Chinese missile could shift Pacific power balance

[Pete]

Chinese missile could shift Pacific power balance

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100805/...carrier_killer

This is interesting.....

".......Setting the stage for a possible conflict, Beijing has grown increasingly vocal in its demands for the U.S. to stay away from the wide swaths of ocean — covering much of the Yellow, East and South China seas — where it claims exclusivity........."

I wonder just how big it is and how much support it takes to fire it. 10 times the speed of sound?

Anyway, they've been working on anti ship weapons for a while now.

[abc_123]

my understanding is that it's a medium-range ballistic missile with a conventional warhead and souped up terminal guidence enough to hit a moving target.

[Sigaba]

MOO, the article cited in the OP is reminiscent of articles in popular magazines from the 1890s in which American warships are alternately marvels of the modern world yet also a stone's throw from being nothing more than obsolete targets.

As a navalist, I don't exactly mind this kind of coverage--because as any good Mahanian will tell you, what's good for the navy is good for America. However, I don't know if this is exactly a good time for a naval arms race.

My $0.02.

[akv]

Originally Posted by Sigaba

MOO, the article cited in the OP is reminiscent of articles in popular magazines from the 1890s in which American warships are alternately marvels of the modern world yet also a stone's throw from being nothing more than obsolete targets.

I don't know how much importance to attach to war games, mach 10 missiles aside, didn't Ret. Marine General Van Riper in Millenium Challenge 2002 demonstrate to Rumsfeld's chagrin just how vulnerable our carriers were to an Iran type foe using an ingenious combination of low tech, suicide, and swarm tactics? I wonder if the Gen. Billy Mitchell's tests on battleships is an applicable analogy here.