Coral Sea (June 14, 2005) Ð The conventionally powered aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) receives fuel during a replenishment at sea from the Royal Australian Navy auxiliary oiler replenishment ship HMAS Success (AOR 304). The guided missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63) and the guided missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) trail astern. Kitty Hawk is currently operating in the Coral Sea off the coast of Australia’s Queensland region as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2005. Talisman Sabre is an exercise jointly sponsored by the U.S. Pacific Command and Australian Defense Force Joint Operations Command, and designed to train the U.S. Seventh Fleet commander’s staff and Australian Joint Operations staff as a designated Combined Task Force (CTF) headquarters. The exercise focuses on crisis action planning and execution of contingency response operations. U.S. Pacific Command units and Australian forces will conduct land, sea and air training throughout the training area. More than 11,000 U.S. and 6,000 Australian personnel will participate. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class William H. Ramsey (RELEASED)
Aircraft carriers have long been the centerpiece of naval strategy, signifying both the strength and reach of a nation’s maritime forces. Yet, as they have dominated the seas since World War II, their vulnerability in the face of emerging threats has increasingly come under scrutiny.
This debate has resurfaced with critics questioning whether the United States Navy’s reliance on these behemoths is a strategic misstep in the era of advanced anti-ship weaponry.
The role of the aircraft carrier in the 21st century continues to be multifaceted—force projection, protection of sea lanes, support for ground operations, and more. There’s no denying that these floating airfields have been pivotal in extending U.S. naval power globally.
The vulnerability of carriers is not a theoretical discussion. Exercises have shown that even allied submarines, like a French Rubis-class sub, can slip through a carrier’s defenses and land a simulated lethal strike on a vessel such as the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The reality is stark: the very symbol of naval dominance could be at risk in a high-stakes conflict.
ARABIAN GULF (Oct. 01, 2014) The amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) pulls alongside the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) for a vertical replenishment (VERTREP). George H.W. Bush is supporting maritime security operations, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Lieutenant Juan D. Guerra/Released)
Despite the challenges, the U.S. Navy remains committed to its aircraft carriers, understanding their vital role in military strategy.
USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (April 14, 2000) — USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7) are on a routine six-month deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean. Eisenhower is a nuclear powered aircraft carrier. U.S. Navy photo by PhotographerÕs Mate 3rd Class David E. Carter II. (RELEASED)
As the sea service states, carriers are essential for defending American interests globally, a sentiment underscored by recent deployments such as the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) to the Red Sea to safeguard commercial shipping lanes.
The conversation around carriers also touches upon their design and the balance of power they wield. With a legacy reaching back to the USS Langley (CV-1) commissioned in March 1922, carriers have evolved through epochs of creation, experimentation, and adaptation.
From countering kamikaze attacks to Soviet long-range missiles, these vessels have consistently proven their adaptability.
The latest Ford-class supercarriers represent the pinnacle of this evolutionary journey, incorporating technological advancements such as the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), designed to maintain their edge for decades.
Philippine Sea (June 18, 2006) – Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike groups, break away while the Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike group continues to sail ahead following the photo portion of Exercise Valiant Shield 2006. Valiant Shield focuses on integrated joint training among U.S. military forces, enabling real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces and in detecting, locating, tracking and engaging units at sea, in the air, on land and cyberspace in response to a range of mission areas. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer’s Mate Todd P. Cichonowicz (RELEASED)
Facing these modern threats, the Navy must consider how to adapt further. Suggestions range from diversifying the fleet with smaller, more agile and less expensive vessels to investing more heavily in submarine capabilities.
These alternatives might offer increased offensive flexibility and reduce the risk of catastrophic loss in case of a successful strike on a supercarrier. Yet, it’s clear that the abandonment of carriers is not imminent, nor advisable.
ARABIAN SEA (April 13, 2007) – An SH-60F Seahawk, from the “Eightballers” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 8, hovers in the air as Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) transits through the Arabian Sea just prior to flight operations. John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group is on deployment in support of Maritime Security Operations (MSO). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ron Reeves (RELEASED)
The future may hold a transformed carrier force—one that integrates unmanned platforms, long-range weapons, and advanced data processing systems.
Such a force must be capable of operating effectively within the complex tapestry of modern naval warfare, where the lines between sea, air, land, and cyber domains blur.
SAN DIEGO (July 29, 2009) The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 transits into San Diego prior to mooring at Naval Air Station North Island. Nimitz is preparing for a 2009 regularly scheduled Western Pacific Deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Philip Wagner Jr./Released)
In essence, carriers must evolve just as they have in the past, balancing the need for immense power projection with the growing need for stealth, agility, and networked operations.
The United States Navy cannot envision a fleet without these symbols of naval might, just as the Army cannot do without tanks or the Air Force without bombers.
Relevant articles:
– Could The U.S. Navy Exist Without Aircraft Carriers?, The National Interest
– The 50-Year Dilemma In Aircraft Carrier Design and the Future of American Naval Aviation, Center for International Maritime Security
– The Future of U.S. Naval Power: Submarines vs. Aircraft Carriers, The National Interest
– The US is not serious about aircraft carriers—or their industrial base, Defense One