetta is most likely right that there is really not one country in the world that is unable to sink a US aircraft carrier strike group. With the possible exception of a massive air strike by Tu - 22 X-22 missiles with a nuclear warhead, but do not forget: the United States has more than one AUG, and the Russian Federation is capable of such a strike only once.
October 13, 1775 is considered the day the US Navy was created. At the moment, its strength is 286 ships of various types. The most impressive ships of the US Navy are considered to be aircraft carriers, which look unsinkable.
Currently, aircraft carriers are the largest warships ever built. A modern aircraft carrier can carry from 70 to 100 aircraft, which may include fighters, attack aircraft, refueling aircraft, airborne early warning and control aircraft, etc. Along with this, the aircraft carrier has a group of helicopters, which are search and rescue, reconnaissance, anti-submarine and transport vehicles.
The cost of building a modern aircraft carrier with a nuclear propulsion system is about 4-6 billion US dollars. The monthly costs of maintaining an aircraft carrier (without salaries to personnel) amount to over 10 million US dollars. It is not surprising that serious forces are always devoted to the protection of these ships.
The aircraft carriers themselves cannot carry a large number of defensive weapons, so large forces are always allocated to protect them. One such ship can guard about 10-15 heavily armed ships, which create a safe zone within a radius of 300 kilometers. Therefore, sinking an aircraft carrier is a very difficult task. But, as usual, there is always a solution to even the most difficult problem.
SmartNews has compiled a list of 5 possible ways to sink these huge ships.
Video
STORM
Massive attack. This method requires a lot of effort and money, and is most likely doomed to failure. The approach of an aircraft carrier to the enemy's shores always implies great trouble for the enemy. Therefore, the defending side can put all its forces at stake to sink a ship of this type. Of course, this method initially implies large losses, since breaking through the ring of guard ships is a very difficult task.
However, with the right tactics and a certain amount of luck, this task can be accomplished. Accuracy and coordination of actions will be required from attacking ships. First of all, the main work will fall on security and air defense ships, since the enemy is guaranteed to use all of its attacking potential in the form of missiles and aircraft.
After the threat from the accompanying ships is neutralized, it will be necessary to concentrate all attack potential on the aircraft carrier. Since these ships are equipped with a lot of different compartments, you will have to try hard to bring it to the bottom.
SABOTAGE
Modern aircraft carriers are equipped with a nuclear power plant, thanks to which they can remain on combat duty far from the port for a very long time. But sooner or later the ship will have to call at some allied city to replenish supplies, stock up on fuel for aircraft and carry out maintenance.
This is what sabotage units of combat swimmers can take advantage of. They must dive quietly and approach the aircraft carrier. Next, the swimmers will need to attach several charges to the giant’s hull throughout the ship’s hull. Then it remains to leave the zone unnoticed and detonate the charges from the shore. Even if the aircraft carrier is not sunk, it will suffer significant damage and will no longer be able to participate in hostilities.
TORPEDOING
Modern submarines are distinguished by special stealth and camouflage. All the designers’ work always comes down to reducing the noise of the propellers and the submarine as a whole. In addition, modern boats also carry time-appropriate torpedoes.
The main task for a submarine is to get close to an aircraft carrier unnoticed, which seems to be a very difficult task. However, with a successful combination of circumstances, this task is quite feasible. Low-noise diesel-electric submarines are suitable for these purposes. Project 877 boats belong to this class.
The aircraft carrier needs to be hit with as many salvos as possible in different parts of the hull. A large and massive ship simply will not have time to dodge the oncoming torpedoes.
True, this will most likely be the last mission for the submarine, since after torpedoing all the guard ships will throw all their strength and resources just to sink the enemy submarine.
MISSILE STRIKE
This option is considered as the main method of combating aircraft carriers. For example, you can take the Russian P-800 Oniks missile. It can be fired at a target from the shore, ship or aircraft. This missile is of particular interest when installed on strategic bombers.
A long-range aircraft only needs to get within 300 kilometers of the aircraft carrier and fire a missile at the target. Then Onyx will do everything himself. The missile can fly along a mixed trajectory at altitudes from 10 to 14,000 meters. Flying up to the target, it literally spreads over the surface of the water and becomes inaccessible to enemy air defense systems. In most cases, the enemy will not be able to find a counter to this missile, and it will complete its combat mission.
Once, while still US Secretary of Defense, Leon Edward Panetta said: “Any fifth grader knows that the US AUG (carrier strike group) cannot be destroyed by any of the existing powers in the world.”
Wait! What about Russia! Personally, I was always and everywhere told that the Russian army could deal with the US Navy - somehow, but it could. Those more advanced in this matter stated: well, with the entire fleet, maybe not, it’s even possible that we won’t defeat an aircraft carrier force, but we can definitely send one AUG to the bottom. Well, very few still agreed with the Americans in their bravado.
Let's look into this issue (it's interesting - it's true).
I’ll say right away that I won’t overload the post with numbers and enumerations, there will be a lot of links, by going through them, you can get all the data and performance characteristics from different sources. I also won’t elaborate ad infinitum. Those. I count on visitors to be somewhat well-read on this issue; the rest, if something is unclear in the names or terms, can freely get definitions through a search engine. Although I will try to provide almost all links.
Begin:
A typical US AUG is a group consisting of:
The flagship aircraft-carrying ship of the group with a nuclear power plant of the Nimitz type (or Enterprise) with a carrier-based aviation regiment based on it (60-80 aircraft). According to usual practice, an aircraft carrier, as well as a carrier-based aviation regiment of a group, are separate military units of naval aviation and are under the command of naval aviation officers with the rank of U.S. Naval aviation Captain.
The air defense division of the group is 1-2 Ticonderoga-type missile defense systems. The basic armament complex of the missile cruiser division includes the Standart air defense missile launcher (SM-2, SM-3) and the sea-based Tomahawk missile launcher. All Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers are equipped with the Aegis naval weapon control and missile firing system (AEGIS). Each of the division's cruisers is under the command of a US Navy officer with the rank of U.S. Navy Captain.
The group's anti-submarine warfare division is 3-4 EM URO of the Arleigh Burke type with depth charges and torpedoes to combat submarines, as well as (some of the ships) with Tomahawk missile launchers on board. The commander of an ASW division is a Navy officer with the rank of U.S. Navy Captain, while each of the division's destroyers is under the command of a U.S. Navy officer with the rank of U.S. Navy Commander.
Multi-purpose submarine division - 1-2 Los Angeles-type submarines with torpedo armament and Tomahawk cruise missiles (launched through the TA boats) on board with the tasks of both ASW groupings and strikes against coastal (surface) targets.
Supply vessel division - 1-2 Sepla type transports, ammunition transports, tankers, and other auxiliary ships.
Naval air force - up to 60 US Navy aviation aircraft, consolidated into attack aircraft, airborne early warning aircraft, anti-aircraft warfare aircraft, military air force, etc. The Navy air force is a separate military unit of the US Navy aviation. The Navy OAP, like the AVMA, is under the command of a Navy aviation officer with the rank of captain first rank or a USMC aviation officer with the rank of colonel (USMC Colonel).
So what can we oppose to such impressive power? Unfortunately, Russia does not have the resources to compete with the United States on equal terms in terms of the number of ships. In terms of aircraft carriers, the US advantage is overwhelming, now the Americans have 10 aircraft carriers, we have one aircraft-carrying cruiser, Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov, which can be qualified as a light aircraft carrier, but unfortunately, actually without aircraft. There are ten Su-33s in service out of the planned twenty-five, which they already want to replace with the MiG-29K. In 2013, in addition to the existing “dryers”, two MiGs were added. The situation with escort ships is also not the best.
Many will now say, what about aircraft carriers, Russia has a lot of other things to destroy AUGs. I agree, in a situation of total superiority in ships, an asymmetrical response is needed. So what is he like?
The Russian Armed Forces see it in missile weapons, specifically in anti-ship missiles. Those. in the effective delivery of a conventional or nuclear charge directly to AUG ships.
First, I suggest you familiarize yourself with the carriers of anti-ship missiles: the Project 1164 Atlant missile cruiser, the Project 949A Antey submarine, the Project 1144 Orlan heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser, and the actual heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov.
There are also small missile ships, aircraft and coastal missile systems.
Since the US AUG has a serious missile defense and air defense system, and naturally a powerful aviation fist, the main characteristics for combating and defeating it are the detection and possible attack distance.
In order to hit an AUG composition: aviation, ships or submarines must ensure timely detection of an aircraft carrier group, classify it, approach within missile strike range, while maintaining combat effectiveness, and launch missiles that, having overcome air defense and electronic warfare systems, must destroy the ships in the composition AUG.
Let's consider the option of attacking AUGs by surface ships of the Russian Navy in the world's oceans:
Unfortunately, the detection capabilities of Russian ships are actually limited by the radio horizon; the helicopters on board the ships are of little use for solving this problem, due to the small number of these machines and their short range. They can be effectively used only in the interests of issuing target designation for missile weapons, but before that the enemy must still be detected.
Of course, when missile cruisers were created, i.e. under the Soviet navy, their activities were to be carried out with the support of a naval reconnaissance system in the ocean theater. It relied on a developed system of radio-technical intelligence, the basis of which was ground-based centers located not only on the territory of the USSR, but also in other states. There was also effective space naval reconnaissance, which made it possible to detect and monitor naval formations of a potential enemy, and provide target designation for missile weapons throughout almost the entire territory of the World Ocean. Russia at the current moment in time does not have all this. In 2006, they began to revive the system, but it is still very, very far from completion.
Therefore, the AUG will see our ships long before it itself is detected. The group constantly provides air control to a depth of 800 km, with the help of Grumman E-2 Hawkeye AWACS aircraft, we will be attacked by 48 aircraft, of which 25 will carry the GARPUN anti-aircraft missile system, and electronic warfare will be provided by almost 8 Boeing EA-18 Growlers.
It is impossible to fight off the cruisers with their air defense, and even the Kuznetsov with a dozen aircraft.
We will not be allowed to use the main weapon in the fight against AUG, namely the P-1000 Vulcan, a range of 550 km and the P-700 Granit, a range of up to 625 km, as you can see, we will not be able to aim these missiles, even at launch range, it is extremely unlikely that let's come.
But if, by some miracle, we still shot down the enemy planes. There will be a duel of anti-ship missiles, and a fight between electronics; if in anti-ship missiles we are superior to the Americans, then in electronic warfare there is again almost no chance. At best, our anti-ship missiles, some of which will pass the AUG missile defense system, will be able to damage the aircraft carrier and, in extreme cases, sink several ships of the group, but all this based on the above, unfortunately from the realm of science fiction.
Also, a strike on the AUG with nuclear weapons is also unlikely, again due to the fact that we simply will not have time to strike, since we will be discovered first.
The most advanced Russian anti-ship missile system today is Granit. Currently, there are no analogues to this rocket in the world. Its flight range is 625 km. This is one hundred kilometers greater than the range of anti-ship modifications of the Tomahawk, almost three times the flight range of the main American anti-ship missile Harpoon, and approximately corresponds to the range of F/A-18 carrier-based fighters. The Granit's marching speed is 660 meters per second, in the last part of the trajectory - a kilometer per second, which is three times the speed of the Harpoon and To-Mahawk and twice the maximum speed of the F/A-18 fighter. “Granit” carries a warhead containing 500 kilograms of powerful explosives, the TNT equivalent of which, according to various sources, ranges from 1000 to 1500 kilograms. The power of the Granit warhead significantly exceeds the 454-kilogram TNT warhead Tomahawk and the 227-kilogram Harpoon. The power of "Granit" allows you to destroy any destroyer or cruiser with one hit. In addition, missiles of this type can be equipped with nuclear warheads, which do not require a direct hit to destroy a ship. Breaking through the enemy's air defense "Granit" facilitates the armoring of the warhead and important components, which reduces the likelihood of the destruction of anti-ship missiles by a close detonation of an anti-aircraft missile, and a low flight altitude. The Granit anti-ship missile system is a highly intelligent weapon capable of carrying out “collective” actions, countering enemy air defense and independently selecting the most important target. In the computer memory of the missiles there are so-called “portraits” of radio location for all ships, and information about all possible variants of orders is also stored. The missiles attack along the most rational trajectory, forming a combat order and exchanging information among themselves. In a salvo of one Project 949A submarine there are 24 missiles, each of which also has its own decoys for breaking through the missile defense system. 23 missiles fly low over the water, one rises higher, periodically turning on the radar to aim at targets. It determines the number of targets and distributes them among other missiles. If the “leader” is destroyed, the next missile takes its place. The largest target, that is, an aircraft carrier, is automatically identified by missiles in the order of ships. After a breakthrough, the missiles rank targets in order of importance to ultimately ensure the destruction of the aircraft carrier. First, the cover ships in the path of the missiles are destroyed, and then the aircraft carrier is struck. But there is one big BUT, the missile requires precise target designation until the seeker locks onto the target, and this targeting is achieved only with the help of aviation or spacecraft.
Conclusion: missiles are good, and we have them much better than American ones, but unfortunately flying electronics and AUG fighters reduce this advantage to nothing.
Now consider the option with a submarine, the Project 949A Antey missile boat can, using its hydroacoustics, detect AUG noises at a distance of more than 100 miles, i.e. being in the far zone of the anti-submarine defense of an aircraft carrier group, where the likelihood of its detection and destruction is very low. The boat is armed with 24 P-700 Granit, respectively, the boat is already in a state of striking the AUG, since the Granit’s range is up to 625 km, and we remind you that it is 100 miles from the escorted aircraft carrier. But here again the problem arises of insufficient awareness, again we need a specific system for issuing target designation, which can be provided either from space or by aviation, and at the moment Russia, I repeat, does not have this, and what is available from aviation sources of target designation quickly will be destroyed by AUG fighters. Based on all of the above, “Antey” is an excellent machine, but it will not be able to classify, let alone determine, the battle formation of the enemy formation with the identification of the main order. To do this, it will be necessary to enter the middle anti-submarine defense zone of the group, where the probability of detection and, accordingly, destruction is already significant.
But that’s not all, in order to destroy an aircraft carrier, it is necessary to hit it with 8-10 Granit anti-ship missiles with conventional equipment. When missiles break through to an aircraft carrier, it is also necessary to destroy up to half of the escort ships. Taking into account air defense countermeasures, to guarantee the destruction of the AUG it is necessary to use 70-100 anti-ship missiles from all types of carriers in one strike.
Conclusion: one or even three submarines (Russia currently has only five of them afloat) will not be able to destroy the AUG alone; they can only work together with surface ships and aircraft. Which, again, in the current conditions of the state of the system for detecting and issuing information of the Russian Navy, is impossible. By the way, some refer to the miracle weapon, the Shkval missile-torpedo, which has no prospects for fighting a group of Americans, you just have to read its characteristics.
Coastal anti-ship missile systems can not be considered because the AUG will not approach the shore within the range of the anti-ship missiles.
All that remains is aviation: the Tu-22M, which can strike the X-22 anti-ship missile system against a group, and this is perhaps the most promising option for causing damage to the AUG, but out of the 150 Carcasses in service, only 40 can fly throughout Russia. Even if we assume that they all reach the enemy ships and strike, then this is only 40 missiles, which is clearly not enough to destroy an aircraft carrier with an escort. But if you reduce the range from 2000 km to 1500 km and hang two missiles on the “Tushki”, then again, you can take out the AUG only if all the planes and missiles break through to the enemy, which is again unlikely, the group’s air defense very much.
Based on all of the above, in the current situation of the Russian army, Leon Edward Panetta is most likely right that there is really not one country in the world that is unable to sink a US aircraft carrier strike group. With the possible exception of a massive air strike by Tu - 22 X-22 missiles, with a nuclear warhead, but do not forget: the United States has more than one AUG, and we are capable of such a strike only once.
