USAF Anti-Ship Weapons

[+JSF_Aggie 1,291]

Between say '79 and '81, what weapons/platforms would the USAF have used for anti-ship missions? I don't think the BUFF's got harpoons until later.

Thanks

[+daddyairplanes 8,646]

only USAF anti ship action anywhere around that time was the Mayaguez incident (May 75) and F-111s and A-7s out of Thailand used mainly 20 mm and regular bombs, although it was a hostage situation as well and they were trying not to kill the folks they were trying to rescue (most was fired in fromt of the boats to get tehm to stop). AC-130s were used as well, and a 105mm cannon in direct fire mode will stop pretty much anything smaller than a frigate and unable to fire back.

Maverick would have been able to be used against smaller ships, although getting in range of the missile and out of range of air defences could be an issue.

i recall reading something in a book years ago talking about the Navy's part of the SIOP being to take out soviet ports,on account of professional associates doing business with each other. i would think the same principle would apply to most anti ship missions. that is "let the Navy handle that, we'll help with the ground war."

All else fails, in game i prefere to go against the Soviet battle groups off Iceland with a pair of Buffs lugging SRAMs. tends to work without losing any of my own guys!