I've read that the Phalanx/CIWS has shot down 5" cannon shells in testing and those would be about Mach 3. The 20mm might not stop something with a lot of momentum at lower speeds, but at Mach 2+ and low altitude, if you put a couple holes in the front end, I'd think that the resultant ram air into the fuselage would rip it apart. The RAM could certainly stop it, and last I knew, all US CVs carried both. Tactical problem's tougher due to short flight time near shore, but spotting stuff like this is why they carry E2s.

"http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?id=2439" I love articles like this - they're such a crack up. ;)

Actually the US has 2 CIWS weapons inside the green zone in Baghdad. They are there to shoot down motar shots. Slower, but smaller. I also read an article that says the Navy is considering adapting the PAC-III missile on ships with the SPY/Aegis system.

But GF, what concerns me is that some people believe this cr@pola.

"But GF, what concerns me is that some people believe this cr@pola." that's Ok. ;)

GF - I respect your opinion, but I'm seeing a lot of this stuff in the US. While I laugh off the PLAN for about 20 years, these people actually vote in the US. Worse some of them influence the opinion of others that can't think for themselves. Take a test drive - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1438111/posts And people believe this tripe. They assume the center picture is of a Chinese aircraft carrier that is in operation.

"And people believe this tripe. They assume the center picture is of a Chinese aircraft carrier that is in operation." a sage piece of advise given to me by one of my supervisors many moons ago... Never argue with an idiot - they're better at it than you are and will "win" every time" the interesting twist to this is that by talking up the threat, they actually provide a vehicle of argument for those in the US who make input into your QDR etc.... ;)

GF - I stopped arguing with these clowns a while ago. They were postulating bringing back the Spruance class, the old 688s, and (hard to believe) the old CGNs. They are without a clue. I understand your thought they could help contribute to the QDR. But their agenda seems to be anti-military. They want to bring back old ships rather than build new ones. They also are trying to make people like Rumsfeld look like fools.

"I understand your thought they could help contribute to the QDR. " well, yes and no. noisemakers can stil be useful even if they are slightly mad.... ;)

The best way if all missile, flares, chaff and ECM fails is to use a new generation of ACTIVE PHASE ARRAY radar using the most powerful Gallium Nitride based RF transmitter and focus a tight beam of HPM (high power microwave) to fried the electronic in Sunburn and also trigger the sensitive warhead fuse to self detonate and self destruct. The HPM will also cause the missile to VEER off course as the actuator that direct the flight orientation of the missile will be disabled. At high speed flight, this will cause the missile to veer off course.