Military History | How To Make War | Wars Around the World Rules of Use How to Behave on an Internet Forum
Surface Forces Discussion Board
Sign In   Return to Topic Page
Subject: missile gun boats
fasttrack    1/5/2004 10:56:51 AM
missile gun boats seem to be a best fit for bang for your buck combat platforms. what use are destroyers/frigates? if a missile gun boat/corvette class can engage with SSMs with the advantage of small stealthy size then maybe they represent the optimal coefficient of power and cost. navies don't go for them because big is still beautiful.
 
Quote    Reply

Email Me When A New Comment Is Made
Show Only Poster Name and Title     Newest to Oldest
Pages: 1 2
Thomas    RE:missile gun boats   2/3/2004 2:26:16 AM
An anti-surface missile IS an UAV! I have never advocated MMB's alone, but they are excellent in some weather conditions - especially if you don't have waters; but damp meadows. As a defender you can't pick the weather, but if your MMB's force the enemy to attempt an invasion in bad weather, they have achieved a significant from the very outset.
 
Quote    Reply

Mark F    RE:missile gun boats   2/3/2004 8:40:51 AM
To operate UAV's you need a bigger boat - something along the lines of a Saar V, at which point we are not talking FAC-M's anymore. Not by a long shot. But of course then you get all of the other advantages of a bigger boat and you don't need the FAC anymore.
 
Quote    Reply

Downunder    RE:missile gun boats   2/3/2004 5:45:39 PM
Weren't the Israeli's operating helicopter variants with their Saar 4.5 flotillas for just this reason?
 
Quote    Reply

Mark F    RE:missile gun boats   2/4/2004 5:06:08 AM
At the cost of a considerable amount of armament. Flight operations in any kind of sea state must be exciting.
 
Quote    Reply

wagner95696    RE:missile gun boats   3/16/2004 12:25:40 AM
The only thing FAC are good for is running down smugglers where one needs to catch them in order to board them. All FAC are EXTREMELY vulnerable to air launched missiles. I can not recall a single instance where a confrontation between an FAC and a missile armed aircraft where the FAC didn't come of third best. So, you have a ship with limited range/seakeeping characteristics that has to operate within range of hostile shore based aircraft. Unless you control the air space it is suicidal and if you do control the airspace you don't need the FAC's as aircraft as far superior weapons platforms. The only think the FAC's do better is to provide a marine platform for boarding parties.
 
Quote    Reply

Thomas    RE:missile gun boats   3/16/2004 8:04:16 AM
As far as I know: The tactic with MMB during the cold war in Danish waters was MMB's AND aircraft attacking simultaneously: The F-16 skimming the treeline and the MMB coming out between the trees.
 
Quote    Reply

Mark F    RE:missile gun boats   3/16/2004 9:14:55 AM
FAC have the same problem as attack helicopters. In order to use them effectively they have to be employed in conjunction with other platforms - but with the other supporting platforms present the FAC becomes almost redundant.
 
Quote    Reply
1 2



StrategyWorld.com© 1998 - 2012StrategyWorld.com. All rights Reserved. StrategyWorld.com, StrategyPage.com, FYEO, For Your Eyes Only and Al Nofi's CIC are all trademarks of StrategyWorld.com Privacy Policy