[microgood]

We keep carriers pretty close to ports and shore these day but in the 1980s the carriers stayed pretty much out in the middle of the Indian Ocean, far out of the range of land based missles or smaller vessels. Out there, the only way to get a carrier is with a sub, or from the air, the latter of which the carrier should not allow. In fact, when they are out there, they are extremely hard to find to begin with.

And since carriers can outrun any vessel when doing flight ops or even cruising.

But even when they are out in the middle of the ocean, they can project a devastating amount of power from those jets, and all the firepower they can load and reload on them.

[FreeInWV]

Yep, projecting power is what they are good for. My concern are new threats like the cruise/anti-ship missile carrying shipping containers that the Russians are peddling.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_Firm_Denies_Club_K_Missiles_Could_Be_Used_By_Terrorists/2027728.html

They could change peaceful shipping lanes into warzones, where every ship or port is a potential ambush.