I'm curious about the US doctrine for anti-shipping attacks 25 years ago -
say, the late 70's/early 80's?


What were the weapons to be employed to lower the target below sea level?
(I'm not so much interested in the use of ARMs, but rather the
larger-explosives designed to let water in or start toasty fires.)


Anti surface warefare is a interesting mission. It all depends is the best
answer. For instance were is the tgt? Do you have to find it? What is the tgt
capibilities for self protection? how soon do you need to sink it? do you have
time to generate a strike package or is it some guys flying around that get
shot at by a tramp steamer? What is the ROE for the area?
So there are a lot of questions to be answered before I can answer your
questions.
The long range stand off weapon is the Harpoon real neat system but maybe
overkill for the Tramp steamer. the next stand off wepon that was the bread and
butter of the A-6 was the skipper. It was a pieced together weapon consisting
of a MK -80 series bomb body with a LGB guidance package in the nose than a
shrike rocket motor shoved up the ass. It is a really neat weapon that I shot
several times it requires training and crew cooridanation but is pretty useful
for folks that don't need to get into the small arms/ point defense weapons
envelope. I don't know if the FAG can employ it. Then high altitude LGB will be
very effective for a permissive tgt. Then Iron bombs. I don't know if the air
deliverd torps could be used against surface tgts. I understand they were for
anti sub stuff.
Sparky