Undersea arsenal
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4 US Ohio class SSBN(726-729) has been converted from SSBN 2 SSGN! Each boat carries 7 Tommahawk cruise missile in each of e 22(yes 22 not 24) launch tude, a total of 154 missile
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726 just started her station in Guam!
http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34251
2.Pl note all of the three Seawolf just started permanent base in Pacific East.
http://www.navy.mil/swf/index.asp
3.US aims to put 60% of her naval force in Pacific.
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Why? Because of China?
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Why? Because of China?
Bingo!
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With Russia sending out an 11 ship aircraft carrier group to the Mediterranean and announced intentions in the Baltics, I find US's decision questionable.
Perhaps they feel that the Europeans are old enough to look after themselves. -
But China's blue water navy still along way more before they can project the "power" leh.
Maybe because of ROC that US is inclined to be involved.
But China's Blue water navy will be meant for Spratleys. China's thirst for natural resources might make them claim the islands by force.
But even if they did..... got nothing to do with the US what....
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SSGNs have at least 2 major roles:
1) Special Forces insertion: With lots and lots of empty space in the ex-missile compartment, they can carry special forces and insert them by mini-sub. Perfect for island fighting.
2) With 154 Tomahawks, they can do anything from taking out conventional land targets, to anti-shipping, to anti-runway, or even low-yield Nuclear. They are far more direct uses than SSBNs, which are there more or less for deterrence.
With the US the de-facto guarantor of world peace nowadays, anything the Chinese do to the Spratly Islands will definitely affect the US, since it directly affects two strong allies (Philippines and Taiwan) and the whole of South East Asia.
The British are going to build 2 new carriers, and the Germans are currently the world leaders in silent non-nuclear submarines. I think the Atlantic can take care of itself.
Besides, none of the Russian ships are new, so the US can probably counter them pretty easily. The Chinese, on the other hand, have been diligently buying Russian technology and melding it with stolen US technology, so the US is probably more wary of a surprise coming from China.