What special was that? I read “Red Storm Rising” and Clancy had the Ruskies sink a French carrier and knocked out a US one at the opening of the war with Backfire bombers swarming the carrier battle group with cruise missiles and decoys.
Maybe that was it.
With the advance and proliferation of missile technology, even third world rat holes have the ability to destroy an American capital ship. Think asymmetrical warfare and the USS Cole. China is probably just sitting back and enjoying watching the US and Russia military spend themselves into economic oblivion. Then the Chicoms can just pick up the pieces at their leisure.