Balance of power?

[Skywarrior]

Nothing projects U.S. global air and sea power more vividly than supercarriers. Bristling with fighter jets that can reach deep into even landlocked trouble zones, America's virtually invincible carrier fleet has long enforced its dominance of the high seas.

China may soon put an end to that.

U.S. naval planners are scrambling to deal with what analysts say is a game-changing weapon being developed by China — an unprecedented carrier-killing missile called the Dong Feng 21D that could be launched from land with enough accuracy to penetrate the defenses of even the most advanced moving aircraft carrier at a distance of more than 1,500 kilometers (900 miles).

[mappow]

DOD and it's support contractors are 5-8 years ahead of the curve. I'm sure we have something to take this out. If not in production at least in R&D.

[THE DUKE OF ESSEX]

DOD and it's support contractors are 5-8 years ahead of the curve. I'm sure we have something to take this out. If not in production at least in R&D.

I hope so, I have a nephew on the USS George Washington.

[HunterLee]

I don't know. If you read what is the latest on the internet, the main reason they pulled the plug on the DDG 1000 was that they became aware of the fact that a "Truck Mounted" Anti-Ship Missle could take it out. It seems a bit strange that the thought of a "Truck Mounted" Anti-Ship Missle had never crossed anyone's mind before.

[ronwill]

We already have anti missile missiles in use today and more in development. That is unless Obama decides that because we are so far in debt to China we can pass on the deployment.

[Ringo]

The news of this missile is over a year old. And no, we don't have anything that can stop it. It's very low flying and extremely difficult for radar to detect until too late. When it reaches it's designated distance it drops into the water and becomes an extremely high speed torpedo, too close and too fast to be stopped. Not good.

[Cocked _and_Locked]

Big blue water power projection was a nice luxury the past 50 years or so of U.S. administrations had the option to exert, as long as nobody was willing or able to challenge it. Fact is they are extremely vulnerable to any number of modern technology weapons currently in many of our enemies inventories.

In harm's way, the question is not "if," but "when."

[HunterLee]

The fact that this administration has decided on a Navy of 325 -345 ships in this day and age (when ten years ago we had planned on a 600 ship minimum by this time) : as China continually builds their Navy with modern / new technology (many ships extremely similar to our DDG 51 Class), and Russia finally beginning to rebuild (after the fall of the Soviet Union) their navy as their government returns to to their old ways.
All of this with the fact that NGSB is going to close its Avondale shipyard, and plans for "who knows what" for Newport News and Ingalls. America is losing / will lose its Naval superiority if something is not done with regard to shipbuilding NOW! The decision of a 325 -340 ship Navy, whether it was made by Gates or Barry (obama), is just another straw that this current administration is using to break the back of the United States of America.

[handgonnetoter]

At one time, not too long ago, the British navy was the largest in the world. The sun never used to set on the British Empire, not so for a long time. They are but a shell of their former selves, thanks to a Liberal "turn the other cheek" policy. It saddens me, but I feel we are going the same way.

[Cocked _and_Locked]

The problem is simple economics. We cannot afford a massive military any longer. The Air force is in the same boat, so to speak. Guns or butter. The country has chosen butter, whether people like you and me like it or not.