Posted on 01/14/2015 3:29:00 PM PST by Berlin_Freeper
And they had no bullets in their guns ...
Buying 20 more LCSs is the absolute last thing we want to do.
But you don’t think drones will also hunt submarines? The drone age will even the playing field. Subs will not enjoy the advantages they have now.
But drones give surface warships the ability to provide their own air cover, and under-surface cover.
Cheaply.
Bring back the battleship, tear out it’s 16 in guns and fill the old space with drones.
Those guns will make a Marine smile....
It’s blasphemy LOL!
Maybe keep one battery... just in case some shore defenses need to be removed cheaply.
Cool aircraft that Osprey, is. However, have they worked out all the problems that killed dozens of marines in numerous failures?
US Navy also needs to figure out how to EMF / EMP harden against these types of attacks which render ships dead in the water:
Russian Su -24 scores off against the American “USS Donald Cook”
Russian Radio ^ | 4-21-2014
Posted on Sun Apr 27 2014 05:13:29 GMT-0700 (PDT) by Renfield
Russian Sukhoi Su -24 with the newest jamming complex paralyzed in the Black Sea the most modern American combat management system “Aegis” installed on the destroyer “USS Donald Cook”. Pavel Zolotarev, Deputy Director, Institute of USA and Canada, shares details about this version which is being actively discussed in the Russian media and by bloggers.
US destroyer “Donald Cook” with cruise missiles “Tomahawk” entered the neutral waters of the Black Sea on April 10. The purpose was a demonstration of force and intimidation in connection with the position of Russia in Ukraine and Crimea.
So it will likely be a "use them or lose them" situation. Who knows how robust they will be and most important, how long will they remain combat operational? Unless one keeps a large inventory of drones there better be a rapid-response manufacturing capability, always at the ready, where fresh batches of drones can be deployed, muy pronto.
My point is that, after the initial wave of drones are depleted, what then? Better have other stuff to project power and defend our resources. What weapon groups will be most useful after Drone Battle 1? Methinks its good to have destroyers and scores of trained pilots. I dont think its a good idea right now to rely on near-future drones to do the projecting and defending.
those lcs ships are just cannon fodder.
yup, we need our own version and hardened gear to survive theirs without disruption. an e-railgun is worthless if the ships’ electrical system is out.
All that power concentrated in one ship creates countless opportunities for defensive as well as offensive weapons like rail guns and lasers and who-knows-what that could not be matched by any drone system or swarm of drones running off the equivalent of a 9V battery.
The era of surface warships is over.
As far back as Gen. Billy Mitchell, the Air Force has been saying that. Air Force Generals since him have went even further, saying: “what do we need a Navy for anyway.” Never stopping to consider the same thing can be said for their sister service the Army, with its tanks, howitzers, ground troops, etc., all easy pickings from the air.
Zoomie arguments to the contrary, there will always be the need for boots on the ground, ships on the sea.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accidents_and_incidents_involving_the_V-22_Osprey
Amending my post which disparaged the Osprey aircraft. It’s safety concerns may have been warranted during initial development years. However the aircraft appears to be reliable since becoming operational in 2007.
Very much regret the loss of any airmen / mariner’s life. Any incident is one too many.
You’re absolutely right that we have to use what we have now and not what may be possible in the near future.
But consider: should we invest now in a new carrier and it’s support ships or invest a pittance as much in readying an old battleship (or destroyers and arsenal ships) to deploy ten thousand drones?
The cost difference is astonishing and which will serve the future need?
Right now drones aren’t good for much but observation, but that should change soon.
I do think, and assume the services are investigating, that already drones can be cheap and effective anti-missile defenses for ships and vehicles.
And advertising it, and it seems every notable plan, to the world. Why?
Their job is to get noticed by the enemy and say “Look at me, Mr. Bad guy! Yoo-hoo!”
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