U.S. Navy's Aircraft Carriers are 'Floating Airbases' (Or Floating Coffins?)
Summary and Key Points: As global geopolitical tensions rise, the role of U.S. aircraft carriers is being questioned due to their increasing vulnerability and high costs. Critics argue that these massive ships are susceptible to attacks from advanced anti-ship missiles developed by adversaries like China and Russia.
-The emergence of hypersonic weapons further threatens carrier survival. While the Navy's new technologies, such as the MQ-25 Stingray drone, aim to extend the operational range and safety of carriers, no robust alternative has yet been developed.
-The Navy’s newest Ford-class carriers, with their cutting-edge features, continue to be built despite the hefty price tags and potential risks. Until a viable alternative emerges, aircraft carriers will remain a critical component of U.S. naval power.
The Debate Over Aircraft Carriers: Expensive Assets or Vulnerable Targets?
The ability to launch dozens of fighter jets at a moment’s notice from virtually anywhere on the oceans is undeniably important. But some analysts argue that the role of aircraft carriers is quickly declining. Critics claim these hefty ships are increasingly vulnerable to attack and extraordinarily expensive to build and maintain.
Geopolitical tensions are rising around the globe, and the possibility of a great power war in the future is very real. As U.S. adversaries build up their inventories of unmanned aerial vehicles and ship-killing missile arsenals, American carriers could be more susceptible to attacks. Opponents of the carrier urge finding an alternative. But while new technologies are on the horizon, the Navy does not yet have a solid alternative to aircraft carriers.
Challenged Supremacy for Aircraft Carriers
Since the Cold War, the U.S. military has enjoyed largely unchallenged supremacy in the seas. With far more aircraft carriers in service than any other nation, the U.S. can deploy military might in support of its interests at any time.
Recently, though, the threat arena has shifted, and great power competition is the new norm. Both China and Russia are working to develop hypersonic weapons programs that can evade the air-defense systems currently in use by the U.S. Beijing specifically claims that its DF-21D and DF-26 anti-ship missiles are warship killers. These advanced weapons are much cheaper and easier to replace than aircraft carriers.
In order to survive these new threats, analysts argue that carriers must change their approach. The development of the Boeing MQ-25 Stingray could help massive carriers like Nimitz-class ships stay out of the reach of China and Russia’s new anti-ship missiles.
This carrier-launched drone will be able to refuel fighter jets midair, extending their range. If carriers can remain farther from shore and out of range of these anti-ship missiles, they have a better chance of surviving a coordinated attack.
No Alternative on the Horizon for Aircraft Carriers
The Navy’s most modern aircraft carrier series is the Ford class.
Intended to replace the service’s existing Nimitz warships one by one, the new carriers will be fitted with cutting-edge technologies like the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System.
The lead ship of the class, the USS Gerald R. Ford, first deployed in 2021. An additional three carriers are planned to join the Ford in the seas over the next few years.
The lead ship of the class took longer than a decade to build and came with a staggering $13 billion price tag. Critics of the carrier worry that the price is too high if this ship can simply be destroyed by a missile or a drone when a war arrives.
While supposed aircraft carrier-killing weapons have become more readily available to U.S. adversaries and assorted non-state actors, the aircraft carrier is not totally defunct. Until the Navy develops a robust alternative, its fleet of floating airports will continue to sail.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
All images are Creative Commons.