How the U.S. will fight China - with AirSea Battle.
David Axe gives us a glimpse of the AirSea Battle concept:
It seems AirSea Battle mostly involves better communications and command procedures for integrating ships and planes into the same task forces. But thereâ??s at least one new piece of hardware: a new, more deadly anti-ship missile. On Wednesday, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded Lockheed Martin a 3-year, $160 million contract to develop the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile. The goal is for LRASM to give Navy ships â??the ability to attack important enemy ships outside the ranges of the enemyâ??s ability to respond with anti-ship missiles of their own.â?LRASM must fit into the Navyâ??s existing vertical-launch cells and should rely less on â??off-boardâ? targeting â?? drones, planes, satellites â?? than current weapons. In other words, the LRASM must have its own, smart sensors. That would allow even isolated or electronically-jammed American ships to sink enemy vessels.
It's good to see the Department of Defense finding inspiration in old Atari games. More, in a serious vein, here.
(AP Photo)
