The current aircraft carrier under construction is the first of the FORD class. It really isn’t that revolutionary. It is still nuclear, two reactors just like the NIMITZ class. However, they are trying to implement the electromagnetic catapault onto the flight deck, so that they can store the energy required to launch planes in capacitors, instead of using steam which causes power spikes on the reactor itself. Also this would allow reduce manning. The size and the aircraft capacity is virtually unchanged. However, instead of building a new carrier every 5 years, it will be every 7 years. The first one will be commissioned in 2015. What is funny is that the last commanding officer of this ship will be old enough to be my great grandson.
It's still bloated!
Why not have smaller jeep carriers that can be built in more quantity than bloated supercarriers acting as live deathtraps for 5000 servicemen and -women?
FDR authorized mass construction of escort carriers during WWII, and they worked effectively.
Here's another problem: Seaplanes are hardly to be found in sight of today's U.S. Navy, as compared to WWII through to the '60s. Where have they gone?