Can the entire Russian fleet sink at least one US aircraft carrier? Is it possible to sink an American aircraft carrier?

CAN THE ENTIRE RUSSIA FLEET SINK AT LEAST ONE US AIRCRAFT CARRIER? What can the Russian Federation oppose to the “invincible armada”. Once, while still the US Secretary of Defense, Leon Edward Panetta said: “Any fifth grader knows that the US AUG (carrier strike group) cannot be destroyed by any of the existing powers in the world,” writes blogger Anton Rumata.

Wait! What about Russia! Personally, I was always and everywhere told that the Russian army could deal with the US Navy - somehow, but it could. Those more advanced in this matter stated: well, with the entire fleet, maybe not, it’s even possible that we won’t defeat an aircraft carrier force, but we can definitely send one AUG to the bottom. Well, very few still agreed with the Americans in their bravado.

Let's look into this issue (it's interesting - it's true). I’ll say right away that I won’t overload the post with numbers and enumerations, there will be a lot of links, by going through them, you can get all the data and performance characteristics from different sources. I also won’t elaborate ad infinitum. Those. I count on visitors to be somewhat well-read on this issue; the rest, if something is unclear in the names or terms, can freely get definitions through a search engine. Although I will try to provide almost all links. A typical US AUG is a group consisting of: The flagship aircraft carrier of the group with a Nimitz (or Enterprise) nuclear power plant with a carrier-based aviation regiment based on it (60-80 aircraft). According to usual practice, an aircraft carrier, as well as a carrier-based aviation regiment of a group, are separate military units of naval aviation and are under the command of naval aviation officers with the rank of U.S. Naval aviation Captain. The group's air defense division is 1-2 Ticonderoga-type missile defense systems. The basic armament complex of the missile cruiser division includes the Standart air defense missile launcher (SM-2, SM-3) and the sea-based Tomahawk missile launcher. All Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers are equipped with the Aegis naval weapon control and missile firing system (AEGIS). Each of the division's cruisers is under the command of a US Navy officer with the rank of U.S. Navy Captain. The group's anti-submarine warfare division is 3-4 EM URO of the Arleigh Burke type with depth charges and torpedoes to combat submarines, as well as (some of the ships) with Tomahawk missile launchers on board. The commander of an ASW division is a Navy officer with the rank of U.S. Navy Captain, while each of the division's destroyers is under the command of a U.S. Navy officer with the rank of U.S. Navy Commander. Multi-purpose submarine division - 1-2 Los Angeles-type submarines with torpedo armament and Tomahawk cruise missiles (with launch through the TA boats) on board with the tasks of both PLO groupings and strikes against coastal (surface) targets. Supply vessel division - 1-2 Sepla type transports, ammunition transports, tankers, and other auxiliary ships. Naval Aircraft Operations - up to 60 US Navy aviation aircraft, consolidated into strike AE, AWACS AE, PLO AE, Military Technical Assistance Aircraft, etc. The Navy OAP is separate military unit US Navy Aviation. The Navy OAP, like the AVMA, is under the command of a Navy aviation officer with the rank of captain first rank or a USMC aviation officer with the rank of colonel (USMC Colonel).

So what can Russia counter to such impressive power? Russia does not have the resources to compete with the United States on equal terms in terms of the number of ships. In terms of aircraft carriers, the US has an overwhelming advantage; now the Americans have 10 aircraft carriers, the Russian Federation has one aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral of the Fleet Soviet Union Kuznetsov, which can be qualified as a light aircraft carrier, but actually without aircraft. There are ten Su-33s in service out of the planned twenty-five, which they already want to replace with the MiG-29K. In 2013, in addition to the existing “dryers”, two MiGs were added. The situation with escort ships is also not the best. Many will now say, what about aircraft carriers, Russia has a lot of other things to destroy AUGs. I agree, in a situation of total superiority in ships, an asymmetrical response is needed. So what is he like? The Russian Armed Forces see it in missile weapons, specifically in anti-ship missiles. Those. in the effective delivery of a conventional or nuclear charge directly to AUG ships. First, I suggest you familiarize yourself with the carriers of anti-ship missiles: the Project 1164 Atlant missile cruiser, the Project 949A Antey submarine, the Project 1144 Orlan heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser, and the actual heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov. There are also small missile ships, aircraft and coastal missile systems. Since the US AUG has a serious missile defense and air defense system, and naturally a powerful aviation fist, the main characteristics for combating and defeating it are the detection and possible attack distance. In order to hit the composition of the AUG: aircraft, ships or submarines must ensure the timely detection of an aircraft carrier group, classify it, approach within missile strike range, while maintaining combat effectiveness, and launch missiles that, having overcome air defense and electronic warfare systems, must destroy ships as part of the AUG. Let's consider the option of attacking AUGs by surface ships of the Russian Navy in the world's oceans: Opportunities Russian ships in the matter of detection, they are actually limited by the limits of the radio horizon; the helicopters on board ships are of little use for solving this problem, due to the small number of these machines and their small range. They can be effectively used only in the interests of issuing target designation for missile weapons, but before that the enemy must still be detected. Of course, when missile cruisers were created, i.e. under the Soviet navy, their activities were to be carried out with the support of a naval reconnaissance system in the ocean theater of operations. It relied on a developed system of radio-technical intelligence, the basis of which was ground-based centers located not only on the territory of the USSR, but also in other states. There was also effective space naval reconnaissance, which made it possible to detect and monitor naval formations of a potential enemy, and provide target designation for missile weapons throughout almost the entire territory of the World Ocean. Russia at the current moment in time does not have all this. In 2006, they began to revive the system, but it is still very, very far from completion. Therefore, the AUG will see Russian ships long before it itself is detected. The group constantly provides air control to a depth of 800 km, with the help of Grumman E-2 Hawkeye AWACS aircraft, we will be attacked by 48 aircraft, of which 25 will carry the GARPUN anti-aircraft missile system, and electronic warfare will be provided by almost 8 Boeing EA-18 Growlers. It is impossible to fight off the cruisers with their air defense, and even the Kuznetsov with a dozen aircraft. The Russian Federation will not be allowed to use the main weapon in the fight against AUG, namely the P-1000 Vulcan, a range of 550 km and the P-700 Granit, a range of up to 625 km, as you can see, the Russian Federation cannot aim these missiles, even at launch range, it is extremely unlikely that will do. But if, by some miracle, the Russian Federation still shoots down enemy planes. There will be a duel of anti-ship missiles, and a fight between electronics; if in anti-ship missiles we are superior to the Americans, then in electronic warfare there is again almost no chance. IN best case scenario Russian anti-ship missiles, some of which will pass the AUG missile defense system, will be able to damage the aircraft carrier and, in extreme cases, sink several ships of the group, but all this based on the above, unfortunately from the realm of science fiction. Also, a strike on the AUG with nuclear weapons is also unlikely, again due to the fact that the Russian Federation simply will not have time to strike, since they will be discovered first. The most advanced Russian anti-ship missile system today is Granit. Currently, there are no analogues to this rocket in the world. Its flight range is 625 km. This is one hundred kilometers greater than the range of the Tomahawk anti-ship modifications, almost three times the flight range of the main American Harpoon anti-ship missile, and approximately corresponds to the range of the F/A-18 carrier-based fighters. The Granit's marching speed is 660 meters per second, in the last section of the trajectory - a kilometer per second, which is three times the speed of the Harpoon and Tomahawk and twice the maximum speed F/A-18 fighter. "Granit" carries a warhead containing 500 kilograms of powerful explosives, TNT equivalent which, according to various sources, ranges from 1000 to 1500 kilograms. The power of the Granit warhead significantly exceeds the 454-kilogram TNT warhead Tomahawk and the 227-kilogram Harpoon. The power of "Granit" allows you to destroy any destroyer or cruiser with one hit. In addition, missiles of this type can be equipped with nuclear warheads, which do not require a direct hit to destroy a ship. Breaking through the enemy's air defense "Granit" makes it easier to armor the warhead and important components, which reduces the likelihood of the anti-ship missile being destroyed by a close detonation of an anti-aircraft missile, and low altitude flight. The Granit anti-ship missile system is a highly intelligent weapon capable of carrying out “collective” actions, countering enemy air defense and independently selecting the most important target. In the computer memory of missiles there are so-called “portraits” of radar for all ships, and information about all possible options orders. The missiles attack along the most rational trajectory, forming a combat order and exchanging information among themselves. A salvo of one Project 949A submarine contains 24 missiles, each of which also carries its own decoys to break through the missile defense system. 23 missiles fly low over the water, one rises higher, periodically turning on the radar to aim at targets. It determines the number of targets and distributes them among other missiles. If the “leader” is destroyed, the next missile takes its place. The largest target, that is, an aircraft carrier, is automatically identified by missiles in the order of ships. After a breakthrough, the missiles rank targets in order of importance to ensure the eventual defeat of the aircraft carrier. First, the cover ships in the path of the missiles are destroyed, and then the aircraft carrier is struck. But there is one big BUT, the missile requires precise target designation until the seeker locks onto the target, and this targeting is achieved only with the help of aviation or spacecraft. Conclusion: missiles are good, and they are much better than American ones, but unfortunately flying electronics and AUG fighters nullify this advantage. Now consider the option with a submarine, the Project 949A Antey missile boat can, using its hydroacoustics, detect AUG noises at a distance of more than 100 miles, i.e. being in the far zone of the anti-submarine defense of an aircraft carrier group, where the likelihood of its detection and destruction is very low. The boat is armed with 24 P-700 Granit, respectively, the boat is already in a state of attacking the AUG, since the Granit’s range is up to 625 km, and we remind you that it is 100 miles from the escorted aircraft carrier. But here again the problem of insufficient awareness arises; again, a specific system for issuing target designation is needed, which can be provided either from space or by aviation, and this is at the moment Russia, I repeat, does not have it, and what is available from aviation sources of target designation will quickly be destroyed by AUG fighters. Based on all of the above, “Antey” is an excellent machine, but it will not be able to classify, let alone determine, the battle formation of the enemy formation with the identification of the main order. To do this, it will be necessary to enter the middle anti-submarine defense zone of the group, where the probability of detection and, accordingly, destruction is already significant. But that’s not all, in order to destroy an aircraft carrier, it is necessary to hit it with 8-10 Granit anti-ship missiles with conventional equipment. When missiles break through to an aircraft carrier, it is also necessary to destroy up to half of the escort ships. Taking into account air defense countermeasures, to guarantee the destruction of the AUG it is necessary to use 70-100 anti-ship missiles from all types of carriers in one strike. Conclusion: one or even three submarines (Russia currently has only five of them afloat) will not be able to destroy the AUG alone; they can only work together with surface ships and aircraft. Which, again, in the current conditions of the state of the system for detecting and issuing information of the Russian Navy, is impossible. By the way, some refer to the miracle weapon, the Shkval missile-torpedo, which has no prospects for fighting a group of Americans, you just have to read its characteristics. Coastal anti-ship missile systems can not be considered because the AUG will not approach the shore within the range of the anti-ship missiles. All that remains is aviation: the Tu-22M, which can carry out strikes against the X-22 anti-ship missile system against a group, and this is perhaps the most promising option for causing damage to the AUG, but out of the 150 Carcasses in service, only 40 can fly throughout Russia. Even if we assume that they all reach the enemy ships and strike, then this is only 40 missiles, which is clearly not enough to destroy an aircraft carrier with an escort. But if you reduce the range from 2000 km to 1500 km and hang two missiles on the “Tushki”, then again, you can take out the AUG only if all the planes and missiles break through to the enemy, which is again unlikely, the group’s air defense very much. Based on all of the above, in the current situation Russian army, Leon Edward Panetta is most likely right that there is indeed not one country in the world that is unable to sink a US aircraft carrier strike group. With the possible exception of a massive air strike by Tu - 22 X-22 missiles with a nuclear warhead, but do not forget: the United States has more than one AUG, and the Russian Federation is capable of such a strike only once.

Once, while still US Secretary of Defense, Leon Edward Panetta said: “Any fifth grader knows that the US AUG (carrier strike group) cannot be destroyed by any of the existing powers in the world.”

Let's look into this issue (it's interesting - it's true).

I’ll say right away that I won’t overload the post with numbers and enumerations, there will be a lot of links, by going through them, you can get all the data and performance characteristics from different sources. I also won’t elaborate ad infinitum. Those. I count on visitors to be somewhat well-read on this issue; the rest, if something is unclear in the names or terms, can freely get definitions through a search engine. Although I will try to provide almost all links.

Let's start:

A typical US AUG is a group consisting of:

Flagship aircraft carrier groups with a Nimitz (or Enterprise) nuclear power plant with a carrier-based aviation regiment based on it (60-80 aircraft). According to usual practice, an aircraft carrier, as well as a carrier-based aviation regiment of a group, are separate military units of naval aviation and are under the command of naval aviation officers with the rank of U.S. Naval aviation Captain.

Air defense division of the group- 1-2 CR URO of the Ticonderoga type. The basic armament complex of the missile cruiser division includes the Standart air defense missile launcher (SM-2, SM-3), and the sea-based Tomahawk missile launcher. All Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers are equipped with the Aegis naval weapon control and missile firing system (AEGIS). Each of the division's cruisers is under the command of a US Navy officer with the rank of U.S. Navy Captain.

PLO division of the group- 3-4 EM URO of the Arleigh Burke type with depth charges and torpedoes to combat submarines, as well as (some ships) with Tomahawk missile launchers on board. The commander of an ASW division is a Navy officer with the rank of U.S. Navy Captain, while each of the division's destroyers is under the command of a U.S. Navy officer with the rank of U.S. Navy Commander.

Multi-purpose submarine division- 1-2 submarines of the “Los Angeles” type with torpedo armament and the Tomahawk cruise missile (with launch through the TA boats) on board with the tasks of both PLO groupings and strikes against coastal (surface) targets.

Supply vessel division - 1-2 Sepla type transports, ammunition transports, tankers, and other auxiliary ships.

OAP Navy- up to 60 US Navy aviation aircraft, consolidated into attack aircraft, airborne early warning aircraft, anti-aircraft warfare aircraft, military aviation aircraft, etc. The Navy air force is a separate military unit of the US Navy aviation. The Navy OAP, like the AVMA, is under the command of a Navy aviation officer with the rank of captain first rank or a USMC aviation officer with the rank of colonel (USMC Colonel).

So what can we oppose to such impressive power? Unfortunately, Russia does not have the resources to compete with the United States on equal terms in terms of the number of ships. In terms of aircraft carriers, the US advantage is overwhelming; now the Americans have 10 aircraft carriers, we have one aircraft-carrying cruiser, Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov, which can be qualified as a light aircraft carrier, but unfortunately, actually without aircraft. There are ten Su-33s in service out of the planned twenty-five, which they already want to replace with the MiG-29K. In 2013, in addition to the existing “dryers”, two MiGs were added. The situation with escort ships is also not the best.

Many will now say, what about aircraft carriers, Russia has a lot of other things to destroy AUGs. I agree, in a situation of total superiority in ships, an asymmetrical response is needed. So what is he like?

The Russian Armed Forces see it in missile weapons, specifically in anti-ship missiles. Those. in the effective delivery of a conventional or nuclear charge directly to AUG ships.

First, I suggest you familiarize yourself with the carriers of anti-ship missiles: the Project 1164 Atlant missile cruiser, the Project 949A Antey submarine, the Project 1144 Orlan heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser, and the actual heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov.

There are also small missile ships, aircraft and coastal missile systems.

Since the US AUG has a serious missile defense and air defense system, and naturally a powerful aviation fist, the main characteristics for combating and defeating it are the detection and possible attack distance.

In order to hit an AUG composition: aviation, ships or submarines must ensure timely detection of an aircraft carrier group, classify it, approach within missile strike range, while maintaining combat effectiveness, and launch missiles that, having overcome air defense and electronic warfare systems, must destroy the ships in the composition AUG.

Let's consider the option of attacking AUGs by surface ships of the Russian Navy in the world's oceans:

Unfortunately, the detection capabilities of Russian ships are actually limited by the radio horizon; the helicopters on board the ships are of little use for solving this problem, due to the small number of these machines and their short range. They can be effectively used only in the interests of issuing target designation for missile weapons, but before that the enemy must still be detected.

Of course, when missile cruisers were created, i.e. under the Soviet navy, their activities were to be carried out with the support of a naval reconnaissance system in the ocean theater of operations. It relied on a developed system of radio-technical intelligence, the basis of which was ground-based centers located not only on the territory of the USSR, but also in other states. There was also effective space naval reconnaissance, which made it possible to detect and monitor naval formations of a potential enemy, and provide target designation for missile weapons throughout almost the entire territory of the World Ocean. Russia at the current moment in time does not have all this. In 2006, they began to revive the system, but it is still very, very far from completion.

Therefore, the AUG will see our ships long before it itself is detected. The group constantly provides air control to a depth of 800 km, with the help of Grumman E-2 Hawkeye AWACS aircraft, we will be attacked by 48 aircraft, of which 25 will carry the GARPUN anti-aircraft missile system, and electronic warfare will be provided by almost 8 Boeing EA-18 Growlers.

It is impossible to fight off the cruisers with their air defense, and even the Kuznetsov with a dozen aircraft.

We will not be allowed to use the main weapon in the fight against AUG, namely the P-1000 Vulcan, a range of 550 km and the P-700 Granit, a range of up to 625 km, as you can see, we will not be able to aim these missiles, even at launch range, it is extremely unlikely that let's come.

But if, by some miracle, we still shot down the enemy planes. There will be a duel of anti-ship missiles, and a fight between electronics; if in anti-ship missiles we are superior to the Americans, then in electronic warfare there is again almost no chance. At best, our anti-ship missiles, some of which will pass the AUG missile defense system, will be able to damage the aircraft carrier and, in extreme cases, sink several ships of the group, but all this based on the above, unfortunately from the realm of fantasy.

Also, a strike on the AUG with nuclear weapons is also unlikely, again due to the fact that we simply will not have time to strike, since we will be discovered first.

The most advanced Russian anti-ship missile system today is Granit. Currently, there are no analogues to this rocket in the world. Its flight range is 625 km. This is one hundred kilometers greater than the range of the Tomahawk anti-ship modifications, almost three times the flight range of the main American Harpoon anti-ship missile, and approximately corresponds to the range of F/A-18 carrier-based fighters. The Granit's marching speed is 660 meters per second, in the last part of the trajectory - a kilometer per second, which is three times the speed of the Harpoon and Tomahawk and twice the maximum speed of the F/A-18 fighter. “Granit” carries a warhead containing 500 kilograms of powerful explosives, the TNT equivalent of which, according to various sources, ranges from 1000 to 1500 kilograms. The power of the Granit warhead significantly exceeds the 454-kilogram TNT warhead Tomahawk and the 227-kilogram Harpoon. The power of "Granit" allows you to destroy any destroyer or cruiser with one hit. In addition, missiles of this type can be equipped with nuclear warheads, which do not require a direct hit to destroy a ship. Breaking through the enemy's air defense "Granit" is facilitated by the armoring of the warhead and important components, which reduces the likelihood of the anti-ship missile being destroyed by a close detonation of an anti-aircraft missile, and the low flight altitude. The Granit anti-ship missile system is a highly intelligent weapon capable of carrying out “collective” actions, countering enemy air defense and independently selecting the most important target. In the computer memory of the missiles there are so-called “portraits” of radar for all ships, and information about all possible variants of orders is also stored. The missiles attack along the most rational trajectory, forming a combat order and exchanging information among themselves. A salvo of one Project 949A submarine contains 24 missiles, each of which also carries its own decoys to break through the missile defense system. 23 missiles fly low over the water, one rises higher, periodically turning on the radar to aim at targets. It determines the number of targets and distributes them among other missiles. If the “leader” is destroyed, the next missile takes its place. The largest target, that is, an aircraft carrier, is automatically identified by missiles in the order of ships. After a breakthrough, the missiles rank targets in order of importance to ensure the eventual defeat of the aircraft carrier. First, the cover ships in the path of the missiles are destroyed, and then the aircraft carrier is struck. But there is one big BUT, the missile requires precise target designation until the seeker locks onto the target, and this targeting is achieved only with the help of aviation or spacecraft.

Conclusion: missiles are good, and we have them much better than American ones, but unfortunately flying electronics and AUG fighters reduce this advantage to nothing.

Now consider the option with a submarine, the Project 949A Antey missile boat can, using its hydroacoustics, detect AUG noises at a distance of more than 100 miles, i.e. being in the far zone of the anti-submarine defense of an aircraft carrier group, where the likelihood of its detection and destruction is very low. The boat is armed with 24 P-700 Granit, respectively, the boat is already in a state of attacking the AUG, since the Granit’s range is up to 625 km, and we remind you that it is 100 miles from the escorted aircraft carrier. But here again the problem arises of insufficient awareness, again we need a specific system for issuing target designation, which can be provided either from space or by aviation, and at the moment Russia, I repeat, does not have this, and what is available from aviation sources of target designation quickly will be destroyed by AUG fighters. Based on all of the above, “Antey” is an excellent machine, but it will not be able to classify, let alone determine, the battle formation of the enemy formation with the identification of the main order. To do this, it will be necessary to enter the middle anti-submarine defense zone of the group, where the probability of detection and, accordingly, destruction is already significant.

But that’s not all, in order to destroy an aircraft carrier, it is necessary to hit it with 8-10 Granit anti-ship missiles with conventional equipment. When missiles break through to an aircraft carrier, it is also necessary to destroy up to half of the escort ships. Taking into account air defense countermeasures, to guarantee the destruction of the AUG it is necessary to use 70-100 anti-ship missiles from all types of carriers in one strike.

Conclusion: one or even three submarines (Russia currently has only five of them afloat) will not be able to destroy the AUG alone; they can only work together with surface ships and aircraft. Which, again, in the current conditions of the state of the system for detecting and issuing information of the Russian Navy, is impossible. By the way, some refer to the miracle weapon, the Shkval missile-torpedo, which has no prospects for fighting a group of Americans, you just have to read its characteristics.

Coastal anti-ship missile systems can not be considered because the AUG will not approach the shore within the range of the anti-ship missiles.

All that remains is aviation: the Tu-22M, which can carry out strikes against the X-22 anti-ship missile system against a group, and this is perhaps the most promising option for causing damage to the AUG, but out of the 150 Carcasses in service, only 40 can fly throughout Russia. Even if we assume that they all reach the enemy ships and strike, then this is only 40 missiles, which is clearly not enough to destroy an aircraft carrier with an escort. But if you reduce the range from 2000 km to 1500 km and hang two missiles on the “Tushki”, then again, you can take out the AUG only if all the planes and missiles break through to the enemy, which is again unlikely, the group’s air defense very much.

Based on all of the above, in the current situation of the Russian army, Leon Edward Panetta is most likely right that there is really not one country in the world that is unable to sink a US aircraft carrier strike group. With the possible exception of a massive air strike by Tu-22 X-22 missiles with a nuclear warhead, but do not forget: the United States has more than one AUG, and we are capable of such a strike only once.

October 13, 1775 is considered the day of creation navy USA. Its current strength is 286 ships. various types. The most impressive ships of the US Navy are considered to be aircraft carriers, which look unsinkable.

Currently, aircraft carriers are the largest warships ever built. A modern aircraft carrier can carry from 70 to 100 aircraft, which may include fighters, attack aircraft, refueling aircraft, airborne early warning and control aircraft, etc. Along with this, the aircraft carrier has a group of helicopters, which are search and rescue, reconnaissance, anti-submarine and transport vehicles.

The aircraft carriers themselves cannot carry large number defensive weapons, so large forces are always allocated to protect them. One such ship can guard about 10-15 heavily armed ships, which create a safe zone within a radius of 300 kilometers. Therefore, sinking an aircraft carrier is a very difficult task. But, as usual, there is always a solution to even the most difficult problem.

SmartNews has compiled a list of 5 possible ways sink these huge ships.

Video

STORM

However, with the right tactics and a certain amount of luck, this task can be accomplished. Accuracy and coordination of actions will be required from attacking ships. First of all, the main work will fall on security and air defense ships, since the enemy is guaranteed to use all of its attacking potential in the form of missiles and aircraft.

After the threat from the accompanying ships has been neutralized, it will be necessary to concentrate all attack potential on the aircraft carrier. Since these ships are equipped with a lot of different compartments, you will have to try hard to bring it to the bottom.

SABOTAGE

Modern aircraft carriers are equipped with a nuclear power plant, thanks to which they can remain on combat duty far from the port for a very long time. But sooner or later the ship will have to call at some allied city to replenish supplies, stock up on fuel for aircraft and carry out maintenance.

This is what sabotage units of combat swimmers can take advantage of. They must dive quietly and approach the aircraft carrier. Next, the swimmers will need to attach several charges to the giant’s hull throughout the ship’s hull. Then it remains to leave the zone unnoticed and detonate the charges from the shore. Even if the aircraft carrier is not sunk, it will suffer significant damage and will no longer be able to participate in hostilities.

TORPEDOING

Modern submarines are distinguished by special stealth and camouflage. All the designers’ work always comes down to reducing the noise of the propellers and the submarine as a whole. In addition, modern boats also carry time-appropriate torpedoes.

The main task for a submarine is to get close to an aircraft carrier unnoticed, which seems very challenging task. However, with a successful combination of circumstances, this task is quite feasible. Low-noise diesel-electric submarines are suitable for these purposes. Project 877 boats belong to this class.

The aircraft carrier needs to be hit with as many salvos as possible in different parts of the hull. A large and massive ship simply will not have time to dodge the oncoming torpedoes.

True, this will most likely be the last mission for the submarine, since after torpedoing all the guard ships will throw all their strength and resources just to sink the enemy submarine.

MISSILE STRIKE

A long-range aircraft only needs to approach the aircraft carrier within 300 kilometers and fire a missile at the target. Then Onyx will do everything himself. The missile can fly along a mixed trajectory at altitudes from 10 to 14,000 meters. Flying up to the target, it literally spreads over the surface of the water and becomes inaccessible to enemy air defense systems. In most cases, the enemy will not be able to find a counter to this missile, and it will complete its combat mission.

October 13, 1775 is considered the day the US Navy was created. At the moment, its strength is 286 ships of various types. The most impressive ships of the US Navy are considered to be aircraft carriers, which look unsinkable.
Currently, aircraft carriers are the largest warships ever built. A modern aircraft carrier can carry from 70 to 100 aircraft, which may include fighters, attack aircraft, refueling aircraft, airborne early warning and control aircraft, etc. Along with this, the aircraft carrier has a group of helicopters, which are search and rescue, reconnaissance, anti-submarine and transport vehicles.

The cost of building a modern aircraft carrier with a nuclear propulsion system is about 4-6 billion US dollars. The monthly costs of maintaining an aircraft carrier (without salaries to personnel) amount to over 10 million US dollars. It is not surprising that serious forces are always devoted to the protection of these ships.
The aircraft carriers themselves cannot carry a large number of defensive weapons, so large forces are always allocated to protect them. One such ship can guard about 10-15 heavily armed ships, which create a safe zone within a radius of 300 kilometers. Therefore, sinking an aircraft carrier is a very difficult task. But, as usual, there is always a solution to even the most difficult problem.
SmartNews has compiled a list of 5 possible ways to sink these huge ships.

Massive attack. This method requires a lot of effort and money, and is most likely doomed to failure. The approach of an aircraft carrier to the enemy's shores always implies great trouble for the enemy. Therefore, the defending side can put all its forces at stake to sink a ship of this type. Of course, this method initially implies large losses, since breaking through the ring of guard ships is a very difficult task.
However, with the right tactics and a certain amount of luck, this task can be accomplished. Accuracy and coordination of actions will be required from attacking ships. First of all, the main work will fall on security and air defense ships, since the enemy is guaranteed to use all of its attacking potential in the form of missiles and aircraft.
After the threat from the accompanying ships has been neutralized, it will be necessary to concentrate all attack potential on the aircraft carrier. Since these ships are equipped with a lot of different compartments, you will have to try hard to bring it to the bottom.

SABOTAGE
Modern aircraft carriers are equipped with a nuclear power plant, thanks to which they can remain on combat duty far from the port for a very long time. But sooner or later the ship will have to call at some allied city to replenish supplies, stock up on fuel for aircraft and carry out maintenance.
This is what sabotage units of combat swimmers can take advantage of. They must dive quietly and approach the aircraft carrier. Next, the swimmers will need to attach several charges to the giant’s hull throughout the ship’s hull. Then it remains to leave the zone unnoticed and detonate the charges from the shore. Even if the aircraft carrier is not sunk, it will suffer significant damage and will no longer be able to participate in hostilities.

TORPEDOING
Modern submarines are distinguished by special stealth and camouflage. All the designers’ work always comes down to reducing the noise of the propellers and the submarine as a whole. In addition, modern boats also carry time-appropriate torpedoes.
The main task for a submarine is to get close to an aircraft carrier unnoticed, which seems to be a very difficult task. However, with a successful combination of circumstances, this task is quite feasible. Low-noise diesel-electric submarines are suitable for these purposes. Project 877 boats belong to this class.
The aircraft carrier needs to be hit with as many salvos as possible in different parts of the hull. A large and massive ship simply will not have time to dodge the oncoming torpedoes.
True, this will most likely be the last mission for the submarine, since after torpedoing all the guard ships will throw all their strength and resources just to sink the enemy submarine.

MISSILE STRIKE

This option is considered as the main method of combating aircraft carriers. For example, you can take the Russian P-800 Oniks missile. It can be fired at a target from the shore, ship or aircraft. This missile is of particular interest when installed on strategic bombers.
A long-range aircraft only needs to approach the aircraft carrier within 300 kilometers and fire a missile at the target. Then Onyx will do everything himself. The missile can fly along a mixed trajectory at altitudes from 10 to 14,000 meters. Flying up to the target, it literally spreads over the surface of the water and becomes inaccessible to enemy air defense systems. In most cases, the enemy will not be able to find a counter to this missile, and it will complete its combat mission.

NUCLEAR STRIKE

This method is a very effective measure. True, use nuclear weapons will be in the most extreme cases or in a desperate situation. For these purposes, a ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead will be used. It can be launched from any carrier, be it a stationary silo, submarine, aircraft or mobile launcher.
Everyone knows about the effectiveness of this weapon, but there are also negative consequences. The aircraft carriers have a nuclear reactor, which will contribute to the contamination of the ocean. But, in conditions of war, the command would rather contaminate the ocean than endanger its territory.

It is impossible to fight off the cruisers with their air defense, and even the Kuznetsov with a dozen aircraft.

We will not be allowed to use the main weapon in the fight against AUG, namely the P-1000 Vulcan, a range of 550 km and the P-700 Granit, a range of up to 625 km, as you can see, we will not be able to aim these missiles, even at launch range, it is extremely unlikely that let's come.

Also, a strike on the AUG with nuclear weapons is also unlikely, again due to the fact that we simply will not have time to strike, since we will be discovered first.

The most advanced Russian anti-ship missile system today is Granit. Currently, there are no analogues to this rocket in the world. Its flight range is 625 km. This is one hundred kilometers greater than the range of the Tomahawk anti-ship modifications, almost three times the flight range of the main American Harpoon anti-ship missile, and approximately corresponds to the range of the F/A-18 carrier-based fighters. The Granit's marching speed is 660 meters per second, in the last part of the trajectory - a kilometer per second, which is three times the speed of the Harpoon and To-Mahawk and twice the maximum speed of the F/A-18 fighter. “Granit” carries a warhead containing 500 kilograms of powerful explosives, the TNT equivalent of which, according to various sources, ranges from 1000 to 1500 kilograms. The power of the Granit warhead significantly exceeds the 454-kilogram TNT warhead Tomahawk and the 227-kilogram Harpoon. The power of "Granit" allows you to destroy any destroyer or cruiser with one hit. In addition, missiles of this type can be equipped with nuclear warheads, which do not require a direct hit to destroy a ship. Breaking through the enemy's air defense "Granit" facilitates the armoring of the warhead and important components, which reduces the likelihood of the destruction of anti-ship missiles by a close detonation of an anti-aircraft missile, and a low flight altitude. The Granit anti-ship missile system is a highly intelligent weapon capable of carrying out “collective” actions, countering enemy air defenses and independently selecting the most important target. In the computer memory of the missiles there are so-called “portraits” of radio location for all ships, and information about all possible variants of orders is also stored. The missiles attack along the most rational trajectory, forming a combat order and exchanging information among themselves. In a salvo of one Project 949A submarine there are 24 missiles, each of which also has its own decoys for breaking through the missile defense system. 23 missiles fly low over the water, one rises higher, periodically turning on the radar to aim at targets. It determines the number of targets and distributes them among other missiles. If the “leader” is destroyed, the next missile takes its place. The largest target, that is, an aircraft carrier, is automatically identified by missiles in the order of ships. After a breakthrough, the missiles rank targets in order of importance to ensure the eventual defeat of the aircraft carrier. First, the cover ships in the path of the missiles are destroyed, and then the aircraft carrier is struck. But there is one big BUT, the missile requires precise target designation until the seeker locks onto the target, and this targeting is achieved only with the help of aviation or spacecraft.

Conclusion: missiles are good, and we have them much better than American ones, but unfortunately flying electronics and AUG fighters reduce this advantage to nothing.

Now let’s consider the option with a submarine, the Project 949A Antey missile boat, which can, using its hydroacoustics, detect AUG noises at a distance of more than 100 miles, i.e. being in the far zone of the anti-submarine defense of an aircraft carrier group, where the likelihood of its detection and destruction is very low. The boat is armed with 24 P-700 Granit, respectively, the boat is already in a state of striking the AUG, since the Granit’s range is up to 625 km, and we remind you that it is 100 miles from the escorted aircraft carrier. But here again the problem arises of insufficient awareness, again we need a specific system for issuing target designation, which can be provided either from space or by aviation, and at the moment Russia, I repeat, does not have this, and what is available from aviation sources of target designation quickly will be destroyed by AUG fighters. Based on all of the above, “Antey” is an excellent machine, but it will not be able to classify, let alone determine, the battle formation of the enemy formation with the identification of the main order. To do this, it will be necessary to enter the middle anti-submarine defense zone of the group, where the probability of detection and, accordingly, destruction is already significant.

Coastal anti-ship missile systems can not be considered because the AUG will not approach the shore within the range of the anti-ship missiles.

All that remains is aviation: the Tu-22M, which can strike the X-22 anti-ship missile system against a group, and this is perhaps the most promising option for causing damage to the AUG, but out of the 150 Carcasses in service, only 40 can fly throughout Russia. Even if we assume that they all reach the enemy ships and strike, then this is only 40 missiles, which is clearly not enough to destroy an aircraft carrier with an escort. But if you reduce the range from 2000 km to 1500 km and hang two missiles on the “Tushki”, then again, you can take out the AUG only if all the planes and missiles break through to the enemy, which is again unlikely, the group’s air defense very much.

Based on all of the above, in the current situation of the Russian army, Leon Edward Panetta is most likely right that there is really not one country in the world that is unable to sink a US aircraft carrier strike group. With the possible exception of a massive air strike by Tu-22 X-22 missiles, with a nuclear warhead, but do not forget: the United States has more than one AUG, and we are capable of such a strike only once.

Therefore, for Russia, it is extremely important to develop all kinds of tracking, target designation and electronic warfare systems. Because we have the power to strike, but unfortunately we cannot hit and/or hit.