US Sub-hunters to Okinawa
The Washington Times reports that the Pentagon has sent the first of six sub-hunting P-8 Poseidon patrol craft to its airbase at Okinawa near the East China Sea, ostensibly to patrol over the waters that were brought into the China’s unilaterally declared area of influence;
President Obama, in response to the declaration, flew in two B-52 bombers into the so-called off-limits air space — a strong message that the United States would not abide China’s terms of designation. But Mr. Obama also said that U.S. businesses would obey China’s air zone declaration, and refrain from flying private craft into the zone without Beijing’s permission.
I’m not sure which came first the chicken or the egg, neither do know whether this administration caused this confrontation by announcing a few months ago that they were shifting their focus to the Pacific Rim or if they actually arrived at the conclusion that the area would become a problem in advance of their shifted focus.
Boeing says of it’s P-8A;
The P-8A Poseidon is a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. It possesses an advanced mission system that ensures maximum interoperability in the future battle space. Capable of broad-area maritime, and littoral operations, the P-8A will influence how the U.S. Navy’s maritime patrol and reconnaissance forces train, operate and deploy.
Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide
The P-8A Poseidon is a true multi-mission platform. On board P-8A, all sensors contribute to a single fused tactical situation display, which is then shared over both military standard and internet protocol data links, allowing for seamless delivery of information amongst U.S. and coalition forces. As an armed platform, P-8A independently closes the kill chain, while simultaneously providing data to everyone on the network.
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Navy
Somebody tell me again why we’re trying to start a war with China?
I cannot help but wonder how well equipped we really are to take them on. From the Wikipedia entry on the P-8A Poseidon:
“In 2011, it was found that the ice detection system on the P-8 was defective due to the use of several counterfeit components. It is alleged that these substandard parts had been poorly refurbished and sold to P-8 subcontractor BAE Systems as new by a supplier in China”
Crap.
Huh. P-4’s couldn’t find their a** with both hands when we played with them. We had strict instructions to go through an imaginary “choke point” at a set depth and speed so they could lay a string of sonobouys and “find” us. Hope these P-8’s are a little better. (but I doubt it)
Always wondered just when buying all those parts from China was going to bite us in the backside.
Meanwhile, not at all certain if this is a good idea or not. Or if the administration accidently stumbled onto a good idea, if it is one. Or what.
It is possible that even a corrupt bunch of useful idiots occasionally does something for the good of the country even when they are intentionally looking for the opposite result. Who knows.
@2 Reminds me of a great line from a great movie;
[thick faux-Russian accent] “Ugh, components. American components, Russian components. All made in Taiwan!”
Sure it was cheesy, improbable, and involved lots of Hollywood physics, but I still loved it.
@3 RM3(SS), WTF is a P-4? LOL! In the P-3 (Three!) I bounced plenty of diesel and nuke boats. Exercise and real world ops.
my nephew used to pilot the P-3 Orion,,what is the difference between theses 2 platforms? aside from long range. i’d ask him except,,he’s in Mexico racing dirt bikes.
@7- Aside from the updated electronics, the P-8 is jet powered, the P-3 was(is) prop.
@8 that makes sense,,we have a few P-3’s outta Corpus Christi NAS maintaining overwatch here on the Gulf of Mexico. their loiter time is ideal for this region along with their snooping gear. remarkable aircraft
Sorry AW1, I halved the p-8. lol. and you only found us because we let you. It’s like a charity bonk for the ugly girl in school. :p
Sorry AW1Ed, I halved the p-8. lol. and you only found us because we let you. It’s like a charity bonk for the ugly girl in school. :p
ok, ok, it sounded so nice I said it twice. lol
@12 RM3 No harm no foul. I do agree that what goes up must come down.
However,
What goes down doesn’t necessarily have to come back up again. Glub glub glub…
😉
AW1–but what comes down doesn’t always do so in a controlled and safe manner.
And as long as my surface to dive ration remains at 1, s’all good.
Umm…. we didn’t seem to have to be “allowed” to find our nuke boats. I’ve tracked both fast attack & boomers in my day, both ours & theirs. Ours were certainly MUCH quieter than our old adversaries, but for a competent crew, it’s wasn’t THAT hard to do. The skill & patience of a good hunter was always rewarded.
The P-3 Orion was (is) a turbo-prop. It’s constant-speed jet engines drive variable-pitch props for maximum fuel and energy efficiency.
The bubble heads like to think that they are the silent service, but everything that moves makes a sound. 🙂
Off the topic of ASW patrol planes, but the P-8 being in the news makes me think once again of what could replace the B-52s for long range, long loiter time, GPS delivered bombing missions. While we still need bombers that will make it through a high-threat environment, missions against an entrenched low-tech enemy like the Taliban seem to need the bomber equivalent of a heavy truck.
I wonder if it would be feasible to modify a 737 or even a 747 with a couple of rotary launchers, one fore and one aft of the wing. There’s fuselage integrity to be addressed but I would think that’s cheaper than going through the wonderful Pentagon design process for a completely new airframe.
George V.
Leave it to the Washington Times:
“President Obama, in response to the declaration, flew in two B-52 bombers into the so-called off-limits air space — a strong message that the United States would not abide China’s terms of designation.”
Captain America hopped in 2 planes and flew them all by himself to China.
I hate the media.