The U.S. Navy's Aircraft Carrier Dominance Could Go Up in Flames

Summary: In 2018, a retired US Navy captain predicted a grim future for America's aircraft carriers, asserting that the US Navy's dependence on these vessels could lead to a significant loss in combat, especially given China's advancements in anti-access/area denial capabilities. With the US already facing global military challenges and a shift in warfare technology, the loss of an aircraft carrier could limit US military response options and necessitate a strategic pivot towards developing weapons capable of countering A2/AD threats. "The only way the US Navy divorces itself from the aircraft carrier cult is if it loses one in combatwhich it's going to, very soon, if things keep going at this rate." Those prophetic words were spoken to me by a retired US Navy captain way back in 2018. The aircraft carrier is, without a doubt, the greatest symbol of US military power to date. Most of America's aircraft carrier fleet are comprised of the Nimitz-class, with the new Ford-class being the replacement for these systems. Carrying dozens of potent warplanes, reconnaissance aircraft, and possessing a suite of other important military capabilities, the aircraft carrier is America's most prominent power projection platform. Rather than continuing spending exorbitant sums of tax dollars on a wasting asset, like the aircraft carrier, why not redirect those funds into weapons that can overwhelm the A2/AD capabilities of China? Once those A2/AD systems were neutralized the Navy could bring its flat tops into the fight.