Ah well; I do not kow what the memory of a Goldfish is; neither do I have the brains/intelligence of a Dolphin.
Ok; though I can't reproduce it here verbatim. You mentioned how lack of providing assets to PN could allow the SLOCs to be cut off and the vulnerability to amphibious attack.
Not more than 3 seconds.
But yes, the PN is the step child and also the most politically influenced(
and profitable) branch of the Pak military(
usually by the PPP). As such, I do not see anything new that the Vikramaditya could pull off using its air wings that MKIs out of Pune could not achieve as well. The range on the Sukhoi is enough for it to pull off the exact circumventing attack from the South or west on the PAF as the vikramaditya can achieve. However, the CVBG will have to first position itself(
where successful or not the move will be contested by PN sub surface assets) and then be protected by destroyers that would be better off simply engaging the PN fleet and putting it out of action. In either case, having the Vikramaditya around also gives the PAF Mirage VPA's(
and future JF-17s) a target to aim for.. and on the off chance they are successful at getting a swipe at it , it will lower the morale all around. Because in the end, it is the prize asset.. regardless of the many potent cavalry around..a hit to the Maharaja will have its effect. It is then better to only bring in the Vikramaditya to provide cover for amphibious assets once the PAF has been whittled down and driven back. Alternatively, the A/C on the carrier may be employed with the assets based on Bhuj or Naliya to keep the pressure on Mauripur(
This is a big base with the largest wing the PAF has). But in that case ample room must be given to keep the Carrier out of strike range of PAF assets and that of PN Missile boats(
there was a little something of an effort quite a while ago in the early 2000s to give target relaying ability to PN sub surface assets for the Missiles on the the PN Missile boat squadron, so a PN sub is a little more potent even if it does not show its fangs). Either way, any pincer via amphibious landing may achieve much less(
and have much lesser chances of success) the further west they head. So whatever has to happen regarding that, it has to happen eastward of Karachi and specifically aiming towards the gap between Karachi and Hyderabad.
A Naval blockade of Karachi is quite easy to achieve as such, but a total blockade of Pakistan not so. For that the IN has to push further west towards Ormara and Gwadar. While both of these will never be able to match the logistical input of Karachi.. they can keep weapon supplies from friendly states rolling in.
Well the Russians found that out the hard way with the US-A/P system. Although with advances in over the horizon radars who knows what might emerge by the next decade or the one after that.
That is question. The closer you bring a carrier to employ its strike assets, the more you risk exposing it to surveillance.
) so as to ensure better coverage (more powerful sensors too perhaps).
