Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!rice!uw-beaver!cornell!rochester!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!osu-cis!att!cbnews!ricko@rosevax.Rosemount.COM
From: ricko@rosevax.Rosemount.COM (Rick O'Brien)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Are Aircraft Carriers Obsolete?
Summary: Agree on every point but one.
Message-ID: <3354@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 23 Jan 89 02:27:35 GMT
References: <3200@cbnews.ATT.COM> <3289@cbnews.ATT.COM>
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In article <3289@cbnews.ATT.COM>, ugthomps@cs.buffalo.edu (Gregory Thompson) writes:
[Other stuff deleted]
> These are also primarily sub catchers, though with an increased role with
> relation to the air combat situation.  The next line now a days usually has
> an Aegis cruiser and another cruiser.  Though in some configurations, it might
> consist of an "ayatollah" class DDG (ala USS Kidd).  (I've never operated 
> with a carrier group, so I wouldn't mind any corrections on this)  The 
> possibility of a submarine or a missile getting through these defenses
> is quite limited.  Granted it CAN happen but the chances are not that
> great.  Even if a missile did get through, the damage it would do to a
> Nimitz class (for example) would not be very great. 
> 
>                          - G
I have to disagree with you on this one point ( Although I agree on all of
the others)  It's my understanding that most American attack boats have
a photo collection of every American carrier, taken throuch the crosshairs
of a periscope.  I don't want to get into an argument about how there's 
only two types of ships, targets and submarines (because I think all such
statements are too simplistic.)  The carriers can be damaged, and can
absorb a great deal of damage, but they can also be sunk.  Even slowing
on down can be extremely important in a combat situation.

Rick O'Brien