Image source: topwar.ru
In the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan, the submarines of the US Navy will become the vanguard of the American armed forces in terms of striking the Chinese Navy. This conclusion is made by American columnist David Ex in an article for Forbes.
According to Ex, the crucial question in the conflict will be how many ships of the PLA Navy and how quickly American submarines will be able to sink. The success of the underwater campaign will quickly stop China's attempts to seize the island of Taiwan. However, if the submarine campaign proves unsuccessful, China will establish dominance not only over Taiwan, but also over the entire western part of the Pacific region. The position of the United States not only in East and Southeast Asia, but also in the world as a whole, will be shaken very much.
At the same time, the Ex admits that in the event of a collision with China, the US Navy will have to face heavy losses. Even in the event of victory in the Taiwan Strait, the American submarine fleet will be very much "battered". In the most optimistic scenarios, the submarine forces of the US Navy will lose almost half of their submarines and thousands of sailors and officers.
The level of losses will depend on the intensity of the campaign against China. It is likely that the United States will have to send all or almost all of its submarines to the Pacific region to confront China. They will be deployed at American bases in Guam and Japan.
One squadron of submarines will be in the narrow Taiwan Strait. She will sink the first Chinese ships. The rest of the submarines will go out on missions, return to bases and go out on missions again. Each submarine will face the task of sinking 2 large amphibious ships and the same number of escort ships.
In addition, US Air Force bomber planes will be used against Chinese ships, which will launch cruise missiles at the fleet moving towards Taiwan. Ex believes that aviation is even more dangerous for the PLA Navy than submarines.
In an optimal scenario, the Chinese fleet will lose 90% of its ships and lose the ability to supply the battalions that landed on the island. Accordingly, the paratroopers will soon lose ammunition and fuel and will not be able to conduct combat operations. Such a result was "lost" at special war games by American specialists. But, according to the same scenario, 24 American submarines will remain lying on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, along with thousands of sailors who served on them.
In any case, in the context of the confrontation with China, the Pentagon should focus on the submarine fleet in terms of defense planning. The expansion of the submarine fleet is becoming one of the most urgent tasks of strengthening the combat power of the American armed forces.
