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Posted on 08/29/2025 9:29:57 AM PDT by Retain Mike
Admiral Samuel Paparo authored a powerful, yet succinct message: “The carrier is still indispensable.” Citing the unparalleled magazine capacity and reload-at-sea capability, mobility as an enabler to survivability, and the fact that carriers have continually adapted to threats through time (and budget cycles.
Relying predominantly on distributed networks and assets without proximate “nodes” in vicinity compounds the challenges. Each node or layer of a disaggregated system of systems introduces its own vulnerability and set of variables that an adversary could exploit. For an unmanned system commanded remotely, the vehicle requires satellite coverage throughout its route. It also requires the weather at various points to be conducive to signal propagation, and these signals are sensitive to atmospheric interference. A UAV flight in the western Pacific with operators in Florida may have to cancel because weather at Norfolk’s Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station is bad. Without the presence of a proximate “mother node” (carrier), that complexity is increased.
To recapitalize and retain its warfighting advantage against aggressor nations such as China, the Navy must continue to build and evolve its carrier force. New technologies, such as electromagnetic catapults and directed-energy weapons, and new aircraft, including fifth- and sixth-generation strike fighters and unmanned systems, will keep the Navy’s carriers as relevant and lethal in future conflicts as they have been in the past. Contrary to those who say their days are numbered, aircraft carriers will continue to be the major offensive arm of the Navy.
(Excerpt) Read more at usni.org ...
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I pray that we will have effective defensive countermeasures to hypersonic missiles and stealth/drones to ensure that new tech doesn’t render them sitting ducks against a real enemy.
I think the Aircraft Carrier is not obsolete until one gets sunk by missile or drone attack (or something else like a space laser). Until it is actually defeated, it’s one of the most formidable weapons we have.
Well said Mike.
Multiple lasers and rail guns I thinkmare whats needed for the future. Multiple defense and offense layers.
Space-based kinetic weapons would be darned hard to defend against, too.
As we all know, the battleship lost its preeminent position early in WW2. Yet the US found a use for battleships well past then - the Iowa wasn’t finally retired until 1990.
I suppose the same situation will hold with aircraft carriers.
If they can sink one, they can sink them all.
We need a new sort of Carrier—one that just launches drones. No more “Top Gun” manned planes. We also need the Battleship armed with rail guns, lazers, rockets, and big guns. Armored to take a beating and still fight. Maybe combine the battleship and carrier? The Japanese tried this in WW II—at the end. Both were as successful as could be expected at that stage of the conflict.
> Maybe combine the battleship and carrier? <
As a matter of curiosity, during WW2 some countries combined the submarine and carrier.
The large Japanese I-400 class submarines could carry three aircraft. Good for scouting, I guess. Each could also carry a single bomb.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_aircraft_carrier
There was no known successful use of them.
“ I pray that we will have effective defensive countermeasures to hypersonic missiles and stealth/drones to ensure that new tech doesn’t render them sitting ducks against a real enemy.”
Best defense is a great offense. Never let the enemy get a chance to fire their weapons.
“The term ‘Panamax’ refers to a type of vessel which is of a size and specification specifically designed to pass through the Panama Canal. The maximum dimensions of Panamax vessels are set to ensure they can pass through the canal’s smallest lock. These are:
Length: 294 metres (965 feet)
Width: 32.3 metres (106 feet)
Draft: 12 metres (39.5 feet)
Capacity: 65,000 to 80,000 dwt”
https://www.clarksons.com/glossary/a-guide-to-bulk-vessel-sizes/
USN Panamax Carrier One might go to sea with USN Panamax Rust Bucket 32 and USN Panamax Rust Bucket 47.
They might shift places under an aluminum foil ‘window’ cloud.
A converted merchant ship with ten aircraft might be protected from the sides by two converted merchant ships with just defensive weapons.
Consider the possibility of 10 ship triads carrying a total of 100 aircraft. The triads might also be supported by command, radar and electronic warfare ships.
“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
My problem is this:
We are all fighting the last war.
not the next.
Seeing what is going on in the Russian
vs. Ukraine war, has seen an entirely new
kind of warfare for example.
US navy is our biggest asset.
We are innovating, however we are using old
ideas of warfare. Subs, Aircraft carriers,
and supporting ships.
Suppose someone develops a drone
that is a autonomous hunter-killer?
A small nuclear war head can kill an
aircraft carrier.
I could develop such a weapon, I assure you
someone is working on it.
At some point, technology will make
war obsolete.
which is a great thought!
I fully support our military.
I’m not some peace-nick.
USAF Vietnam era, for more than 5 years,
keeping Americas Nuke armed
aircraft at the ready
I’m a retired engineer, and I understand
Computers and “High Tech”.
Robots aren’t that hard to make.
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