Reply #144: Navy carrier fighters forgotten in discussion (carrier on standby)

[mouse7]

There is always a carrier task force off the East Coast on standby for anti-submarine duty. That carrier task force was there on standby on 9/11 because it was routed to NY and on station off the coast of NY within 24 hours. You cannot get a carrier task force on station off NY from a standing start at it's home pier in anything less than a coupke of days. You have 5000 sailors who have families that must be gathered from all over town, food to load up, etc.

Now a carrier task force on standby means fighters and anti-sub aircraft warmed up and ready. Just because the Cold War is over doesn't mean that nuclear missile subs and attack subs have disappeared. Carrier task forces on standby have their full combat allotment of ammunition on-board.

F-18s are dual use aircraft. They are good at both air combat and conducting strikes against a host of targets. F-18s would have been part of the allocation of aircraft that were warmed up on standby. They could have had 4 armed Hornets over the Pentagon within a minimum of 15-20 minutes after an order was given.