Key Points and Summary – If a U.S.–China fight comes, it will be an “integrated missile fight” pitting Chinese salvos against America’s layered shield.
-The Navy’s answer starts with SPY-6 radar, Aegis command-and-decision, and SM-series interceptors, then tightens to Phalanx CIWS, with lasers (HELIOS) and powerful EW (SEWIP Block III) adding non-kinetic kills.
DF-17 Missile from China. Image Credit: PLA.
DF-17 Missile from China. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-Recent Red Sea combat against Houthi drones and missiles validated the architecture—but highlighted magazine depth and resupply strain in prolonged campaigns.
-To handle DF-21D/DF-26 and DF-17-class threats, the fleet is folding in AI-driven tracking, counter-drone tactics, and rigorous reps-and-sets. The goal: keep carriers fighting through swarms, not around them.
How Does the U.S. Navy Protect Its Ships From Missile Swarms?
The outcome of a potential war between China and the United States will boil down to what I call the “integrated missile fight.” The Chinese may attempt to swarm missiles to overwhelm U.S. Navy defenses.
The Americans have the vaunted Aegis Combat System on their side, forming an umbrella that protects Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs). But China has a huge number of ballistic and cruise missiles that, fired in numbers, could rain down fire on the Navy fleet and strain the Aegis system.
(Aug. 22, 2023) Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Chase Allen maintains the barrel of a Mark 45 5-inch light-weight gun on the fo’c’sle of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) in the Pacific Ocean, Aug. 22, 2023. Paul Hamilton is deployed to the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Elliot Schaudt)
China has prioritized defending against American warships, and for good reason. The U.S. Navy needs to constantly operate to guarantee freedom of navigation for commerce and trade in the Pacific. The Americans must also fly the flag for the purpose of demonstrating national prestige in the Indo-Pacific region. But the Chinese have developed an effective strategy called anti-access/area denial intended to keep the U.S. out of the area, or at least unable to sail their ships wherever they want at any time.
What Types of Chinese Missiles Can Sink a Ship?
China’s YJ series of anti-ship missiles are a big threat to the U.S. Navy.
These projectiles would be devastating if they hit paydirt. The YJ-19 and YJ-20—as well as the YJ-15 and YJ-17 naval strike missiles— are some of the best of their kind in the world.
These are scramjet-propelled hypersonic missiles. They are capable of taking out a U.S. Navy ship, and they can be deployed by Type 055 Renhai-class destroyers, as well as H-6K strategic bombers.
China also can launch its carrier-killer missiles, the DF-21D and DF-26. These run true and fast.
They are designed to target U.S. CSGs when they sail around Taiwan and within the first island chain.
Don’t Forget Hypersonic Weapons
The DF-17, a hypersonic glide vehicle that was introduced in 2017, is probably the most well-known of these Chinese weapons.
The DF-17 has a maximum range of 1,500 miles, allowing it to hold any target under threat in the waters closest to China.
The DF-17 “is boosted into the atmosphere by a rocket before separating and gliding at hypersonic speeds toward its target,” according to MIRA Safety.
The Navy Has an Answer
The Aegis Combat System will have its work cut out for it. The Aegis is an integrated air- and missile-defense stalwart. It works to defend at all stages of an enemy attack—from the detection stage, to tracking, to striking the threat with missile interceptors.
(June 11, 2017) Sailors aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) stand in formation as the ship pulls alongside the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) to conduct a replenishment-at-sea. The Pinckney is currently underway as part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group on a regularly scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Craig Z. Rodarte/Released)
Learning from the Houthi Experience
The Aegis has been highly effective during recent clashes with Yemen-based Houthis who fire anti-ship missiles and drones at CSGs in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. T
here were some close calls, but the Americans have been able to shoot down or otherwise disable all incoming threats.
However, the Navy learned that it could quickly run out of expensive interceptors such as the SM-3 and SM-6 in a protracted war of attrition against China. The Chinese have much better missiles than the Houthis, and their military personnel are professionals with expertise.
The Aegis’ defense starts with its AN/SPY-6 radar, which releases electromagnetic signals that can sniff out even the fastest incoming missiles and drones. Next, there is a “command and decision” system that can track the threat using multiple sensors. Data is analyzed rapidly with a unified track file. Users then “select a weapon system, while the weapon control system calculates timing, intercept points and firing parameters,” according to NAVSEA.
The fire control radar then moves to eliminate the target before it can reach the ship’s defensive umbrella. “Once a threat is identified, Aegis calculates interception points and guides its weapons with pinpoint accuracy,” said Nicholas Fronzo, Aegis Program Director. “In scenarios where speed is of the essence, Aegis automates critical tasks, enabling response times in seconds.”
Getting Smart About Hypersonics
Aegis has been tested successfully against hypersonic weapons. The system uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to get “smarter” after every engagement. This protects sailors on the frontlines and keeps their ships safe.
For missiles that manage to sneak past the Aegis system, there is the Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS), a 20-mm rapid-fire gun that stands as the very last leg of defense.
The Phalanx “automatically detects, evaluates, tracks, engages and performs kill assessment against anti-ship missiles and high-speed aircraft threats. The current Phalanx variant (Block 1B) adds the ability to counter asymmetric warfare threats through the addition of an integrated, stabilized, Electro Optic sensor,” a news release from the Navy explains.
Ship-fired lasers are the next evolution of the multi-layered defense against enemy missile swarms. The Navy will someday fire “bursts” of directed energy at the speed of light to “fry” a projectile or drone. The Navy is currently testing its High Energy Laser and Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) laser weapon.
Another non-kinetic way to disable enemy missiles is to use upgraded electronic warfare (EW) systems to jam and spoof the guidance systems of attacking enemy missiles. Currently in use is an EW system called Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP). The latest SEWIP variant, Block III, can work in a broad range of frequencies and take out greater threats at longer ranges.
The Navy has multiple, layered defenses, and they are combat-proven. The Aegis is an excellent missile shield. Weapons such as the Phalanx CIWS are like a hidden knife for a last-ditch personal defense. Lasers and non-kinetic systems will also be on many escort ships in the future. A laser can deliver countless bursts of fire to protect the fleet, and the only limit is the ship’s ability to generate electrical power. Jamming an incoming missile with EW can help defend when the number of interceptors is limited.
The next step for the Navy is to analyze lessons learned from the fight against the Houthis and incorporate them into its anti-missile doctrine. Then the fleet must rehearse and practice different scenarios until sailors have them ingrained in their muscle memory, so no missiles breach the layered defense systems. The United States must continue to invest in new systems and improve the ones they have. The Navy is thinking ahead to a future engagement with China; the amount of missiles involved could be intimidating, but leave it to the expert sailors on board to protect the CSG at all costs.
About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
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