Hi Ladies and Gents
Am looking for your considered opinions, I was sitting playing Command:Modern Naval Air Operations the other day, and I started wondering about what if the cold war had continued into the 2000s. I know , I know theres lots of hand waving involved in these questions.
I was considering what the USN would have done had the A12 been introduced into service. I was wondering what would a typical make up of a Carrier Air Wing. Would the A6s be replaced 1 for 1 and thus a CAW contain 2 x 10A/C squadrons or would the numbers have been reduced.
What about the Light Attack Squadrons? They were equipped with A7/F18s, the plan I believe was to replace these with the JAST (Which was subsequently rolled into the F35 Program), so again would it be a 1 for 1 replacement.
The F14 fighter squadrons are another case, there was the NATF program to produce a LO naval fighter, so would we have seen a new stealth airframe or given Hughes and Rathyeon were working on super long range AAMS (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-152_AAAM) would it have been more likley that we would have seen the F14 upgraded and solidering on?
I have considered whether the USN would operate, a mixed airwing of stealth and legacy aircraft together or whether they would be more inclned to operate, stealth and non stealth air wings, with stealth wings being employed for example in a WW3 scenario the stealth CAW operating up in the Barents around Murmansk and say the legacy air wings being deployed to the med where IADS are lighter.
Now i have 2 more USAF questions am seeking opinions on, if your still reading...
The USAF was looking at buying around 400, A12s for deep strike operations, presumably to replace the F15E/ F111 , I wondered that would mean by 2000 the USAF would be divesting itself of potentially 15 year old F15Es , would the ANG have taken them, or NATO allies?
Lastly the USNs AIM-152, was there potential for the USAF to be intrested , perhaps in a F22/AIM 152 combo, am thinking for attacking protected high value targets such as A50 mainstays ,or tanker assetts.
Thanks for you thoughts in advance