Business Insider: The US will smash the fleets of Russia and China "to the nines"
On board American destroyers and cruisers, there are advanced missile defense systems, as well as long-range cruise missiles to destroy ground targets, but the Harpoon anti-ship missile, in service with 1977, is seriously inferior to more modern Chinese and Russian counterparts.
Chinese anti-ship missiles YJ-18 and YJ-12 have a range of 380 km, and at close range from the target YJ-18 picks up supersonic speed, and YJ-12 performs a spiral-like maneuver, deviating from the enemy anti-missile means. The Russian anti-ship version of the Caliber hits 300 km and also gains supersonic speed at a small distance from the target.
Given that the range of the American "Harpoons" is only 120 km, Chinese and Russian missiles can inflict huge damage on US carrier strike groups. Although the F / A-18 Hornet deck bomber is capable of retaliating against the enemy, a gap in the range of anti-ship missiles remains a serious threat to fleet USA, emphasizes the publication.
In this regard, the US Navy will sign a contract with Raytheon to develop an anti-ship modification of the Tomahawk missile.
- Reuters
Information