Enduring whether naval hegemony of the US?

It is considered that the naval power of the United States is indestructible. Perhaps, in the heyday of his power and the Soviet Union had a chance to create problems the US Navy at sea, but the Soviet Union for nearly three decades as non-existent, and the current Russian him greatly inferior. It seems that the 284 surface ships, including 10 aircraft carriers and 22 nuclear missile cruisers, plus 72 nuclear submarines (including 14 nuclear ballistic missiles) - it is a force to resist that nothing in the state. However, a retired lieutenant general of the Marine Corps Paul Van Riper demonstrated how all this is not the case. In August 2002, on the ground in Nevada and California were organized maneuvers "Millennium Challenge 2002". As conceived by the Pentagon, they are supposed to work out the actions of the army and the US Navy in the conditions of modern threats. Teachings included as practical actions "in the field", and computer modeling. In total in war games attended 13.5 thous. Persons and modeled three carrier strike groups and amphibious compound Marines. For the "blue" played the US for "red" - a kind of imaginary country in the Persian Gulf, similar to Iraq or Iran. Van Riper was invited to command the "red". As conceived exercises, "blue" did everything to ensure victory. Disabled on the territory of the "red" work GPS, scored communication interference and presented "red" ultimatum of surrender means a requirement of 24 hours. However, the old Marine has demonstrated enviable stubbornness. At first, his decision is ironic. No reliable radio? We will transmit orders by couriers on motorcycles! Crammed interference with the navigation channels airfield equipment? Plant aircraft on airfields and possible light signals. This technology is still in the 50s worked successfully. Mosquito fleet "red", and the other they did not have, along with many small fishing boats in the Strait of Hormuz has arranged a game that after 12 hours operators AEGIS could not say exactly where the boats were and "something similar to mine thrown into the sea ", and where - no. When a little later the ships joined light aircraft, including combat training "Sparky" commanded "blue" General Peter Pace was forced to pull the air cover the ships closer to the aircraft carrier order. Ironic jokes about mindless flickering "red" abruptly stopped at the 18th hour of exercise when the "red" dealt a sudden blow to the combined "blue" literally everything they had. Boats with crews of bombers. Coastal missile systems. Roy anti-ship missiles (similar to the P-15 "Termite") with boats and aircraft. And even two diesel submarines "red" found worthy work. The simulation showed that the fire control system connections - AEGIS - so many goals was completely overloaded and hung. "Blue" with the late response, and did not have time to raise the air carrier aviation. Ship missiles ships managed to bring down less than a third of missiles. The result had been sunk a nuclear aircraft carrier, ten cruisers, destroyers and frigates, five amphibious transports and landing helicopter. In total, two-thirds of the fleet "blue" on the bottom left, the others received various injuries. One of the diesel boats managed virtually no problems to work on three goals. Second - two. Both boats have not been attacked by antisubmarine defense . Should that happen, in reality, the Navy and the US Army for the day of the battle would be lost in the Gulf to 18 thousand people. On those teachings happened much more interesting. There was even ordered "all beat" and "return drowned ships buoyancy" and repeat all over again, but this time to the "red" turned their radars for their destruction unhindered cruise missiles "blue", and do not stray transport helicopters delivering infantry forces ashore. In the end, angered by this, Lieutenant-General Van Riper refused to continue to participate in this mess and generally resigned. The problem lies in the fact that beliefs about the invincibility power aircraft carriers based on the outcome of the battles ended more than sixty years ago. Since then, no one seriously rechecked. While there, Paul Van Riper checked. And showed that the carriers are very well drown. It turns out that with an indisputable American naval hegemony in the United States there have been serious problems.