"IRGC's and Iranian military layered attacks including small boat tactics are a huge threat to US Navy blue water surface combatants. I have been over this many times, but war games have shown how these tactics can destroy a battle group."

Well, the rumor mill says Iran just deployed their 33rd Task Force to aid their Houthi brethren. Haven't seen that in MSM but if true it's a DD and a log ship.

"Keep in mind, that this was done to counter poor and untrained men in old skiffs wielding rusted AK-47s, not to rebuff elements of Iran's elite IRGC or to defending against barrages of anti ship missiles or against surprise attacks by Iranian Kilo Class diesel submarines."

Well, it's not 636 so I'd put money on the Persians this go around. True, there's no Iranian of Rostam Farrokhzād stature but the Saudis don't have a Khalid ibn al-Walid either.

"When it comes to punching power, Saudi Arabia has a military that can only be rivaled by Israel in the region."

Is it just me or is this jpeg getting to be an old response to every damn thread?

As an occasional photographer I have decided, based on observation, that all photography is simply better in Hawaii so I should do all of mine there.

It's not (always) about inter-service dysfunction. In a near-peer war air dominance is not guaranteed. While you are fighting the air war you still need to achieve your ground objectives.

"Right so take out enemy armor and artillery with air power before that happens."

That's a nice story you have there.

Nope. When was that? I remember being in a place called the Mezzanine but it was just semi-empty office space above something else.

MBT > IFV (the side with just IFV will lose to the side with both MBTs and IFVs)

I worked very briefly on the CAOC-N CPAS before moving on. Somewhere I still have my $100 CAOC-N chip and rhino patch DT gave me.

Yah, a lot of decisions get made that way. Then 20 years later you're looking at some worn out but vital platform thinking "This is a really dumb way to do force planning and acquisition".

Don't forget the CAOC-N (505th) also plays in Red Flag. The poor bastards stuck on the ground have to train too. Or at least they used to...

Ah sorry, I misread your comment. Regarding CIWS the C-RAM has a lot of confirmed kills on mortar rounds and some rockets. Granted that's not a maneuvering supersonic shipkiller but the targets tend to be prolific.

Lol...I'll bet you a year's worth of geedunk that not one 6th fleet bubba is losing any sleep over backfires from f-ing Crimea hitting the TR or the Vinson in the Med even if Putin downs a bottle of viagra with a bourbon chaser while riding a female yeti and fantasizing he's Chuck Norris.

Depends on how you define modern. The Sea Darts on the Type 42s did kill 7 aircraft in the Falklands. Of course the brits lost 2 (and a half) Type 42s in the process...so maybe not such a sterling example...and not so modern since this was 30 years ago.

"Why do you need to commit yourself to the direction you think the attack will come from? I thought most destroyers had vertical launch bays now and 360 degree CIWS coverage"

"Why is that? Is it because they didn't work? I don't think so."