Sure. And the Japs had Zeros before 1941, and they didn’t sink the Prince of Wales before then.
Not sure what it proves that our carriers have transited the Hormuz for years.
The British dreadnaughts transited the Indian Ocean and Pacific for decades, before 1941, that didn’t prove they were invincible to air attack.
Until they were sunk. My point is, sometimes these paradigm shifts in the use of sea power don’t become evident until ships are aflame and sinking.
Until then, they are thought invincible.
I was responding to post that we shouldn't put carriers into that area because it was too confining.
Given that we had been doing it for years during times of war, I didn't agree with that point.
HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse were sunk by level bombers
(Betty, Sally) not Zeros.
And that is why in a true SHTF scenario you'll see our Carriers head for Blue Water. They are unchallenged there.
With the Stennis transiting OUT of the Gulf it makes action more likely.
When you see Carriers on the news and hear of them in the littorals, it's all about showing the flag and daring the adversary.
The price of sinking a CVN is nuclear war in ALL scenarios.