Sunday, July 16, 2017

The Other Anti-Access/Area Denial

We mostly speak of foes like China or even Iran or Russia using anti-ship missiles to deny our warships from sailing in areas close to their shores. Foes will have the same problem just leaving their ports.

Potential enemies don't have a monopoly on anti-ship missiles:

Japan has become the latest F-35 user to order the Norwegian "Joint Strike Missile" (JSM). Kongsberg has been developing JSM since 2011 as an air-to-surface weapon that is not only stealthy but also designed to be launched from the internal bomb bay of the F-35 (where two can be carried). The half-ton JSM, with a 250 kilometer range, is based on the existing Kongsberg NSM (Naval Strike Missile).

That's just one missile. But with so many countries buying the F-35, countries like China, Russia, and Iran will find their ships at risk just leaving port (if not while sitting in port).