Imagine the near future where ocean resources are even more depleted and China dispatches its "coast guard" to protect a fishing fleet strip mining the EEZs of PNG, Solomons, Fiji etc
A battery of ASMs quickly flown in might provide the proper intimidation factor to prevent the situation escalating.
And give time to resolve the situation through other means.
Or if it blows up, the muscle to back our allies.
I know some will say the battery itself is an escalation.
But i fail to see why if China, Russia etc; threaten force to get their way, there are many who will just shrug and except it, but if a western aligned country threatens to reply to that force with force of its own the same people deem that to be a dangerous provocation.
A battery of ASMs quickly flown in might provide the proper intimidation factor to prevent the situation escalating.
And give time to resolve the situation through other means.
Or if it blows up, the muscle to back our allies.
I know some will say the battery itself is an escalation.
But i fail to see why if China, Russia etc; threaten force to get their way, there are many who will just shrug and except it, but if a western aligned country threatens to reply to that force with force of its own the same people deem that to be a dangerous provocation.