[buwaya]

I worked on the Harpoon, 35 years ago. Metrology engineer-consultant. My only Navy system.

The Pentagon has been using the Ukraine ammo issue as leverage to get more units of what it really wants - as in those long range antiship/land attack missiles.

But that stuff is not what’s going to Ukraine.

The China problem is that they will try to take Taiwan. Not by amphibious assault, but by blockade. The USN and the neighbors will be obliged to run “Malta convoys” there. It will be highly unsafe. The real danger will be missile (cruise and ballistic) and sub attack.

Then there will be the need to protect Guam, Okinawa, and probably the Philippines from missile attack.

[Mat_Helm]

Blockade theory is a farce. Laughable really and China would not attempt that. After the very first boat is sunk by either side you are in a total hot war at sea, land, and air with China and they know it. Their only chance would be an all out missile assault on Taiwan and then to land as many occupying troops as quickly as possible by sea or air. We know it and they know it.

Look up operation Praying Mantis. In one day (April 18, 1988) two Navy A6 Intruders and two A7 Corsair II's sent the entire Iranian navy to the bottom in the gulf war blockade oil tanker war.