USAF considers new anti-ship weapon.

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Peter Skelton wrote:


[SNIP]


Surface to air technology has improved to the point where a
Harpoon launcher can be at excessive risk. ISTM that the USAF
wants to stand back a bit farther.

Peter Skelton



Which brings me back to the question in the original post. Why is
the USAF taking the lead in this, and not the Navy?


With 10 carriers deployed at any given time, the Navy can't adequately
cover the 7 seas unless you're willing to wait days, sometimes weeks for
force projection. Remember, anything beyond 500 miles from the boat is
becoming a reach for the Navy unless we're talking P-3's, and I don't want
to send a P-3 into any sort of hostile environment. With the Air Force,
they can put a Buff over any likely trouble spot in 18 hours.

KB