The US Navy has a proud tradition and record. Yet its senior officers have been hidebound in tradition. The best example are the “Battleship Admirals” who would not or could not accept the primacy of air power in coming wars. Many brave young American sailors died in WW II when the Navy had inadequate numbers of aircraft carriers in the initial stages of the Pacific war’
Today those battleship Admirals still hold power. They are living in an era of advanced technology. Ship locations can be pinpointed and targeted from space, drones and stealthy aircraft. Ships can be attacked by stealthy missiles, air craft and drones as small as seagulls. The people controlling these largely unmanned lethal weapons will be unseen, far from the battle in a secure bunker. Face it. Editors may be afraid to print the truth but the era of surface combatants is over. Cannot see how an Admiral could send 15-20000 Sailors and 5-10,000 Marines into harms way on surface ships and sleep well. Time for the Navy to make a major reassessment.
The author of the article is trying to counter the recent naval report recommending capping the carrier numbers and building more smaller vessels.