The US Army wants a powerful cannon that can hit Chinese warships from 1,000 miles away

[rangerrebew]

The US Army wants a powerful cannon that can hit Chinese warships from 1,000 miles away
Business InsiderJan 25, 2019, 03.07 AM

 

    The US Army is developing long-range cannons with a conflict in the disputed South China Sea in mind, Task & Purpose reported Wednesday.
    Explaining the need for artillery with the unmatched ability to fire a round over 1,000 miles, Secretary of the Army Mark Esper told reporters to "imagine a scenario where the Navy feels that it cannot get into the South China Sea because of Chinese naval vessels."
    He then suggested that long-range cannon artillery firing from fixed positions on land could blow a hole in Chinese defenses, allowing the US naval assets to break through.
    The Army's ongoing efforts to develop artillery with exceptional range is driven by competition with both China and Russia.

https://www.businessinsider.in/the-us-army-wants-a-powerful-cannon-that-can-hit-chinese-warships-from-1000-miles-away/articleshow/67680704.cms

[rangerrebew]

Does the Army assume Chinese ships sit idle in the water while there shell travels 1,000 miles?  It would have to be a guided shell and even then it would be tough to hit.

[240B]

Does the Army assume Chinese ships sit idle in the water while there shell travels 1,000 miles?  It would have to be a guided shell and even then it would be tough to hit.

I thought the same thing. We already have long range cruise missiles. Why would a cannon be better than guided munitions? The only thing I can think of is maybe it is a GPS or ECM issue?

I'm not sure what this report is really all about, but what it is saying is questionable.

[bigheadfred]

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2127346/king-explosives-who-extended-firing-range-chinas

‘King of Explosives’ who extended firing range of China’s artillery wins top science award

Wang Zeshan, 82, was presented with his State Preeminent Science and Technology Award by Chinese President Xi Jinping at a ceremony in Beijing on Monday morning.

The technologies developed by Wang over several decades would give China’s military – the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) – a huge advantage in potential conflict areas like the Taiwan Strait or on the Tibetan Plateau, where it has had a long-running border dispute with India, military analysts said.


Song Zhongping, a former instructor with the PLA’s Second Artillery Corps, told the South China Morning Post that one of Wang’s biggest contributions was to establish an efficient artillery operation system.

“Wang is a pioneering explosives scientist who has used his knowledge of munitions, ballistics and propellants to develop world-beating technologies,” said Song, who is now is a military commentator for Hong Kong’s Phoenix Television.

“The most important thing for artillery units is to be able to fire as far as possible and as efficiently as possible, and Wang helped to improve both.”

Since it is the Army that wants this I am going to assume it is a ground-based weapon. With probable placement somewhere around the Philippines. Maybe not so much to hit ships with but hit supply bases for the Chineses Navy. Maybe provide cover fire for our Navy? Lob shells at manufactured Chinese Islands.

Sounds like the Army is behind the Chinese in this area. Can't let that happen.