“If things go tactical nuc then the whole world is probably a cinder and the navel war is moot anyway.”
You are correct. My point about Carriers is they are most potent weapons against an unsophisticated enemy. They can project force across oceans. This was demonstrated during the Gulf Wars. They were formidable.
Against a sophisticated enemy such as Russia or China the equation is simple. We cripple and or sink all their capitol ships as they do ours. As you alluded to, this will lead to total thermonuclear war. No winners in that game.
Way too simplistic of an analysis.