1. There is no reason why an attack on a USN carrier group would be limited to AShBM only. They can spam it with the full spectrum of weapons platforms available at once.
2.There is no reason why only the carrier itself would be attacked. They could attack the escorts simultaneously so that they could either focus on saving themselves or be taken out and leave the carrier an easier picking for second wave. Or the carrier group can be 'peeled' onion style from outside in.
3.The attacker choose the tempo of the attack and can do it while carrier is out of retaliatory range. If you only play defense you would lose eventually.
4.Just because they would eventually develop a counter for AShBM would not meant it is no longer a threat. Even cruise missiles would be enough threat when spammed enough. Every year before they manage to get an effective counter operational is an additional year for China to perfect and add to her own carrier force. Worse case is both sides back to carrier vs carrier scenario and even in that case China would try fighting closer to her home support.
5. People focus too much on AShBM but reality of the matter is that in recent years China has simply modernised her military enough that she now has ways of touching her opponents carrier group, with or without AshBM.
6. Carriers are originally designed to take out enemy fleets outside the support of their home countries, as the case during WWII. USN can no longer operate her carrier against China the same manner like she does with Iraq and in the Persian Gulf. The AShBM development just further extends that envelop so as to make it risky even to fight against the PLAN in areas where they would be operating if conflict broke out in near future. Imagine the geopolitical implications if one day China can extend that umbrella to cover the Persian Gulf area.
2.There is no reason why only the carrier itself would be attacked. They could attack the escorts simultaneously so that they could either focus on saving themselves or be taken out and leave the carrier an easier picking for second wave. Or the carrier group can be 'peeled' onion style from outside in.
3.The attacker choose the tempo of the attack and can do it while carrier is out of retaliatory range. If you only play defense you would lose eventually.
4.Just because they would eventually develop a counter for AShBM would not meant it is no longer a threat. Even cruise missiles would be enough threat when spammed enough. Every year before they manage to get an effective counter operational is an additional year for China to perfect and add to her own carrier force. Worse case is both sides back to carrier vs carrier scenario and even in that case China would try fighting closer to her home support.
5. People focus too much on AShBM but reality of the matter is that in recent years China has simply modernised her military enough that she now has ways of touching her opponents carrier group, with or without AshBM.
6. Carriers are originally designed to take out enemy fleets outside the support of their home countries, as the case during WWII. USN can no longer operate her carrier against China the same manner like she does with Iraq and in the Persian Gulf. The AShBM development just further extends that envelop so as to make it risky even to fight against the PLAN in areas where they would be operating if conflict broke out in near future. Imagine the geopolitical implications if one day China can extend that umbrella to cover the Persian Gulf area.
Last edited:
