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U.S. Stockpiling Anti-Ship Missiles In Hope To Potentially Stand Against China

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U.S. Stockpiling Anti-Ship Missiles In Hope To Potentially Stand Against China

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In February 2021, the US Air Force and Navy signed a contract for more than 100 Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles.

This is, apparently, a closely watched program that seems to introduce a new sophisticated guidance system into lethal ship-killing missiles.

The $414 million deal is to buy 137 LRASMs, support equipment, systems engineering, logistics and training support, Lockheed Martin spokesman Joe Monaghen said in an email.

The LRASM has a range of approximately 300 nautical miles. It is resistant to jamming, and is designed to locate targets with onboard sensors rather than relying on guidance from another source such as a drone’s sensors or another ship. It also has some semblance of stealth technology, making it harder to detect, allegedly.

In a press release announcing the contract, Lockheed said the buy, which was for lots four and five of the missile, showed LRASM’s “increasing significance to our customers’ missions.”

In January, the Pentagon’s weapons tester, the director of operational test and evaluation, said the Navy should ramp up testing of the newest iteration of the missile.

Citing “multiple hardware and software failures” in the first version of the LRASM missile, the DOT&E report called on the Navy to put the new LRASM 1.1 through a rigorous testing process under realistic combat conditions to ensure it will “demonstrate mission capability in operationally realistic environments.”

 

Lockheed Martin’s promotional page claims that the missile is designed to use its “multi-modal sensor suite, weapon data link, and enhanced digital anti-jam Global Positioning System to detect and destroy specific targets within a group of numerous ships at sea,” meaning it can pick out what ships are its intended targets from a group of ships.

In the release, the company said the missile “reduce dependence on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, network links and GPS navigation in electronic warfare environments. LRASM will play a significant role in ensuring military access to operate in open ocean, owing to its enhanced ability to discriminate and conduct tactical engagements from extended ranges.”

It is evident that the US is stockpiling “ship-killer missiles”. In February 2020, it turned out that the US Department of Defense had included approximately 850 anti-ship missiles in its five-year defense spending projections, which is a tenfold increase from the 88 anti-ship missiles planned for the 2016-2021 period.

This is necessary since both Russia and China’s fleets are expanding. Beijing’s fleet is growing at an incredible pace, and the US continues its provocations in regard to the South China Sea, Taiwan and more.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy, which is expected to grow to 425 ship by 2030.

This, of course, has driven the U.S. to accelerate procurement anti-ship missiles, including the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps. Both services are seeking the ability to threaten ships at sea from long ranges.

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Frank

To be Frank, the US is a dying snake and is provoking conflicts and terrorism around the world with a bankrupt economy and a failed society that can not even deliver basic health services or clean water to its wretched brainwashed population. The Chinese are patient and civilized people and will not be provoked so easily, but as their decisive responses in Korea and against India have amply demonstrated that when they act, the US will lose its head like a writhing snake it is. The best option for the emerging anti-imperialist Eurasian power bloc is to bleed the US with the Confucian DEATH OF THOUSAND CUTS. The best arena for that is the Middle East where the US and its Zionist masters are universally despised and most vulnerable.

John Brown

The USSA is stock piling weapons because the parts and rare earth metals to make them come from China and China will cut them off if they attack China or a Chinese ally.

Nekoime Nekoprezime

BLA-BLA.

Servet-i Funun Literature

Very sneaky Ashm,better than Brahmos and meets the requirements biggest element of surprise for South-China sea theater.

cechas vodobenikov

funny leper discredited by CIA

Servet-i Funun Literature

no its effective in every aspects.

Lone Ranger

In Disney movies for sure…

HiaNd

Why is better than Brahmos?! It is short range and sub-sonic (very easy to shoot down)?! what “element of surprise” when ships that launch them are not “invisible”?! New Chinese Type 52D destroyers have anti stealth radar and excellent defenses… what is your point in having “sneaky” missile when it is relatively short range and ships that launch them are visible? How is that “sneaky”?

Servet-i Funun Literature

Since ı like you ı’ll try to answer:Warning it will be tldr. Supersonic AShM looks good on paper but not so if you look from a practical point. If you look at Brahmos or similar AShMs – they’re 2 to 3 times the size of subsonic ASh-missiles. Brahmos & P-800 Oniks have twice the length (8.9 m) of LRASM (~4.3 m). That means you can carry at least twice the number of LRASM compared to Brahmos which requires much larger launch tubes. The LRASM’s smaller size also makes it compatible with Mk 41 VLS which can launch everything from all Aegis SAMs, TLAMs to LRASM.

To give a context, the Indian Navy’s Kolkata Class Destroyer can carry maximum of 16 Brahmos along with 32 SAMs (Barak-8). On a Burke Class Destroyer, you’ve 96 cells Mk 41 VLS – so you can carry 40 LRASM in combination with 46 long range SAMs and use the remaining 10 cells quad-packed with 40 ESSMs.

When carrying Brahmos like supersonic AShM, a Destroyer will always be restricted to both offensive & defensive payload. Then you also have air-launched AShM aspect. Almost all subsonic AShM can be carried by Carrier-launched aircraft without any special variant. They only need a vertical launch booster when launched from a surface vessel. An F-18E Super Hornet can easily carry 4 LRASM just like Harpoons.

For Brahmos/Oniks you need a special air-launched variant with decreased weight & size (ex: Brahmos NG). Even then a Fighter in general can only carry a single such AShM or at max 3 in case of conventional land-based aircraft.

Element of surprise part is because The sooner your AShM is detected by the enemy, the lower will be its chances of penetrating the defence. That’s the biggest problem with Brahmos. It has a huge radar & IR signature, very high flight ceiling (14 km) – making it detectable shortly after its launch. Even in sea-skimming profile because of the RCS & Mach 2+ speed – it’s relatively easy to distinguish from the sea clutter vs. a subsonic AShM in same situation. Lrasm is very low observablemaybe can have even lower RCS than VLO aircraft, especially against the radar bands used by point defence systems.ı am guessing it can sneak within ciws range before alerting. In addition to very low-RCS, LRASM also has an advanced BAE ESM suite that allows it to exploit gaps in enemy defences and just like JASSM-ER (on which it is based), likely ECMs as well. All of these combined makes it very likely to sneak to CIWS range before raising any alarms. The enemy’s reaction time will be extremely short, compared to Brahmos warning them right at the edge of their longest SAM. Bae suite https://www.baesystems.com/en/product/long-range-anti-ship-missile. ı am not a fan of Usa(hate them) but people are underestimating Usa and always pushing,believing speed is the only factor in anti-ship missiles while it is not.Usa is for decades making exercises with its GQM-163 Coyote targeting drones simulating Mach 4 ashms.Russia is aware of it and developed hypersonic missles.İn real world(not in south-front)super-sonic ashms are not so lethal threat to Usa carrier group.Ps:ı mentioned lrasm vs brahmos.Chinese navy is another deal.

Just Me

And which bathtub navy you commanded Admiral naval wanker :)

Servet-i Funun Literature

typical vox populi… these are facts girlie,if you have argument(impossible),ı would like to listen.feel the resistance lol.

HiaNd

This up vote is for the effort only. Your explanation is not valid for the same reasons you accuse others : for one sided approach (which is exactly yours as well ) It was very detailed response trying hard to be more convincing in underlining limits of the Brahmas while exaggerating and hiding shortcomings of the US missile . I’ll try to answer point by point all your “arguments”.

Servet-i Funun Literature

Hey my comment spammed,deleted…roflmao.

HiaNd

I’ll answer to you in above comment (to answer you deleted comment) I just have few things to finish before doing that…sorry

Servet-i Funun Literature

bro..my answer was only for you..ı dont bother to write detailed answers to people but ı know you like military stuff and realistic,giving credits even to your opponent thats why ı replied in detail.But ı am done with sf,much more interesting forums ı am alrady in.Do not bother to write and ı am sorry for all our fights in past.Take care ı hope everything for you will be healthy,succesful. ı am done,good bye.

HiaNd

You as well…Pity you go away…Exchange of opinions shouldn’t be one sided and shouldn’t resemble like shouting slogans in totalitarian regimes. Where everybody talks the same…

Sylvain Jeuland

Will China use many ships in battle to defend their borders? Better to use lands and islands. So these anti-ship missiles will try to sink lands and islands.

Maybe US buy anti-ship missiles to prevent China’s boats to get close to Taiwan, Philippines and Indonesia.

Frank

Actually no lucid Asian nation will fall for US warmongering. It is now the so-called QUAD of pip squeak inferiority complex ridden British penal colony of Australia, impoverished toilet less India and Occupied Japan that the US is propping to “confront China”. It is a weird LSD trip by the LGBT coalition.

Sylvain Jeuland

So I do not see the usability of anti-ship missiles.

Frank

US has an inflated view of its Hollywood military that has never won a war, even against the poorest defenceless countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. The Hollywood Zionist “shock and awe” only kills women and children, in a real war against the world’s largest nation and the paramount economic power China, the US and its delusional poodles would last less than a day. Take the little Australian yelping lap dog, its whole economy is linked to China, same goes for India and the deadbeat US. So all this unnecessary posturing against China is rather idiotic. The days of gunboat prancing went into the same grave as Commodore Perry.

Sylvain Jeuland

Yes. On the other hand, I see the usability of Chinese anti-ship missiles against US aircraft carriers and other US vessels.

Frank

China and Russia are investing in hypersonic missiles that will take out carriers miles from home. It took US 4 years to fight a depleted Japan in the Pacific during WW2 and lost numerous carriers. China is not Japan and Taiwan is a stone throws away. China has built a string or Pearls bases around the South China Seas and Indian Ocean and also land bridges to Pakistan, Iran, Russia and all ex-CIS states. The US is bankrupt and it would be a logistical nightmare to fight China and for what? Any war will go nuclear anyway. So all these are hypothetical games for the defence lobby to keep milking the taxpayers for more money. But believe me, China will take over Taiwan one way or another, hopefully peacefully like Hong Kong. US has a snowballs chance in hell.

Sylvain Jeuland

Yes, I am thinking all this too. That’s why I say that producing anti-boat missiles to sink Chinese boats is stupids, since Eurasia is a huge land.

“So all these are hypothetical games for the defence lobby to keep milking the taxpayers for more money.” That must be this, yes.

Frank

You have sharp mind, but don’t believe US propaganda and hype. China is on a rapid growth trajectory and really not interested in war. Chinese built the Great Wall to keep the barbarians out and not invade others. Only the US and Europeans are addicted to war, not that they are any good at it. It took the Russians/USSR to save Europe from their own wars :)

Sylvain Jeuland

Yes, contrary to many people in my country, I am aware of this “NATO-atlantism” propaganda. That’s why I have seen the non-sense of these anti-ship missiles quite fast, then I ask for more detailed explanations.

Frank

I firmly believe in critical thinking and ability to analyze things. Unfortunately, western universities have become commercialized censored diploma mills for halfassed bratty “business” graduates who can’t even wipe their a$$es without a tweet instruction on a smart phone and google. Quite sad Frankly.

Sylvain Jeuland

Yes sure. Maybe business universities and many other ones. Since I’m from a computer science university (after two year of maths, physics and chemistry too), my type of university does not care about geostrategy :D

Frank

It is good that you are still interested and not exactly a nerd :) I would assume that you are French or a Quebecois.

Sylvain Jeuland

Haha yes. I program very well but I’m not interested to program anything else than little Monopoly in my computing machine when I was 17 in highschool, or my own small business website now. I prefer sport racing, traveling far, discovering cultures, learning about the future of the world, meeting my clients, learning the languages where I travel two weeks, going out in my Brittany main city, staying in family, and comment here when I see a boolean problem in an article title. :-D

Potato Man

China is growing their naval strength, by a lot but that is defensive. As China mainly face JP, US, S.KR and India in “their waters”. They also have man made islands which they use as air base and maintenance bases. China also a “good” friend of Russia and they can buy better anti-ship missiles and air defence systems from Russia – S-400s and in future S-500 which seem really good, so those yankees anti-ship are useless as themselves. If US attack China, the Chinese not gonna do nothing they attack back. So how many of those anti-ship really going to be used….not many.

“Maybe US buy anti-ship missiles to prevent China’s boats to get close to Taiwan, Philippines and Indonesia.” Philippines and Indonesia are not stupid or care about US death plan that much, they make sure US don’t use them as tool to attack China, and US use JP, India, S.KR and Taiwan to blame China and make them as the bad guy. Taiwan is part of China, and China never invaded any country in the last 2,000 years. Asian countries knows that but some are stupid to think they can just bully China and get away with it. Also it is not fair of me to say JP, S.KR and India are stupid but they get bully by US.

Sylvain Jeuland

Thanks for all your comments, guys. I wanted to read yours comments to get new precise information to myself.

Sure that I know that China will not invade anyone but some US people want to think this to build some war pretexts :-)

Frank

It is called the US military industrial Complex pipe dream.

Sylvain Jeuland

So we think all the same :-)

Frank

It is rational Boolean logic. The US craziness does not appeal to sane people anywhere :)

HiaNd

China already has more ships than US. They are smaller and more modern in average comparing to US. But Chinese are catching up in destroyers as well that are in general bigger and with more missiles than US destroyers. Chinese missiles are produced on Soviet missiles tech know how and they are all much faster with much longer range than Western anti ship missiles China will use many ships in battle since they don’t have super air-carriers battle groups like US does.

Sylvain Jeuland

Hello! Thank you for the information. It’s always good to ask questions anyway :-)

Selbstdenker

This does really make sense, when Chinas anti-ship missiles have a range greater then 300 Km, and their S400 clone is able to detect aircrafts above the range of 300 km, and is also able to defend against these aircrafts before the reach their maximum launch distance.

Frank

I would also suggest that the ignorant Americans and their vassals buy a map of the Taiwan straits which are barely 100 miles from the mainland PRC shores and can be turned into an inferno by mere artillery fire, let alone missiles or SSM.

Selbstdenker

Exactly. There is an analysis of Chinas marine capability buildup and its implication for US on Fas.org. A very interesting read: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33153.pdf

Frank

Also keep in mind that Taiwan is a congested little island of barely 36,000 sq kms with five major airbases that can be shut down in first strike. If Hezbollah can do it with ease against the Zionists in Occupied Palestine, then China with the world’s largest and most modern military with unlimited tech should have no problem :) I Frankly think that the US really is run by inbred morons who simply have no idea about modern strategic mass. As if China is going to fight with muskets.

Cromwell

Well you know what some of those racist morons said about the Japs? don’t worry their pilots can’t see at night to fly their aircraft.

cechas vodobenikov

tratz and jens stockpile dildos; because of covid CIA lube shortage….they experiment w vegetable amerikan pilot crash airplanes; when they use computer to send missile they confuse child porn w target and missile goes to Detroit

johnny rotten

The usual subsonic bullshit, completely anachronistic in the hypersonic era, still remains a good deal for the MIC, a bunch of money jumping from one pocket to another.

HiaNd

They are “stealth” and should not be dismissed completely in the conditions of reduced visibility as “too slow “and “easy too shoot down”….

Blue In Green

So is Iran :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF6v9y5pF1c&ab_channel=alijavid

This is new footage btw.

Blue In Green

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a298d971cf1eacf8e3ab7c2b0e84d8fed793dd9f8aa8d4b492ac34d5284fa620.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4bdf0b9612227b522b539eeb4823231e7936bb247d611fd3d8929e330a8acb35.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f8cd4da83c16973ede25da53b889681ed033776e9bb28fe0f36dea0c656929e0.png

New Anti-Ship weapon and Canister for Long-range AshBM systems.

Ahson

This is just another new toy……similar to the storm shadow/ scalp/ popeye etc…….hundreds of which have been shot down over Syria. It won’t make any difference at the end of the day. Sure its an improvement over the AGM-84 or the Tomahawk etc…..but not a game changer, specially against China.

Jesus

These missiles still fall short ….quite short actually against Russian and Chinese anti ship missiles. This is not a new missile, it is an older missile supposedly improved. 1. It is subsonic 2. It has a relatively short range 3. Most likely is susceptible to EW.

It seems that so called new weapons US produces are recycled old weapons with some added improvements .

Mike

“The LRASM has a range of approximately 300 nautical miles”? How will that help Murcans when China has anti-ship missiles ranging from 900 miles up to 2500 miles? No wonder every war games ends up with the US being defeated…badly!

Igors Savitsas

United Snakes cannot even compete with China anymore. 10 years from now the most powerful Navy in the world will be the one of China.

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