One method is to develop methods to hit China's invasion fleet from a greater distance. Like with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles (from my Jane's email updates):
The US Navy (USN) has taken the first steps in its effort to acquire a new anti-ship variant of the Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile with the release to industry of a request for information (RfI) for a maritime interdiction seeker. The RfI published on 15 July outlines the requirements for a Multi-Mission Tomahawk (MMT) concept that would combine the existing Block IV weapon system infrastructure (weapons control systems, mission planning systems and launcher systems) with a moving target seeker plus an upgraded weapons datalink ... [.]
A missile like this has to be fired with no specific target in mind at launch time. I assume this would either programmed to search for specific targets and/or can be directed to a target by a recon asset in the target area once the missile gets close.
The Chinese will attempt to push their perimeter further east to threaten any U.S. Navy asset that can fire these weapons, to maintain their ability to buy time:
A Japanese news report citing unspecified military sources reported that "China will begin construction of two conventional aircraft carriers this year." Citing the same source the report stated, "production of parts for the electricity control system has already begun in China and plans call for completing the two conventional carriers by around 2015 … [a] system for operating those carriers will be established by 2020." "[China's] first nuclear-powered flattops would be constructed in 2020 or later" the report added (Asahi Shimbun, February 14).
This Project 048 is kind of amazing when you consider that the Chinese hope that their own ballistic missiles will be carrier killers. Are the Chinese saying their Assassin's Mace weapon won't work?
