by Kris Osborn, Warrior

US Navy Layered Carrier Defenses

Chinese “carrier-killer” missiles have been capturing headlines for so many years, that perhaps many are inclined to overlook or simply “forget” the fast-improving attack methods the US military could use to defend against them or destroy the People’s Liberation Army - Navy carriers. The PLA’s DF-26 anti-ship missile can travel as far as 2,000 miles to destroy US Navy carriers, but far too many observers seem quick to overlook the growing sphere of integrated, layered ship defenses currently protecting carriers and warships. US Navy warships are increasingly positioned to “jam” the RF or electronic guidance system of a DF-26 to essentially throw it off course. US destroyers are also increasingly armed with short, medium and long-range interceptor missiles as a growing ability to use unmanned systems and multi-domain networking to “see” attacking anti-ship missiles at much greater distances, something which of course make “intercept” much more realistic. For example, ship-based radar could network with a manned jet, command and control plane. Low Earth Orbit satellite or drone to acquire and destroy an incoming PLA anti-ship missile. All of these variables are likely a large reason why the Navy remains confident and optimistic about the future value of its carrier fleet.  

US Navy on Offense 

The other lesser recognized variable of great relevance to this equation is the US Navy’s improving ability to conduct long-range, precision offensive attacks on PLA N carriers and anti-ship missile launch locations. Perhaps one of the most effective methods the US Navy could use might be the Tactical Tomahawk. This weapon, fired from submarines and warship deck Vertical Launch Systems, emerged several years ago as a breakthrough capability in which Tomahawk missiles could draw upon additional RF throughput and guidance technology to adjust course in flight to hit moving targets. This development was the reason the classic Tomahawk missile evolved beyond being used to only hit fixed targets such as command and control centers, weapons storage facilities and bunkers. Today’s warship-launched Tomahawk can use its own surveillance to “loiter” over a target and use a two-way datalink to change course in flight as needed. This gives the US Navy added capability with which to target and attack Chinese carriers.  

Undersea Attack

The US Navy’s undersea attack capability is yet another area through which Chinese carriers could be held at risk. The US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines are increasingly stealthy as they have been upgraded with quieting technologies, stealth coating and the ability to launch forward undersea “drones” in position to acquire targets to attack with torpedoes and Tomahawks. As part of this undersea surveillance capability, forward opening undersea drones could “tether” to a surface “node” and potentially send real-time targeting data to surface and air platforms in position to strike. In this way, an undersea drone operating with advanced sonar could potentially acquire the signature or signal from a Chinese warship and quickly send verified targeting data to weapons systems in position to strike. 

Air Strikes on Carriers

This kind of longer-range, multi-domain targeting could potentially enable US land or carrier-launched fighter jets to destroy PLAN warships from the air. Perhaps a carrier-launched F-35C could be sent targeting specifics related to a high-value target and use its 25mm cannon or longer range air-to-surface missiles to destroy and sink Chinese carriers. The US Navy also operates a series of next-generation air launched anti-ship missiles such as the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) now able to fire from F-15s, F/A-18s and both “B” and “C” variants of the F-35.  The LRASM uses and advanced seeker to enable semi-autonomous flight path technology allowing the missile to adapt to new information and “re-route” in flight to ensure it hits a moving target at sea. 

Big-Deck Carriers Surge Into the Future

US Navy carriers project global power, protect vital ocean waterways and transport the potential to launch and sustain a massive air attack against an adversary very quickly when within range. The large ships continue to prove their worth and very much command high priority attention as massive pillars and symbols of American power.  The US Navy plans to operate at least 11 carriers and  is even performing dual-carrier operations in the Pacific to leverage breakthroughs in networking technology enabling a massive, integrated two-carrier attack op tempo. However, despite their indisputable worth, carriers are increasingly vulnerable to emerging enemy weapons and some might be inclined to argue that they have become too vulnerable or even obsolete in a modern threat environment. 

Therefore, many at the Pentagon are likely analyzing the various methods China might employ to destroy US Navy carriers. 

“Carrier-Killer” Missiles

Chinese government-backed media regularly refers to testing and production of its much-discussed “carrier-killer” DF-26 and DF-21D anti-ship missiles designed to destroy aircraft carriers thousands of miles off shore. The arrival and continued production of these missiles has generated much discussion at the Pentagon regarding US Navy maritime strategy and concepts of operation. In large measure this is due to the simple, somewhat self-evident reality that carriers might not be able to survive fast-moving, precision-guided anti-ship missiles such as the DF-26 which has a range of 2,000 nautical miles. 

 In terms of tactical reality, this means that US Navy carriers could be forced to operate thousands of miles off shore, distances from which a Carrier Air Wing would be unable to strike without the use of non-stealthy, highly vulnerable aerial refuelers. While the US Navy continues to take aggressive steps to mitigate risks from these PLA weapons through advanced layered ship defenses, the threat of these PLA shore-fired, carrier-destroying anti-ship missiles is changing US Navy strategies and Concepts of Operation. 

PLA AF J-35

There is little question that stealthy 5th-generation ocean launched stealth fighters such as the People’s Liberation Army Air Force/Navy’s J-35, could potentially be capable of “seeing,” “tracking” and “destroying” large US Navy carriers in the Pacific. Even if protected by heavily armed destroyers and cruisers in a Carrier Strike Group, a US Navy carrier could quickly be destroyed by a rapid succession of incoming air-to-surface weapons fired from one or more J-35s. 

Defending against this would not only require long-range, ship-integrated radar, deck-mounted guns and interceptor weapons, but might also rely heavily upon an ability for the US Navy to pre-eminently establish air superiority using the carrier-launched F-35C. In essence, a superior Carrier Air Wing could use surveillance planes such as the E2D Hawkeye, drones and armed fighters such as the stealth F-35C to establish air supremacy, something which would remove an immediate or pressing threat presented by the J-35. 

PLA Navy Submarines

Of course PLA N attack submarines are yet another massive threat to US Navy carriers as they are designed to quietly operate in the undersea domain and maneuver into position to destroy large surface warships with torpedoes. The US Navy not only has its stealthy Virginia-class attack submarines to detect and monitor this threat but also operates undersea surveillance drone and surface launched sonobuoys and towed array sonar technologies. However, should one of China’s new Type 039A Yuan-class submarines maneuver into attack position without being detected, US Navy carriers could be at risk. 

The Yuan-class in particular is likely to present risks to carriers because it uses ultra quiet diesel electric technology and a super-stealthy undersea technology known as Air Independent Propulsion or AIP. AIP allows non-nuclear submarines to operate without atmospheric oxygen and propel submarines much quieter as they do not need to use noisy pumps to circulate reactor coolant for a nuclear submarine. This means AIP submarines could remain less detectable while patrolling areas to attack large surface ships such as carriers. 

Surface Warship Threat

There is also the risk of simple old-fashioned Naval surface fires such as cruise missiles, deck-mounted guns or other surface-to-surface methods of attack such as small boat swarms. The PLAN is known to have advanced surface-fired weapons on its fast-emerging Type 055 Destroyers and recent innovations now enable deck-mounted guns and missiles to strike with much greater range and precision than had previously been possible. For instance, ship-launched PLA Hypersonics are part of this equation, as the PLAN successfully test-fired its YJ-20 hypersonic missile from a surface warship. 

Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University

US Navy Layered Carrier Defenses

Chinese “carrier-killer” missiles have been capturing headlines for so many years, that perhaps many are inclined to overlook or simply “forget” the fast-improving attack methods the US military could use to defend against them or destroy the People’s Liberation Army - Navy carriers. The PLA’s DF-26 anti-ship missile can travel as far as 2,000 miles to destroy US Navy carriers, but far too many observers seem quick to overlook the growing sphere of integrated, layered ship defenses currently protecting carriers and warships. US Navy warships are increasingly positioned to “jam” the RF or electronic guidance system of a DF-26 to essentially throw it off course. US destroyers are also increasingly armed with short, medium and long-range interceptor missiles as a growing ability to use unmanned systems and multi-domain networking to “see” attacking anti-ship missiles at much greater distances, something which of course make “intercept” much more realistic. For example, ship-based radar could network with a manned jet, command and control plane. Low Earth Orbit satellite or drone to acquire and destroy an incoming PLA anti-ship missile. All of these variables are likely a large reason why the Navy remains confident and optimistic about the future value of its carrier fleet.  

US Navy on Offense 

The other lesser recognized variable of great relevance to this equation is the US Navy’s improving ability to conduct long-range, precision offensive attacks on PLA N carriers and anti-ship missile launch locations. Perhaps one of the most effective methods the US Navy could use might be the Tactical Tomahawk. This weapon, fired from submarines and warship deck Vertical Launch Systems, emerged several years ago as a breakthrough capability in which Tomahawk missiles could draw upon additional RF throughput and guidance technology to adjust course in flight to hit moving targets. This development was the reason the classic Tomahawk missile evolved beyond being used to only hit fixed targets such as command and control centers, weapons storage facilities and bunkers. Today’s warship-launched Tomahawk can use its own surveillance to “loiter” over a target and use a two-way datalink to change course in flight as needed. This gives the US Navy added capability with which to target and attack Chinese carriers.  

Undersea Attack

The US Navy’s undersea attack capability is yet another area through which Chinese carriers could be held at risk. The US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines are increasingly stealthy as they have been upgraded with quieting technologies, stealth coating and the ability to launch forward undersea “drones” in position to acquire targets to attack with torpedoes and Tomahawks. As part of this undersea surveillance capability, forward opening undersea drones could “tether” to a surface “node” and potentially send real-time targeting data to surface and air platforms in position to strike. In this way, an undersea drone operating with advanced sonar could potentially acquire the signature or signal from a Chinese warship and quickly send verified targeting data to weapons systems in position to strike. 

Air Strikes on Carriers

This kind of longer-range, multi-domain targeting could potentially enable US land or carrier-launched fighter jets to destroy PLAN warships from the air. Perhaps a carrier-launched F-35C could be sent targeting specifics related to a high-value target and use its 25mm cannon or longer range air-to-surface missiles to destroy and sink Chinese carriers. The US Navy also operates a series of next-generation air launched anti-ship missiles such as the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) now able to fire from F-15s, F/A-18s and both “B” and “C” variants of the F-35.  The LRASM uses and advanced seeker to enable semi-autonomous flight path technology allowing the missile to adapt to new information and “re-route” in flight to ensure it hits a moving target at sea. 

Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University