Aircraft Carriers: Are They Obsolete and a Waste of Billions of Dollars?
Story by Kris Osborn • Yesterday 8:03 AM
The question as to whether long-range precision Chinese and Iranian anti-ship missiles make aircraft carriers obsolete and simply too vulnerable to operate is cited so often that it has almost become somewhat of a cliche. However, the claim is as commonly mentioned as it is inaccurate. The suggestion that carriers are too vulnerable to operate in that kind of threat environment lacks critical context and arguably ignores impactful variables.
Yes, the existence of anti-access/area-denial weapons with range and precision sufficient to threaten carriers 1,000 or 2,000 miles offshore presents a dilemma the Pentagon has likely been taking quite seriously. Upon initial examination, it might appear that such threats would potentially force carriers to operate beyond the ranges from which the vessel’s aircraft can project power and attack land targets, yet there are other essential elements to this equation.
There are several lesser or underrecognized elements of aircraft carrier survivability, which have been evolving quickly with US Navy weapons developers, scientists, and innovators, such as new “layered” carrier defenses and the emergence of the unmanned MQ-25 Stingray carrier-launched refueler drone. The carrier-launched Stingray drone can enable deck-launched aircraft to essentially double their combat radius and be refueled in flight to extend air attack ranges.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/aircraft-carriers-are-they-obsolete-and-a-waste-of-billions-of-dollars/ar-AA1947Aq?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=32c2a1f15de74560a4a200f981af9755&ei=107
