Circling back to two previous blog posts...the Chinese Type 55 and the Jaguar Recon Vehicle..

Reading a few of the comments (catching up today and still behind....) there were two discussions that I think I need to explain myself on.  The first was the Type 55 Chinese ship and the second was the Jaguar Recon Vehicle...

I fell for the O-Kee Doke on this one.  The Chinese label their Type 55 as a destroyer but Galvars and others pointed out that this was more of a Cruiser class ship.

After reviewing the specs I think they're right.

And that's scary as fuck.  Many rightfully consider the Burke class as being modern day battleships.  What if the Chinese came out with something even more powerful?  Well they have and they're not stopping at one, two or three...they're gonna build a series of them.  Pause.  Evaluate.  And then build more.

For some unknown reason everyone wants to point to Russia as being the big bad.  They're not.  You want to point to the nation that wants to see us dead?  Look East toward China.  Even worse?  They're building a force not to fight us asymmetrically but to take us on toe to toe and win.  From my chair they're well on their way to getting that done.  By my estimate they already have regional superiority (we're probably at equivalency because of all the forces we sortied to the Pacific to deal with Korea crisis...but barring that we have too many worldwide commitments) and soon will have it no matter how many forces we send that way.

Want to be depressed?  Even if the Navy goes to 355 ships, it then becomes a matter of the quality of those forces.  We would still face a stalemate situation above the sea...only our submarine force could swing the decision in our direction during an at sea fight.  THAT IS THE ONLY PLACE where we still retain an undeniable advantage.

There was a bit of confusion over my calling the new French Jagauar "probably the best new breed recon vehicle" of this generation.  I stand by that.  My reasoning is simple.  Look at where the Aussies and the Brits have gone with their recon vehicles.  They're using IFVs, the Aussie version will probably be the 8x8 Boxer (if all the pundits are correct) and the Brits went with the ASCOD 2.  I believe they're both capable IFVs and fill that roll well.  The problem is that they're being flexed into the RECON role and I view that as being suboptimal for both designs.

Recon/Cavalry vehicles are suppose to locate the enemy, send a quick SALUTE and then get out of dodge.  They can dismount scouts and pull vehicles back if they haven't been spotted so that they can give constant updates and more precise information.  That gun on the vehicle?  Its suppose to be used  in the Recon role to disengage, in the defense role to delay or in the offense to screen the assault element from attacks on its flanks (simplistic explanation but you get the idea).  Its not their so they can hook and jab with enemy forces in a sustained fight.

Under those conditions the Jaguar in my opinion is superior based on size alone.  If you believe differently then I'd like to hear it but if you're gonna trot out armor protection then I don't really think you understand their role on the battlefield.  They're not supposed to take direct fire!  If that's what you want then you give a tank platoon a Cav guidon, big radios, a bright colorful neckscarf and a shiny black stetson and have them do the deed!