China has developed a missile that would turn an aircraft carrier into a two - billion - dollar sign hulk of twisted metallic element , flame , and drained sailors . Publicly , the U.S. Navy downplays its grandness . Privately , the sailors are forge out several different choice to pop it before it kill them .
Adm. Jonathan Greenert , the Navy ’s top officer , explained to reporters during a Friday breakfast encounter that the Navy has ways of exploiting some of the DF-21D missile ’s formidable technical capability , even before give flame and praying .
DF-21D missile ’s formidable technical capacity , even before opening fervor and praying .
As Greenert sees it , there ’s a menu of pick . Some postulate convert the DF-21D that the carrier is in a different post . Others involve dissemble the electronic discharge of the attack aircraft carrier . Still others are more traditional – like blasting the missile out of the salty aviation .
“ You require to spoof them , rule out detection , jam them , shoot them down if possible , get them to expiry , confuse it , ” Greenert enjoin . “ The conception is destruction - to - ending , and the capabilities therein [ are ] what we ’re pursuing ”
First up : the missile ’s guidance system . This is where Greenert wants the Navy ’s investing injamming and electronic warfare generallyto pay off .
“ If whatever is launched has a quester , can you block it ? ” Greenert think over . “ Yes , no , maybe so ? What would it take to pile it ? ” For now , that ’s a job for the flying , jamming Growlers whichmessed with Moammar Gadhafi ’s anti - aircraft systemsin Libya last year . later on on , the Navy will have a next - generation jammer , also built onto some of its jets , which it wants to use to infect enemy systems with malware . Alternatively or in supplement , the strike group would go tuner silent , to stop the projectile from homing in on its electronic emissions .
Then come the “ more pop ” part , Greenert said : shoot the projectile down . The Aegis missile - defence police cruiser include in an aircraft common carrier rap group would be tasked with that over the next decennary . Afterward , the Navy wants to usegiant shipboard lasersto burn through incoming missiles . But it ’s by no means clear-cut the Navy really can clear all the technological obstacles to oceanic optical maser warfare by its mid-2020s deadline .
And shooting down this young projectile is n’t a guaranteed proposition . “ When do you have to hire it ? On the room up ? Mid - course ? last ? ” Greenert state .
His resolution : all of the above . “ We call it linkup of a chain , ” Greenert said . “ We want to break as many radio link as possible . ” Navy weapon have to be quick to deactivate the DF-21D – either through jamming it or shooting it – during “ all ” phase of its trajectory .
There ’s also something that Greenert did n’t mention : he has time on his side .
The Navy conceded in December 2010 that the DF-21D had gain “ initial operating capability . ” But its intelligence foreman quickly added that blowing up a mailman is still past China ’s way . Hitting a prompt object is difficult . Testing the matter at sea is too . Then China need to mix the projectile into its general surface warfare plans . And after all that come the countermeasure Greenert outlined . Solving all that takes prison term .
And while China works on that , the Navy will continue its own maturation . If Greenert is freaked out by a weapon that can perforate through one of the most potent symbols of American power , he ’s doing a honest occupation of hiding it in public .
Photo : Office of Naval Intelligence
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