US strategy for anti-ship weapons to counter China: plentiful, mobile, deadly

[BlueWavePsych]

The United States has ramped up testing of its QUICKSINK weapon, an inexpensive and potentially plentiful bomb equipped with a low-cost GPS guidance kit and a seeker that can track moving objects. The U.S. Air Force used a B-2 stealth bomber during a test last month in the Gulf of Mexico to strike a target ship with QUICKSINK.

In such a scenario, the U.S. military would use Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM) or SM-6 missiles to damage a Chinese warship and its radars, then bombard the vessel with lower-cost weapons such as QUICKSINK.

The United States has been amassing a variety of anti-ship weapons in Asia. In April, the U.S. Army deployed its new Typhon mobile missile batteries, which were developed cheaply from existing components and can fire SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles against sea targets, to the Philippines during an exercise.

Such weapons are relatively easy to produce - drawing on large stockpiles and designs that have been around for a decade or more - and could help the United States and its allies catch up quickly in an Indo-Pacific missile race in which China has a big lead.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-strategy-anti-ship-weapons-counter-china-plentiful-mobile-deadly-2024-09-17/

[anilcnair]

1. US strategy for anti-ship weapons to counter China: plentiful, mobile, deadly

The U.S. strategy for countering China’s naval capabilities with anti-ship weapons focuses on three key aspects:

Plentiful: Increasing the quantity of anti-ship missiles, including modern systems like the Naval Strike Missile and Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), ensures a robust deterrent.

Mobile: Emphasizing mobile launch platforms, such as those deployed on ships, submarines, and coastal defense systems, allows for flexibility and makes it harder for adversaries to target them.

Deadly: Enhancing the lethality of these weapons through advancements in guidance systems, speed, and warhead effectiveness increases their ability to penetrate defenses and strike targets decisively.

This strategy aims to ensure that the U.S. and its allies maintain a credible deterrent against potential maritime threats in the Indo-Pacific region. Would you like to dive deeper into any specific aspect of this strategy?

[BlueWavePsych]

2. Nice analysis. What's your assessment of China invading Taiwan by 2027? 30% chance?