There are areas aircraft carriers can operate, and areas they should not go. This has been the case since 1941. Aircraft carriers are intended to project power against inferior land opponents or to secure the vast ocean areas.
The idea that one U.S. Navy carrier group, or even several of of them, can operate long in close proximity of a major land power like China or Russia is military suicide.
Describe close proximity. Vs. standoff quick response nuclear strike capability from a time safe defensive distance. This article is a defense consortium’s sales pitch.
It is a carrier GROUP, comprised of many many facets and assets, any ONE of which has more firepower than the applicable supposed superpowers. IF a carrier is so vulnerable, then WHY are the chinee building so many (an inferior ones at that)?
They did against Japan. They took a beating with the Kamikaze’s but stayed and fought them to a standstill. Granted that was with a preeminent industrialize USA. It can be done but at what cost. I think in an air/sea battle with China our submarines would do far more damage than the carriers.
Heck, I always thought operating carriers in the Persian Gulf was crazy, let alone your scenarios.