re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer
You're assuming AShM carried by planes are equivalent to SS-N-22 carried by Sovremenny. They are not. Even if they are, you cannot reduce the value of a platform to the weapon it carries. Destroyer are not moving arsenal of missles, they are the principle combatant of naval warfare, their mere presence are irreplaceble by any planes. Planes need to be armed, scrumbered, briefed on where to fly and what to strike and form formations. A salvo of missles can be launched in seconds.
The US Navy is not sitting on it laurels with respect to anti-shipping capabilities for its surface vessels. It still uses the Harpoon Missile, but they are reaching the end of their service life and the US Navy has decided not take up the developer on a VLS version of the missile.
That's because they have three other development processes going.
The first will be a Multi-Mission Tomahawk (MMT) missile derived from the Tomahawk BLock IV missile which will have significant range, countermeasure, retargeting, loiter, and BDA capabilities which will far outclass the old 250km TASMs that were withdrawn from service in the 1990s. NAVAIR is set to award a contract to Raytheon for development of this MMT anti-ship missile based on the Block IV Tactical Tomahawk as we speak.
The second is the LRASM (Long Range Anti-ship Missile)is being developed by DARPA. The Navy has already awarded a 157 milion dollar contract to Lockheed to work with DARPA in developing this missile, either a high altitude supersonic version, or a low altitude, sub-sonic more stealthy version. Both would be VLS launchable from the Mk-41 launchers and would have significant range and intelligence and countermeasure capabilities over the exitsing Harpoon.
Defense Update reports that:
Defense Update: DARAPA said:
Unlike current anti-ship missiles, LRASM will be capable of conducting autonomous targeting, relying on on-board targeting systems to independently acquire the target without the presence of prior, precision intelligence, or supporting services like Global Positioning Satellite navigation and data-links. As an autonomous weapon LRASM will rely exclusively on on-board sensors and processing systems. According to DARPA, these capabilities will enable positive target identification, precision engagement of moving ships and establishing of initial target cueing in extremely hostile environment. The missile will be designed with advanced counter-countermeasures,to effectively evade hostile active defense systems.
Finally, DARPA is also pursuing the ArcLight project calls for a 2,000 mile range, hypersonic missile to be able to make 1st strike hits on enemy shipping from US vessels and their VLS launchers. Essentially, it will be a quick reaction weapon that calls for hitting time critical targets at a distance of 2,000 nautical miles within 30 minutes. ArcLight will employ a rocket booster, sustainer accelerating the weapon to hypersonic speed, from where the strike vehicle will glide at high speed, carrying a warhead to strike the target with pinpoint accuracy at that range.
So, this is where the US Navy is heading over the next 3-15 years in its anti-shipping missile plans. We will see how much actually falls out, but I am pretty sure that the new Multi-mission Tomahawk (MMT) for anti-shipping duties and the LRSASM will probably be developed and deployed. The MMT by 2015, and the LRASM probably no later than 2020.
Reference:
1) Navy Matters: New Anti-ship Missiles, August 5, 2012
2) United States Naval Institute Proceedings, “New Tomahawks Ordered, Offensive Antisurface Weapon Planned”, Edward Walsh, Aug 2012
3) Defense Update,
, “Next Generation Missiles – LRASM”
