The United States Navy in the Cold War Era: What ifs.

[dragoon500ly]

While not exactly a “what if”, still an interesting weapon.

The SUBROC (Submarine Rocket) is a rocket-propelled nuclear depth bomb that can be launched from standard 21in submarine torpedo tubes. After being launched, the missile streaks to the surface leaves the water, and then releases the nuclear depth bomb to descend by parachute to the water.

The weapon is analog and therefore is not compatible with U.S. attack submarines fitted with the Mark 117 digital fire control system. Thus, only about 25 submarines of the PERMIT (SSN 594) and later classes can carry the weapon. The remaining missiles are wearing out rapidly and all will probably be discarded prior to the replacement ASW SOW becoming available in the early 1990s.

Weight: 4,000lbs
Length: 21ft (6.4m)
Diameter: 21in (533mm)
Propulsion: solid-propellant rocket and booster
Range: approx.. 25nm
Guidance: inertial
Warhead: Nuclear (W55)
Platforms: Submarines equipped with the Mark 113 analog fire control system only

[Raellus]

I bet something like this would have appeared during the Twilight War. I reckon such a system could be used to "up-gun" USCG vessels. I wonder how feasible it would be to attach the system to something like a merchantman or container ship converted to an escort carrier for VTOL and/or helis.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...navy-destroyer

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[pmulcahy11b]

I've always thought the A-12 Avenger II would have a presence in the Twilight War, providing the stealth attack platform that would (IRL) be provided later with the F-35.

[Homer]

Another program that would have survived in a continued Cold War is the FRAM of the Hamilton/Hero class cutters.

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/coas...erburners/?amp

Harpoons, modernized torpedo tubes, modernized sensor suites and munitions storage would have transformed them into light frigates for escort duty.

The Famous Class would have likewise seen towed array sonar and munitions storage for navy ASW helicopters.

Not a game changer, but definitely another capability to add naval escorts in economy of force theaters. Anecdotally, a friend of mine once attended a naval gunfire familiarization fired by a Hamilton class cutter.

[Matt Wiser]

If the Inflation of the 1970s hadn't bitten, this is what the Navy wanted for AEGIS, namely, CGN-42 onward fitted with the system