Take that, you flyboys.

[LoBlo]

Oh look, its quote-errific day. OK, I'll play along too I guess.

Originally Posted by SeaQueen

Okay... think DW... you successfully evade a torpedo, how long does that take? A few minutes. An aircraft can travel at over 200kts, the aircraft could be ANYWHERE by that time. You can't shoot a missile with a range of only a couple miles and have a decent chance of hitting an airplane immediately after dodging a torpedo. It doesn't make any sense

So its pretty obvious that no one shoots blinding at random directions. Thinking DW?... ok then... you successflly evade a torpedo, what are the chances that your evasion direction were monitored by the helo and he's still looking for you? He's still out there no doubt. He's already demonstrated the ability to track you and most likely tracked your sprint. (Happens all the tiime in those DW shallow water ops when there's no layer to dive to). You popup the ESM and there he is...2nm NE closing again. You've already evaded one torp, what is the probability that you can evade another. Options are 1) attempt a 2nd evasion. 2) blow him up first and *then* attempt a 2nd evasion

There's no right answer of course. If whatever decision you chose worked then it was the right answer, if it didn't it was the wrong answer...maybe both options were wrong. No doubt the PK of the AIM-9s and your probability of evading alone weigh in. FYI Sidewinders have a reported range of 10-18 nm, the the current goal of the AIM-9x to provide off-boresight homing capability. Check it out the lockon cone of this thing. http://www.raytheon.com/products/stellent/groups/public/documents/content/cms01_054519.wmv

Originally Posted by SeaQueen

If he hasn't dropped a torpedo then how do you know he's detected you?

Take this situation: http://www.dutchsubmarines.com/specials/special_eighteen_hours_of_perisher.htm
But in place of the small SSK put one for our large SSNs. You've been pinged at 250meters (in place of the 600m) on your large broad port flank. Your lit up like a christmas tree and you know it. They've got you no doubt about it. Like the situation above there's no "deep" to run too. There's also no guessing to where the helo is... he's that big loud pinging that's 250meters off your port that just lit you up.

Originally Posted by SeaQueen

The concept of a multilayered defense is designed around the quality of the layers. The idea is that one layer is unable to stop an acceptable fraction of incomming attacks. From what I can tell, most US submariners are pretty happy with the quality of their one layer, though.

I gather that most DDG captains very are happy with their Aegis systems too, but they still equip Softkill capabilities. And they are probably happy with their Aegis + Softkill capabilities... but still equip ESSMs or CIWSs. No one choses not to employ the Aegis or Softkills and just let the ESSMs have a shot (that would be court martial... if you survive at all). But its still nice to have them.

Its pretty obvious that such a system will never be deployed (and is not menat to be) in anything but the most undesirable/extraordinary circumstances, but I envy the navy that at least has the capability. It will be interesting to see the final outcome of the program in the next few years.