LightningZ71 wrote:It's not just flying debris. For supersonic missiles (and the follow on hyper sonic ones) the engagement time available for the Phalanx system can be measured in a handful of seconds. With more than one leaker through the long range missile screen provided by the escorting ships, the phalanx system (only one or two can be expected to be able to train in the direction of the incoming missiles at a time) would be hard pressed to acquire, track, engage the first missile, then, assuming it has a quick success, acquire, track and engage a second missile in an timeframe of less than a few seconds. The second issue is that phalanx systems have rather limited ammunition. They only carry enough in the loaded belt for less than ten seconds of continuous fire (I've heard figures as low as 6 seconds). Having watched videos of test engagements against subsonic drones, it can take upwards of two seconds of firing to down a missile. A couple of missiles and the mount is empty.
Compare this to SeaRAM, which has an operational range of over 10km, an 11 round magazine (usually fired in pairs, but works well in single fire), and has the ability to track a maneuverable missile. The phalanx system has a maximum engagement range of less than 25% of that, enough ammunition in the drum to maybe engage three missiles, and is limited in its ability to handle maneuvering missiles. It seems to be no contest. Both have the ability to engage small surface targets, though the SeaRAM can do so at a longer range (though, with the bushmasters on both the QE and US ships, that is a redundant feature).
However, from my recent reading on the subject, it appears that the British are developing the Captor (CAMM/Sea Ceptor) missile system, which is loosely based on the ASRAAM, as a replacement for the seawolf system. This appears to fit somewhere between the US ESSM and SeaRAM system in size and capability (can quad pack in VLS/ABLs, shorter range than ESSM, flexible like SeaRAM, capable of point defense). It looks like it will be a first major maintenance cycle/refit addition to the QE carriers to replace the Phalanx systems. We'll just have to see how development progresses and how funding comes available for it.
The RN has enough Goalkeeper systems from the retired Type 22 Frigates and carriers, 30mm GAU-8, more ammo but unlike Phalanx requires deck penetration, not a problem on such a large vessel per se, though maybe not at the locations where the Phalanx are.
My understanding is the operational fit will be 4 Phalanx and 4 30mm guns.
Plus all the plethora of machine guns around the ship but that is of course against the threat of high speed boats filled with explosives, which I'm guessing is also seen as another role of the Phalanx and certainly the 30mm cannon.
The main air defence will be from escorting Type 45 Destroyers, the RN wanted 12 (though probably starting from a high number expecting it to be whittled down, were promised 8, which they accepted, ended up with 6). Probably two T-45's for a CVF centered task group.
Along with Frigates, Type 23's and when the government actually get around to ordering them, replacement Type 26's.
The latter will have Captor and I agree, this system could be fitted to the CVF's but I doubt it will.
It should be remembered that a chunk of the CVF's operations, will be as a large LPH, which may have a small group of F-35Bs, say half a dozen, as well as Apaches, Chinooks, Merlin and Lynx Wildcat choppers, or dispense with the jets if the mission does not need them for more attack choppers.
In these littoral operations the main threat will come from at the high end, land based SSM's, not however large, advanced, supersonic ones, ditto for Fast Attack Craft launched ones. At the lower end, those speedboats.
The outer layer against FAC's will be the Lynx Wildcats, the inner, if they get any missiles away, T-45, then Phalanx. Plus of course chaff and other decoys.
In the attack carrier mode, the F-35B air-group will be another layer of defence against air launched SSM's, that is the launch platforms.
The usual air-group for Merlin helicopters will be 4 fitted with the system from the Sea King AEW aircraft, in modified modular form, (aside for tracking air targets this system, which replaced the original post Falklands lashed up 'Searchwater' Radar modification around 2000, was also sent to Afghanistan, as it was sensitive enough to track small ground targets), 5 of the other Merlin frames being for ASW/SAR.
Some Movement;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywXmV5gddlgAnd some details;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-issQW39rg
