That is exactly what i said in my previous post. It does now seem to me that it's impossible to launch a silver bullet kind of attack versus an awacs, destroying it without losses. Fighting through fighter cover is a definite must. What i am wondering now is what is the usual number of f18s guarding an E2 in a combat situation. With the maximum number of f18s per carrier and E2 rotation, it can not possibly be more than 10. even that is probably exaggerated since f18s have shorter flight endurance than a E2 and would require more frequent rotation.
So lets assume we have a network of chinese awacs, in passive mode, trying to find the carrier's E2s. I'm no expert, i don't know if an active radar E2 would detect a passive chinese awacs without its location being detected too. Once that happens, a large number of su27, also in passive mode, could be sent to the E2s last position, flying as fast as they can. Sure, E2 would go passive and start getting away but it's damn slow compared to su27. sukhois would have to go fully active to have any chance of actually locating the running E2, which of course would mean the E2s cover would be waiting for them, plus a reinforcement from the carrier would be sent. If the E2 would be some 300 km from the carrier i don't believe the reinforcements could arrive in time to save the E2. So that leaves only the fighter cover it had in the beginning to defend it. Probably all superhornets would be lost (here i assume its 2007, no tomcats anymore), alongside with the E2. Only issue is, at what cost for the chinese? 5 sukhois? 10? 20? 40? Not to mention the great logistical and command effort so coordinate all the awacs from the beginning of the scenario to locate the carrier and a large enough number of sukhois on permanent watch out, probably requiring in air refuelling. Rinse, repeat, shoot down some more E2s from the carrier, sent to replace the downed one. Then the carrier would either have its air cover seriously compromised and open to an air attack or, more probably, the carrier would turn away and get out of range, but at the same time getting too far away for its aircraft to do any damage.
So lets assume we have a network of chinese awacs, in passive mode, trying to find the carrier's E2s. I'm no expert, i don't know if an active radar E2 would detect a passive chinese awacs without its location being detected too. Once that happens, a large number of su27, also in passive mode, could be sent to the E2s last position, flying as fast as they can. Sure, E2 would go passive and start getting away but it's damn slow compared to su27. sukhois would have to go fully active to have any chance of actually locating the running E2, which of course would mean the E2s cover would be waiting for them, plus a reinforcement from the carrier would be sent. If the E2 would be some 300 km from the carrier i don't believe the reinforcements could arrive in time to save the E2. So that leaves only the fighter cover it had in the beginning to defend it. Probably all superhornets would be lost (here i assume its 2007, no tomcats anymore), alongside with the E2. Only issue is, at what cost for the chinese? 5 sukhois? 10? 20? 40? Not to mention the great logistical and command effort so coordinate all the awacs from the beginning of the scenario to locate the carrier and a large enough number of sukhois on permanent watch out, probably requiring in air refuelling. Rinse, repeat, shoot down some more E2s from the carrier, sent to replace the downed one. Then the carrier would either have its air cover seriously compromised and open to an air attack or, more probably, the carrier would turn away and get out of range, but at the same time getting too far away for its aircraft to do any damage.
