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Lightning Carriers 2022

LIGHTNING CARRIERS 2022
The concept of the light carrier dates to world war II, where escort and light carriers were given to patrol and destroyer fleets to provide air cover in the vast landless regions of the Pacific. More recently, the concept has made a return with the advent of VSTOL aircraft, allowing smaller carrier platforms to bring air power to bear against the enemy. The US utilized this concept in the middle east, utilizing helicopter carriers loaded with harrier gets, giving them the name "Harrier carriers". Today, the F-35 gives this projection of power a new dimension with stealth capabilities. In 2022, the hypothetical Lightning carrier can come to life.
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The first Chinese-American war in the late 90's and early 2000's did little to cool the tensions in the Pacific. Although the Chinese had been held back and Taiwan and Okinawa were spared, it was only a matter of time before the dragon would show its face again in the world scene. Having learned valuable lessons about the logistics and command infrastructure required for modern warfare, the People's Liberation Army made an astounding resurgence the likes of which have never been seen before. In just a few short decades, China was able to restructure its military nearly from scratch, assuming a much more modernized command framework, with a strong backbone of supplies for the military and modernized equipment and technologies. This new fighting force was soon tested on the ground, where the stronger US navy would have a much smaller impact. Setting their sights on the valuable resource-rich south east Asia, the upgraded PLA had its baptism by fire on the fields of Thailand, where it quickly ran through its opponent, capturing every major city and port down to Indonesia. The Chinese were quick to perform political and economic actions in the world wide stage. Using legitimate and illicit methods, the right hands were greased, and loopholes passed through to allow for the lightning war to be completed nearly in a fortnight. Before the US and her allies could intervene, the line was drawn in the sand.
No leadership in China was foolish enough to dismiss the American threat, of course. They knew that a counterpunch was coming and formed extremely heavy land and sea bastions along the east of Thailand and China to protect their interests in a nearly impregnable wall of fire. What they didn't see coming, however, was a much smaller, faster, stealthier force. A fleet lead by a pair of Australian Canberra-class ships, loaded heavy with American and Australian VSTOL and rotary wing aircraft, was heading up the Indian ocean to stab the Dragons in the back...
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- This scenario follows the 2022 alternate history timeline, featured in my other 2022 scenarios.
- Here we see a coalition of forces not commonly found in the majority of CMANO scenarios. Canberra class LHD's can carry a surprising amount of aircraft. Use every single one of them to attack against a similarly high-tech and capable opponent!