Slawburger
Master
One of the real issues is a very restrictive ROE. How close are those boghammers going to get before we can shoot?
^^^ This ^^^
One of the real issues is a very restrictive ROE. How close are those boghammers going to get before we can shoot?
Not really.
Carriers by themselves have very little to directly defend themselves, other than a few M-2s and (I don't think they even have these anymore) Sea Sparrow anti-air missiles.
Their air wing, of course, is there, but it still has to be aloft when the SHTF, so it's a pretty defenseless target by itself, a very big and tempting target at that.
That's why you invariably see a battle group surrounding these bird farms, composed of cruisers, destroyers, frigates, and (you won't ever see it, but it's there nonetheless) a sub or two.
Small boat swarms are a real threat to a carrier, not unlike missile swarms.
The issue, of course, is that carriers travel alone pretty much never...and a carrier strike group has a MASSIVE amount of firepower available to defend the carrier.
But hey, let them exercise...
You might be surprised at how often a carrier operates with only one escort. The subs, while technically a part of the battle group, are rarely in direct support of the carrier.