On deck: threats to aircraft carriers bolster case for unmanned combat.

• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.
• Position: Unmanned Warfare

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The Navy's aircraft carriers for decades have been hailed as the most dependable means to secure U.S. military access to troublespots around the world. As floating airbases, the carriers are regarded as the ultimate "access" weapon.

The dominance of U.S. aircraft carriers, however, could be challenged one day if future enemies arm themselves with accurate, long-range missiles. Aircraft carriers are designed and equipped specifically to steer clear of these threats--their locations at sea are kept secret and they are outfitted with state-of-the-art sensors and antimissile defenses.

But naval experts now warn that a new ballistic missile developed by China could be capable of striking an aircraft carrier from as far away as 1,000 nautical miles. Although scant evidence is available so far on the true capabilities of this missile, the mere speculation on its potential deployment has naval planners fretting. If U.S. foes were suspected of owning these advanced missiles, carriers would have to stay much farther away from the enemy's coast.

The current reach of the Navy's fighter jets require the carriers to stay closer to shore. The workhorse of today's air wing, the F/A-18C Hornet has a combat radius of 200 nautical miles--that is the distance from the carrier that it can reach, patrol and return with minimal fuel left. The newer and larger F/A-18E/F, has a radius of about 400 miles. The next-generation fighter, the F-35C, is expected to extend the reach to at least 600 nautical miles.

The presumed future vulnerability of the carrier has bolstered support within the Navy for carrier-based unmanned combat aircraft. Last year, the Navy unveiled the first prototype of an unpiloted combat jet, known as N-UCAS. A second aircraft is scheduled for delivery later this year. Navy officials say they want to test the batwing-shaped aircraft and eventually decide whether it should be added to carrier air wings by 2025.

"With an unrefueled combat radius on the order of 1,500 nautical miles and a maximum aerial endurance of 50 to 100 hours, the N-UCAS will greatly extend the strike reach of every carrier strike group," says Robert O. Work, naval analyst at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

"The Chinese are already testing antiship ballistic missiles with ranges greater than 600 nautical miles," Work writes in a recent study. "Moreover, operations from 600 nautical miles would put any carrier within potential range of...