Today's Spanish Navy vs. WWII US Navy

Historical what if discussions, hypothetical operations, battleship vs. battleship engagements, design your own warship, etc.
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Javier L.
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Today's Spanish Navy vs. WWII US Navy

Post by Javier L. »

What do you think about this "what if":

Today's Spanish Navy with enough supplies and fuel versus the US Navy of World War II (1944-45). :shock:

The theater of operations is the Atlantic and no other power intervenes. Only the US Navy full of WWII carriers, battleships, cruisers, etc. against Today's Spanish Navy with just one carrier, a few frigates, and other small and escort vessels. Can the most advanced technology (AEGIS system, harpoon missiles, harrier jet aircraft, etc) of the Spanish Navy make the difference and do something against the great WWII US Navy?

Could the Spaniards defend the Canary Islands against a Marine landing there or prevent the US from occupying the Portuguese Azores?

Would this be a long war or just a quick campaign? :think:
Coyote850
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Post by Coyote850 »

If you look at the numbers, the Spanish don't have a prayer. The U.S Navy was the largest Navy the World has ever seen. These numbers are fairly accurate: 20 Large carriers, 9 light carriers and 69 escort carriers. 26 Battleships. Plus all the Heavy and light cruisers, destroyers, and subs. Even with the advances in technology the Spanish navy could not shoot down all the planes and sink all the ships.
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miro777
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Post by miro777 »

hey
i agree with ur comments
no chance for the Spanish.
the sheer number of Capital ships, the USA had, just overwhelms the Spanish.

they couldn't hold them off.

It would have been a short war.

miro
Die See ruft....
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Javier L.
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Post by Javier L. »

I think the Spanish Navy could win. :think: The modern radars of the Spanish Navy have at least 10 times more radius of action than the old US Navy sensors. The Spanish Navy could discover the US warships 600 miles away! And if the Spanish launch a couple of spotting aircraft the radius would be even increased.

Just imagine this situation. Naval battle in the middle of the Atlantic. Spanish carrier Principe de Asturias and 4 x F-100 AEGIS frigates face a "small" US Navy task force with 4 large carriers, 4 escort carriers, 4 Iowas, 6 heavy cruisers, and 12 destroyers. Spanish radars discover the US task force 600 miles away. What happen next? 12 VSTOL Harrier aircraft armed with Harpoon missiles are launched to intercept the US warships. Harpoons can be fired from 50 miles I think well out of US AA batteries and guns, and the Harriers could launch a missile attack go back to the carrier and strike again as many times and they want until they run out of missiles. Result is USN task force is defeated in 24 hours even before gaining contact with the Spanish warships. :D
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Karl Heidenreich
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Post by Karl Heidenreich »

Hey, tell me: Which is the actual strength of the Spanish Navy nowadays?
:think:
I know there is a VSTOL Aircraft Carrier but aside from it: frigates, destroyers, subs, air arm? It´s interesting because I believe that european nations have been reinforcing their navies since 2001 or so.
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Javier L.
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Post by Javier L. »

If you are from Costa Rica then you must understand Spanish. ¿Me equivoco? :D Look here the Official Spanish Navy website >

http://www.armada.mde.es/esp/BuquesUnidades/default.asp
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Karl Heidenreich
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Post by Karl Heidenreich »

Español es mi idioma materno. :lol:
I´ll see that the Spanish Navy has the most modern Radar Guided Missile Frigate type with those four AEGIS vessels.
To put it in few words the Spanish Navy consists in:
1. One main attack carrier (with Harriers!)
2. Twelve Frigates (including the four AEGIS) divided in three Flotillas.
3. Two Amphibious Vessels
And it´s developing her own submarine fleet from her own design and building shipyards.
A very handsome force.
Very best regards!
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Javier L.
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Post by Javier L. »

I made a mistake earlier. The Harriers of the Spanish Navy can't carry Harpoons currently. :(
They would have to use Maverick missiles instead.
Coyote850
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Post by Coyote850 »

The Maverick would barely scratch the paint on a Battleship. The Harpoon, it would take probably 10-15 hits per battleship to sink one. Also the US Navy had 1000's of aircraft. Does the Spanish Navy have 2000-3000 anti aircraft missiles available? The US Navy also had 100+ submarines. Put simply the US Navy would have more ships and planes than the Spanish navy has missiles. It would not be a contest, the Spanish Navy would be slaughtered once they ran out of missiles.
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Javier L.
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Post by Javier L. »

I agree the Spanish ships can't carry anough AA missiles to shot down every plane. But my question is, How are those obsolete American planes going to discover the Spanish ships in the Atlantic with their limited range? :think: The Spanish Navy could always avoid contact with the enemy thanks to the superior RADARS. The Spanish Navy could use "hit and run" tactics.

Any US Navy submarine approaching the Spanish would be sunk easily. Remember that the Spanish Navy has at least 25 helicopters (aboard carrier and frigates) adapted for ASW. Modern sonar would detect any sub many miles away and modern torpedoes are lethal.
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miro777
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Post by miro777 »

hey

ok after all these facts, i wiill change my opinion

i rather think it's gonna be a draw (if u can call it like that)

the Spanish have superior weapons.
but as mentioned they might not have enough missles and then there are gonna be sooooo manyy subs, that those 25 helis can't take them out all at once, so they can shoot at at least few ships
therefore i think the USN is going to have heavy losses at first and then
either withdraw or
when the spanish run out of missles go for it and sink the entire fleet.
I think it's more realistic to say that the USN will withdraw and then would get hunted by the airplanes of the Spanish Navy.

so the odds turn to the spanish side.
Spain wins.

adios
miro
Die See ruft....
Bgile
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Post by Bgile »

The Spanish would run out of weapons and then they would be destroyed. One Fletcher class destroyer could defeat a Spanish Frigate in a gun battle. Now add 200 more, along with 50 cruisers, 50 carriers, 25 battleships, etc.
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