| From: | Paul J. Adam Paul@********.demon.co.uk |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Naval Military Might (Submarines and Drone Fighters) |
| Date: | Thu, 15 Jul 1999 17:24:07 +0100 |
>Hmmm...this is an interesting consideration. Question folks .... though it
>would be HUGELY expensive, what kind of space is say, an ICBM as compared to
>a Wadjina? Could a Wadjina be converted to have "pop-out" wings and such?
One proposal being debated at the moment is to take the four oldest
Ohio-class SSBNs, remove their Trident missiles and fire control, and put
seven-cell Tomahawk launchers in twenty-two of the missile tubes thus
vacated. (Two would be reserved for special operations use: converted
into lockout chambers, apparently, for SEALs to do their stuff through)
One hundred and fifty-four TLAMs. Ouch :)
The Wandjima looks not totally unlike a Tomahawk in size (fairly similar
payload & performance) and tube-launched cruise missiles are nothing
new: folding wings and a rocket booster to kick it up to speed.
The tactical problem is always recovery: the enemy just has to follow your
drones home to find the launching ship, and a submarine sacrifices a lot of
"stand and fight" ability in order to submerge. But, with drones or
aircraft, you're stuck on the surface broadcasting a lot of EM - if you have
to submerge, your drones are uncontrolled and all your aircraft are
suddenly minus a landing strip.
>What kind of control interface relay would you need to have this all work?
A hell of a wideband transciever to handle all the commlinks :)
--
Paul J. Adam
