Please just give me the answer to the following statement, given the two fleets I proposed, true or false:
1. AShW missiles fireing at long range need relay guidance only available from helicopters
2. Helicopters can't survive if they do want to guide the missiles
3. So AShW missiles can only be fired when enemy ships are in vision range
the senario can be Japanese fleet is escorting some 10-knot speed big ships. Chinese navy wanna capture those ships. Please forgive my stubbornness but I'm not quite interested in the applicability (is this an actual word in English?) of the senario, what I wanna know is HOW MODERN SHIPS FIGHT EACH OTHER
Lets assume a "traditional" naval engagement (Ships only).
In naval surface warfare, the key is to detect the enemy while avoiding detection. Much time and effort is spent to deny the enemy the chance to detect your forces.
As a result, emmision control is vital. There are three states, A, B and C. A is no emissions, B is limited emissions (no unique emissions), and C is unrestricted. EMCON is not a blanket condition across the fleet. The surface units can be at A while a sufficiently distant AEW aircraft can be at C.
Then there is Electronic SUpport Measures (ESM)
ESM is the passive detection of enemy electromagnetic (EM) emissions. The radiated energy of an emitter (e.g. radar) can be detected far beyond the range at which it returns a usable result to its user. Modern ESM can identify the actual class of the emitter, which helps identify the unit on which it is used. Passive cross-fixing between a number of units can locate a source to a reasonably small area and give some hint to direction and speed. ESM fixes are placed in three classes: Detected, Tracking and Targeted, depending on the accuracy of the fix and whether a unit's course and speed has been derived. Of course for ESM to work the enemy must 'co-operate' by using their emitters.
The fact that a missile launched on a passive fix from over-the-horizon is usually deadly, creates a central problem for a naval force -- when, and even if, units should radiate, and if not how to detect the enemy? This is detectability vs. survivability. The need to obtain a targeting solution has to be balanced against the enemy's ability to do the same. Although once a commander feels that his fleet's position is known to the enemy a move to active emissions may be vital to prevent destruction, or else the only warning of incoming missiles will be when they turn on their terminal guidance systems.
A JMSDF fleet (typical of 8 ships with 8 helo) will send out Helicopters on radar picket duty at ENCOM state C, the rest of the fleet can remain at A relying on data link information from the helo.
The PLAN is at a dis-advantage here. Though it has heliborne AEW, it does not have the same level of network infrastructure as the JMSDF. Most likely, its ships will have to radiate in order for its commander to see a clearer picture.
The Harpoon missile is a very good missile. It can be launch on an off axis bearing, using its auto pilot to attack the target ship from a bearing that does not betray the location of your forces. This lessens the threat of a snap shot, a blind firing of an AShM towards the bearing of the incoming missile.
Lastly, PLAN anti-missile capability is still at its infancy. It will have a hard time shooting a Harpoon missile.
