U.S. sends submarine-hunting jets to E. China Sea post

washintontimes.com ^ | 12/2/13 | Cheryl K. Chumley

[ColdOne]

U.S. military authorities dispatched the first of six top-tech submarine-hunting jets to its Okinawa post near the disputed East China Sea, a move sure to ratchet up tensions among China and the United States.

The Navy plans to send in a total of six P-8 Poseidon patrol craft, aimed at bolstering the United States’ ability to root out submarines in the area, Reuters reported. The deployment was planned months ago, but nonetheless comes as China declared an air defense zone above islands that it’s fighting Japan to control.

[no-to-illegals]

Hey I think that electrocution did something to help my heart. May go in for another jap.

[no-to-illegals]

zap ... zap ... zap ... dang misspellings now have another whole country mad at me.

[virgil]

Isn’t an Orion for ASW? I thought that the aircraft forced down had a different mission than ASW. Some kind of electronic surveillance mission. Maybe it had the same airframe, but different equipment on board.

[null and void]

Jap. Zap. Jot. Zot.

[MasterGunner01]

While the P-3C Orion used to hunt subs down and dirty from 200 feet, the P-8A Poseidon loafs along at 20,000 feet and has yet to be cleared for deployment of ASW weapons such as the Mk 46 and Mk 50 torpedoes. The P-8A is designed to work with BAMS (the Navy's version of the Global Hawk UAV). I don't think they've got this to work either. Bottom line is the P-3C can do the job; the P-8A is doubtful. The Navy has retired all its dedicated S-3B Viking ASW aircraft and the only shipboard assets are the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter.

[null and void]

And the P-8 has a shorter on station time and burns more fuel.

IOW, it can’t do the job. it can’t not do the job for as long, and it cost more to run.

What’s not to love?

[JMK]

An EP-3 Aries was the plane forced down.

[ryan71]

Most are of the ASW version but some are of an ELINT version. And yes, I think the one forced down was an ELINT version.

[ryan71]

It does get on station quicker.

[okie01]

Isn’t an Orion for ASW? I thought that the aircraft forced down had a different mission than ASW. Some kind of electronic surveillance mission.

Same plane. Different electronics.

[DoodleDawg]

And the pilot is currently running for the Republican senate nomination in Nebraska.

[JMK]

I knew he was running, but couldn’t remember in which state. My son is reading Shane Osborne’s autobiography for a report; he’s a 12-year-old Civil Air Patrol cadet, and already has the intention of attending one of the military academies.

[MasterGunner01]

Stupidity runs rampant in NavAir.

[MasterGunner01]

The EP-3E, forced to land in Chinese territory after colliding with a MiG fighter, was an electronic intelligence gathering conversion of the P-3C ASW platform. They are conversions of the P-3C airframe.

[lavaroise]

Another “ratchet tension” excuse to bring in discussions and opportunities for handovers for Obama.

If I were the military I would protest this betrayal.

[okie01]

See #34

[Patton@Bastogne]

.


Sounds like a naval exercise ... I bet you there are some (friendly) ultra-quiet diesel subs in the area, being tracked by both Los Angeles 688 attack subs and the P-8s ...


.

[JRandomFreeper]

and I keep prepping.

You are so screwed.

/johnny

[PLMerite]

The aircraft in question:

[no-to-illegals]

Gee ... am off to write an apology to ColdOne. ColdOne, my apology.