Our Missiles Who Art in Launchers Hallowed by Thy Payload
HMS Queen Elizabeth is due to deploy on her first operational deployment without the 30mm Automatic Small Calibre Gun (ASCG) mounts that were originally specified for the QEC carriers. Here we consider the reasons behind this omission and how the carrier is defended against close-in threats.
Equally part of their self-defence armament, QEC carriers were designed to carry four ASCG. They were non fitted when the send was congenital and it was intended they would be added subsequently during i of the series of Adequacy Insertion Periods (between 2017-20). Official sources accept confirmed it has been decided not to fit these weapons, at least for now.
Reaction amongst the tiny section of the population that concern themselves well-nigh such details has been overwhelmingly negative. At that place is an interesting PR/optics angle to this decision, there are many who already believe the aircraft carriers are inadequately protected and leaving off the ASCG may add further to this perception, whatever the operational justification.
In an ideal world of unlimited funding, the carriers would have the Sea Ceptor missile system and mountain their total gun armament on the principle that you are unlikely to always regret having too much firepower. (See broader give-and-take about aircraft carrier missile defences here) However, every weapon that is carried past a warship adds a cost in logistic back up, maintenance and coiffure. The RN is ever balancing finite resource and has concluded that investment in other means tin provide an effective defense. RN weapon engineers know what they are doing and are non obliged to publish the detailed assay behind such decisions. Nonetheless naval sources have outlined some of the reasoning.
The ASCG have a office in air defence but their primary purpose, at least in the context of the aircraft carriers, is defence against small surface threats, in particular Fast Inshore Attack Arts and crafts (FIAC), small boat swarms and unmanned surface vessels. The development of this kind of disproportionate threat has been a growing business for major navies over the terminal decade. For RN COs operating in the Gulf, the threat of attack by Iranian boat swarms has been a particular concern. With the procurement of the Martlet LMM and up to 20 of these missiles carried by a Wildcat helicopter, the RN, at terminal, has a guided weapon that can engage the pocket-size boat threat at range. For the CSG21 deployment, 4 Wildcats will be available, based on the two frigates and two destroyers. At least one, armed with Martlet, is probable to be held on deck at high readiness in higher threat environments. The Wildcats tin too mount an M3M 0.5cal heavy machine gun, a powerful deterrent that can engage surface threats earlier they can get close to the high-value unit. Specialist Royal Marine snipers are also trained to operate from the Wildcat and are able to cripple the outboard motors of minor craft with precision shooting.
The escorts of the carrier strike group do not usually operate right up close with the carrier but when transiting chocke points or in confined littoral waters they will exist closed up forming a 'ring of steel' around the ship. Fifty-fifty if not engaged or fully eliminated by the Wildcat, any surface threat would be met past the escorts that have gun armaments of their ain and would react immediately.
The ASCG can fire upward to 200 rounds per minute out to effectually 4km. There is business organization that if the 30mms were mounted on the carrier, there would be a fair take a chance of accidentally hit one of the escorts. A high explosive 30mm beat will easily penetrate the light steel plate of mod warships and practise considerable damage (RN warships experienced the effects of 20 and 30mm cannon shells fired by aircraft during the Falklands state of war). Although obviously something to exist avoided, being hit by a stray Phalanx 20mm tungsten alloy circular or a 12.7mm bullet from a 0.5cal would not be quite so serious.
The ASCG would be typically be controlled remotely from the operations room but the gunners would need to ensure the mounts are loaded and ready. There are some issues with armament degradation if left in on the mountain for long periods and despite their remote or automated control, maintenance is manpower intensive
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The Mutiny and Martlet – now the carrier group's chief weapon for defence force against small surface threats. This combination is a potent visual deterrent and can deal with the threats at a much safer distance if required. -
The pintle-mounted FN Herstal .50Cal Browning M3M Auto Gun is particularly adapted for aircraft apply can exist fitted in the Wildcat's door gunner position. It can fire 485-635 rounds per infinitesimal to a range upwards to 2000 meters. -
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The 0.50 calibre gun being fired from a mounting on the upper deck, HMS Queen Elizabeth, March 2021. Based on the Browning M2 weapon dating dorsum to 1918, it is accurate at reasonably long ranges and fires relatively heavy rounds with a sharp tip and plenty of stopping power. -
The M134 Mk44 Minigun. Not specially accurate, but its six barrels can evangelize a wall of seven.62mm bullets at between 2000-4000 rpm out to nigh i,000 meters. At least vi miniguns are carried by HMS Queen Elizabeth -
GMPGs (left and far right) and a Mini Gun (eye) can be seen protruding from the defended gun ports in the send side on 4 deck (hangar) level. There are 3 of these ports on each side of the ship which are manned for force protection during harbour entry/exit or in high threat littoral environments. (HMS Queen Elizabeth returns to Portsmouth, July 2020. Photo: Navy Spotter)
Any surface threat that escaped the attentions of the Wildcats and escorts would probable adjacent be engaged by 1 of the automatic Phalanx Block 1B CIWS on the carrier. The B1B upgrade was specifically intended to counter FIAC, helicopters, UAVs, USVs and minor stealthy missiles, difficult to detect on radar. An Electro-optical photographic camera and stabilised Forwards-Looking Infra-Red (FLIR) camera is mounted on the left side of the radome and too allows the operator to visually place targets in circuitous environments.
The last line of defence are the manually-aimed guns mounted on the upper deck and in the lower level gun ports. The RN has recently begun to equip its warships more than regularly with the 50-cal heavy motorcar gun equally it offers more than hitting power than the Mini Gun and GMPGs that have been the mainstay until recently. These elementary, robust weapons can be brought into activity very quickly and are in widespread use by other navies. The Mini Gun and the GPMGs add a final layer of protection at close ranges.
Another type of close-in threat are UAVs (or 'drone swarms'). An over-enthusiastic photographer managed to state a cheap consumer drone unchallenged on the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth aslope in Invergordon (Aug 2017). Although at that place were some countermeasures in place they were not active. This upshot and the Gatwick Airport drone incident (Dec 2018), are relatively benign domestic examples of the threat, only cheap UAVs accept also been successfully weaponised past ISIS and others in conflicts effectually the world. The RN and the whole of UK defence have subsequently begun to take 24/7 counter-UAV defence much more seriously. Warships are now equipped with C-UAV technology, although details are classified and little is known nigh what this may comprise. It is likely that powerful soft-kill jammers that disable drones through electronic means are the chief defence.
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Source: https://www.navylookout.com/close-in-defence-for-the-royal-navys-aircraft-carriers/
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