January 3, 2019

Need for US S-3A Vikings Against Chinese and N Korean Submarines

See this January 3, 2019 Business Insider Australia article for a re-examination of the possible need to bring back the US S-3A Viking (and their are later variants). This would be particularly against Chinese, North Korean, Iranian and Russian submarines.

If Vikings again operated off nuclear US carriers (CVNs) they could again fill many roles in ASW, electronic monitoring, aerial refueling and longer range loitering response to enemy shipping and boats (using Harpoons).

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Separately:


This Youtube above is originally from the 1990s and predicts (1 minute 20 seconds in) further CVN use of the S-3A Viking for a decade or two. This of course didn't happen as the US Navy retired the S-3A Viking in January 2009.


The US Navy instead replaced S-3 Vikings with F/A-18s, EA-18G Growlers and some ASW helicopters. 

In turn F/A-18s will be replaced by F-35Cs, while EA-18G Growlers and ASW helicopters will be retained. Meaning it is not intended that stealthy F-35Cs would replace EA-18G Growlers or could do the job of EA-18G Growlers. This is especially as a major Growler role is jamming enemy defenses in order to better hide F-35Cs.

Pete

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous1/03/2019 5:57 PM

    I am led to believe USA has a reasonable number still in storage. A small number have been in use at least a late as 2015, 6 years after general retirement.

    This though, has me wondering about the idea that F35 will eventually be able to replace E/A18G. The Vikings had a crew of 4. The Growler has a crew of 2 (with the 2nd person dedicated to the EW role). How well can a single person fly the plane, potentially fight the plane while still maintaining the full EW role? The role of the Growler is to do a lot more than protect itself. I would have thought the potential of information overload is a real danger. Perhaps we will need all female F35 pilots (better at multitasking).

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  2. Pete1/03/2019 6:33 PM

    Thanks Anonymous

    You'll note that I wrote" "F-35Cs (along with some EA-18Gs)" meaning it is not intended that stealthy F-35Cs would replace EA-18G Growlers or could do the job of EA-18G Growlers. This is especially as a major Growler role is jamming in order to better hide F-35Cs.

    Cheers

    Pete

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