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US’ aircraft carrier shock trial tells China it doesn’t fear ship-killer missiles, observer says
The US Navy’s successful completion of explosion impact trials for aircraft carrier the USS Gerald R. Ford has sent a message to China and Russia that it is not worried about missiles dubbed “ship-killers”, a Chinese military observer said.
The US’ newest and most advanced nuclear carrier’s third and final full ship shock trial was completed on Sunday off the coast of Florida, following the previous such trials on June 18 and July 16, the American navy said in a press release on Monday.
The carrier suffered no major casualties and less damage than expected, officials said.
In the trials, held in the Atlantic Ocean, 40,000lbs (18 tonnes) of explosives - equivalent to a 3.9-magnitude earthquake - were detonated under water, each time taking place closer to the carrier. Data on the impact on the vessel was collected.
“The tests demonstrated - and proved to the crew, fairly dramatically - that the ship will be able to withstand formidable shocks and continue to operate under extreme conditions,” said Brian Metcalf, the manager of the navy’s future aircraft carrier programme office.
Shock trials are designed to check a ship’s shock durability and ability to sustain operations in a simulated combat environment.
The minor damage to the USS Gerald R. Ford will be assessed and repaired during planned maintenance before its scheduled deployment next year.
Full ship shock trials were last conducted in 2016, on two littoral combat ships. The last aircraft carrier to undergo such a test was the USS Theodore Roosevelt, in 1987.
The US Navy has in recent years emphasised maintaining its supremacy in the face of competition from the Chinese navy’s shipbuilding spree. A US government document in June outlined plans to maintain a fleet of between 321 and 372 manned ships.
As of 2020, the Chinese navy had 360 ships and the US Navy 297. However, the US had more large ships, with 11 aircraft carriers to 2, and 92 cruisers and destroyers against China’s 33, as well as being more powerful in armament.
The shock trial is expected to provide highly valuable data for mass production of Ford-class aircraft carriers - the US’ first major aircraft carrier investment since the 1960s. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the first of the class, was commissioned in 2017. Two others, the USS John F. Kennedy and the USS Enterprise, are being built and two more have been ordered.
“Besides data collection, another reason to announce it was to send a message to China and Russia that the US aircraft carriers have super resilience and they are not worried about Chinese or Russian conventional anti-ship weapons,” commentator and former Chinese military instructor Song Zhongping said. “The 40,000lbs explosive blast was much bigger than any single warhead of a conventional missile or torpedo.”
China has developed anti-ship ballistic missiles - the “aircraft carrier killer” DF-21D and DF-26 - that reportedly simultaneously hit a moving target vessel thousands of kilometres away in the South China Sea in a test last August.
Russia is also testing a hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile, the Zircon, which could reach a maximum speed of Mach 9. It hit a ground target in a test last month.
Song said that the trial proved the Ford-class aircraft carriers could withstand some water mines or nearby missile strikes, but did not show their resistance against a direct hit.
“Ballistic missiles or hypersonic missiles could also carry electromagnetic pulse weapons that are detonated at high altitude and cause damage to the aircraft carrier, or even take it completely out of combat,” he said.
- SCMP
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Be the first to like this. Showing 13 of 13 comments
the trial proved the Ford-class aircraft carriers could withstand some water mines or nearby missile strikes, but did not show their resistance against a direct hit.
2021-08-14 14:35
SOLID flight deck
WHAT if the Command Tower HEAD is blown OFF, still can walk around and fight?
2021-08-14 15:29
China has zero experience in war! US has been in war for a century! US has perfected the act of war, and the art of war! If China rely on Sun Tzu, the warless court jester who wrote about war in forbidden city, then China is in big trouble!
I think China doesn't have to go to war and still win it! Why, because China so far able to curb Covid while the rest of the world succumb to it!
All China has to do is wait! US is crumbling! Western world is falling apart!
Eventually China can easily move in even beat the enlightens to their own game!
2021-08-14 15:33
What if RUSSIA and CHINA ... TAG TEAM ??? LoL ............. Sweat !!!!
2021-08-14 23:07
Ccp will not fight the talibans! For what! Ccp will used talibans to their advantage! I mean, you can lend some money to this harden war mongers, after a while, talibans will get addicted to China generosity! And the rest is history! Aghanistan will become another Africa! Yeah, welcome to debt diplomacy! Something Ccp is very good at!
2021-08-14 23:34
Remember how Africa used to be a war zone! And this chinese fellows came in and started small minings here and there! And the africans get to work for peanuts! And africans started to buy those cheap goods from China! Eventually China built many infras for africans! Of course they can't pay! Same thing going to happen in Aghanistan!
2021-08-14 23:36
""" Eventually China built many infras for africans! Of course they can't pay! Same thing going to happen in Aghanistan! """"
Did you KNOW that CHINA "FORGAVE/DONATED" the LOANS to these Africa Nations ? Since 1990 ? US$ BILLIONS ??? . Of Course the WESTERN MEDIA wont tell you that. Western nations JUST invaded and TOOK what they WANTED and LEFT Africa in RUINS !!!!
2021-08-15 00:27
Muttsinvestor! Did i say China is bad for Africa! No! Since China came into Africa, africans have enjoyed peace! So why are you so angry with yourself!
2021-08-15 00:44
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MuttsInvestor
LoL ..... Observer MUST be SLEEPING in his JOB !!!
2021-08-14 13:34