Defense net helps US super aircraft carriers deal with anti-ship missiles

The US's $13 billion super aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has been commissioned into the pilot fleet. Superpowers like Russia and China have both completed their powerful anti-ship missile systems. Experts say this will force Washington to look for ways to strengthen the defense systems on aircraft carriers to deal with this threat, according toBusiness Insider.

"Some people argue that there are so many weapons systems optimized for carrier-killing missions that aircraft carriers will soon become obsolete," said former naval officer Bryan McGrath.

With a value of more than 10 billion USD each, not including the value of the aircraft fleet and 7,000 sailors on the payroll., each aircraft carrier sunk by anti-ship missiles would cause terrible damage, becoming a heavy blow to the greatest pride of the US Navy.

In that context, the Pentagon is taking steps to strengthen the defense network for aircraft carriers. "As Russia and China continue to develop the ability to attack aircraft carriers, the United States will seek better defense measures," US Navy Colonel James C. Rentfrow affirmed.

According to military expert Alex Lockie, current US aircraft carriers are equipped with three layers of defense.

First is the SM-3 air defense missile and Aegis combat system mounted on escort warships, tasked with remotely detecting and intercepting cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and enemy fighters targeting aircraft carriers.

If enemy anti-ship missiles and fighter jets penetrate this long-range defense, destroyers and cruisers can launch SM-6 and RIM-162 ESSM medium-range missiles to intercept them.Phalanx Close-in Weapon System (CIWS)and the carrier-based SeaRAM would be the final line of defense in a three-layered net.

However, the US is planning to equip more future weapons to increase the protection capabilities of the Ford-class supercarriers.

First is the laser weapon system, designed to destroy enemy warships or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Each aircraft carrier can be equipped with up to six laser weapon systems, allowing them to burn or blind enemy equipment from a long distance.

Another solution being considered is the electromagnetic railgun. This weapon can fire a projectile at a speed of up to 7,200 km/h, nearly six times faster than sound and much faster than conventional artillery shells. The large range and rapid reaction speed of the electromagnetic railgun would help enhance the defense of aircraft carriers against enemy anti-ship cruise missiles.

"Installing electromagnetic guns on one or more aircraft carriers would not be difficult," McGrath said.

The two nuclear reactors on the Ford-class supercarriers have three times the capacity of the Nimitz-class, ensuring enough power for both weapons. In addition, the electromagnetic catapult system (EMALS) and new arrestor cables allow the operation of fighters with a larger take-off and landing mass, helping to increase the combat radius and intercept threats from afar.

The final solution is to create an entirely new aircraft carrier air wing. "The advantage of an aircraft carrier is that you can change weapons systems without having to go back to the factory. The US Navy can just retire old aircraft and deploy new aircraft with missile interception capabilities," McGrath assessed.