PLAAF's new variant of the H-6 can air launch the DF-21D carrier killer.

New pictures purported to be a new variant of the H-6 (in this case the H-6N) which is being designed to carry the DF-21D which China claims is designed to target and sink USN carriers at sea. The H-6 itself is a heavily modified Tu-16 Badger from the late 50's. It seems unlikely that the H-6N could target a CBG itself but would have to receive cuing from other sensor platforms (Like the J-20 or perhaps one of the myriad of Mili-Vanilli drones the PLAAF seems to crank out with every new hack). The drive article is interesting as it shows an unverfied twitter picture of a bomb range in the Gobi where a simulated carrier target was hit by the DF-21D.

But as with all these weapons that seem to acquire mythological status (like the BHRAMOS) hitting a maneuvering carrier at seas is no easy task.

First you would have to evade USN's long range sensors and satellite coverage.
The platforms that are cuing the attack would also have to stay clear and avoid getting shot down
The BARCAP may have a few things to say
The CBG is pretty well defended and I cannot imagine that at least one of the cans would not be equipped with the SM-6
You have to have pretty accurate targeting information as the carrier can and does move


www.thedrive.com...
en.wikipedia.org...

If missiles worked as good as advertised, there wouldn't be a plane a flying or a boat afloat.

a reply to: Bluntone22

Using that argument, we or China would have already nuked the world. China is much more capable than western propaganda suggests..

a reply to: clay2 baraka

I'm not talking about nuclear missiles.
I'm talking anti ship and aircraft missiles.

a reply to: Bluntone22

I'm aware of that. China is not going to fire conventional missiles at shipping without cause, capable or not..

originally posted by: clay2 baraka
a reply to: Bluntone22

Using that argument, we or China would have already nuked the world. China is much more capable than western propaganda suggests..

I think Bluetone is saying that all these missiles are advertised as end game, however, if there were such as thing as a carrier killer, why is China building a carrier?

a reply to: Forensick

For the same reason we are developing the LRASM, also a carrier killer..

a reply to: Forensick

You can easily mission kill a carrier without killing it outright. Take out the flight deck, or pop a screw with a torpedo where they can't get enough speed to launch and recover, and it's game over. The difficulty, with non-hypersonic weapons is getting through the layered defenses.

originally posted by: clay2 baraka
a reply to: Forensick

For the same reason we are developing the LRASM, also a carrier killer..

Yes, even OP pointed it out:

But as with all these weapons that seem to acquire mythological status (like the BHRAMOS) hitting a maneuvering carrier at seas is no easy task.

I think we are all agreeing the same thing, that the DF-21D carrier killer is not an end game, its just another weapon in the game of counter and then counter the counter, the race that increases technology. Perhaps the counter hypersonic missile defence will find its way onto an anti ballistic missile technology making us safer?

The point being, those who will suggest that the DF-21D carrier killer makes carriers pointless are the same ones building these weapons and the carriers they supposedly make obsolete.

Its all posturing of power.The Chinese know the main driving force of American Power is carriers..Take away that driving force and it tries to weaken the power projection shown.

originally posted by: Blackfinger
The Chinese know the main driving force of American Power is carriers..Take away that driving force and it tries to weaken the power projection shown.

That is only partially correct. The US has bases all over the place and that is the main expression of their power. What carriers do is introduce independence of action and the ability to intimidate.

I very much doubt the US (or anyone) would sail a carrier into certain danger.

China's military is designed to repress local dissent - something they are very good at, and intimidating their neighbours, again something they are good at. It's also good PR for the nationalist drums. The rise of a militaristic China worries their neighbours and this in turn makes them more willing to base US assets. Note how loudly China complains when the US bases ABM systems because that act alone neutralises one of China's intimidation tools.

So called "carrier killers" are a threat, but so are cruise missiles that can target sites where such missiles may be housed.