Russia has deprived the Americans of their main weapon
Missiles from China and Russia will prevent US aircraft carriers from approaching the coast to strike, says Jerry Hendrix (archived photo)
American aircraft carriers – the main strike force of the US Navy – were helpless in the face of modern supersonic missiles, which appeared in service with Russia and China. This is the conclusion reached by retired US Navy captain Jerry Hendrix. He clarified that the new missiles are capable of keeping aircraft carriers at a distance at which it is impossible to strike targets on the shore of which.
“The introduction of effective combat means that complicate the possibility of aircraft carrier formations approaching target territories.” These assets are capable of holding aircraft carriers up to 1,800 kilometers from the coastline, making it inaccessible to F / A-18 fighter-bombers, ”writes Jerry Hendrix in his column for the Wall Street Journal.
We are talking, among other things, about the Russian Zircon hypersonic missile, the maximum range of which exceeds a thousand kilometers. Hendricks noted that the new F-35B and F-35 ° C fighters, which are now entering service with the US Army, are only 720 and 1,120 kilometers away from the aircraft carrier, respectively.
The problem of short-range fighters can be solved with the help of unmanned tankers, court captain. However, there are only a few such machines and they can carry less fuel. To compete with China and Russia, Washington will have to equip carrier air groups with long-range strike aircraft, Hendricks said.
Earlier, the RF Ministry of Defense conducted regular tests of the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile. Shooting at a naval target in the White Sea was carried out by the Northern Fleet frigate “Admiral of the Soviet Union Fleet Gorshkov”. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Zircon is one of their designs that can withstand hypersonic missiles created in the United States. The head of state notes that an arms race is underway between the countries, in which Moscow is still winning.
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