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Aircraft carriers, as a symbol of national naval strength, are an important measure for judging maritime powers. The U.S. Navy is known as the world's strongest because it has 11 powerful nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, each of which is an unrivaled combat tool. However, to challenge the U.S. Navy, you need at least the ability to sink U.S. aircraft carriers, and such countries are rare.
One might ask, does China have this kind of power? Are the Dongfeng missiles we are proud of enough to sink American aircraft carriers? In fact, in order to sink an aircraft carrier, two key points must be considered: the robustness of the aircraft carrier hull and the comprehensive defense capability of the entire aircraft carrier battle group.
An aircraft carrier can be described as a national weapon comparable to nuclear weapons, capable of carrying carrier-based aircraft to carry large-scale operations in distant seas, and its unique role at sea cannot be replaced by any other ship. Therefore, any country will put a lot of effort into the development of aircraft carriers, especially in the design of the hull structure.
The U.S. Navy currently has 10 Nimitz-class and 1 Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. In theory, these carriers have unlimited range and endurance, and will hardly be defeated in a protracted battle. Each aircraft carrier has a displacement of about 100,000 tons, has anti-sinking and anti-stagnation capabilities, and has a solid and stable structure.
Taking the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier as an example, its hull design adopts an integral watertight structure, divided into more than 2,000 independent watertight compartments, which do not affect each other. In addition, the aircraft carrier also adopts a protective layer of inner and outer double-hulls, the inner shell protects the core part, and the shell faces air attacks. These shells are made of high-strength alloy steel, which can effectively withstand all kinds of missile attacks.
In order to enhance the ability to resist underwater attacks, the US Navy has also thickened the armor of the underwater part, and set up multiple mine-protection compartments, watertight horizontal partitions and fireproof partitions to ensure that the aircraft carrier can remain safe in the air and water.
While many military powers have developed anti-ship missiles aimed at ships capable of penetrating aircraft carrier hulls, to truly sink U.S. aircraft carriers, they must break through the defense networks of their battle groups.
Aircraft carriers are essentially giant water platforms carrying carrier-based aircraft, and American aircraft carriers are equipped with a complete air defense system from AWACS aircraft to fighters. Once the AWACS detects an enemy attack, the fighter will quickly intercept and use air-to-air missiles to carry out precise interception, so that the target can be destroyed hundreds of kilometers away. This makes it difficult for most anti-ship missiles to get close to the carrier.
In addition, the US aircraft carrier group also includes a number of Ali Burke-class destroyers, Ticonderoga-class cruisers, Perry-class frigates and anti-submarine ships, forming a dual protective circle in the air and underwater, providing all-round protection for the aircraft carrier.
Even if anti-ship missiles can penetrate these shields, the carrier itself is equipped with dense close-in guns, such as the three MK-15 arrays of the Nimitz-class, to ultimately deter missile attacks.
Some American scholars said that at present, only China in the world has the ability to sink the US aircraft carrier. However, this claim has caused controversy, but in any case, to sink the US aircraft carrier, China will need to rely on the DF-26 and DF-21D, two missiles specifically designed for naval warfare.
The DF-26 is a medium- and long-range ballistic missile with a range of about 5,000 kilometers, a flight speed of Mach 18, satellite and terminal guidance, and an accuracy of 10-30 meters. The DF-21D is known as the "aircraft carrier killer", which has greatly improved its range, accuracy and penetration capabilities.
The DF-21D has excellent maneuverable orbit change capabilities, making it difficult for enemy anti-missile systems to predict their flight trajectories, making it impossible to intercept. In addition, its nuclear and conventional characteristics allow it to carry out a full-scale saturation strike, and sinking aircraft carriers is no longer a problem.
However, whether it is the DF-26 or the DF-21D, there are range restrictions from the launch point to the sea target, basically covering the territorial waters of the mainland. As long as the U.S. aircraft carrier is not in this range, these two missiles cannot constitute it
Threat. In addition, China will not easily take the initiative to attack U.S. aircraft carriers, and will only act if they intrude into mainland territorial waters and pose a threat to national security.
However, the vigilant Chinese navy is equipped with DF-26 and DF-21D missiles, which can accurately target US aircraft carriers. In coordination with other combat weapons, the opportunity to sink or severely damage a U.S. aircraft carrier remains. Even if it cannot be sunk, the American aircraft carrier will be hit hard and will have to leave in ashes.
In short, aircraft carriers, as a symbol of maritime power, play a pivotal role in modern naval warfare. The U.S. Navy, with its powerful aircraft carrier fleet, has maintained maritime supremacy. Challenging the United States at sea requires not only the ability to sink aircraft carriers, but also its complex defense network. While developing missiles such as the DF-26 and DF-21D, China also needs to think about how to effectively deal with evolving carrier combat strategies. The battle of aircraft carriers is not only a contest of technology, but also a contest of strategic wisdom. With the continuous development of technology, the future maritime pattern will continue to change, and the status and role of aircraft carriers will also face new tests.
In today's globalized world, maintaining peace and stability in the oceans and seas is of vital importance to every country. The international community should settle disputes through dialogue and consultation in accordance with the principle of win-win cooperation, so as to jointly safeguard maritime security and order. Whether it is aircraft carriers or other military equipment, it should be used to maintain peace and development, not to create conflict and instability. Through international cooperation, we hope to jointly create a more stable and harmonious maritime environment, so that mankind can move forward together in the vast blue ocean.
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