Aircraft carriers engage at range because they're high-value targets themselves and they need to stay at range. If you produce 100 small boats (I'm thinking to

Aircraft carriers engage at range because they're high-value targets themselves and they need to stay at range. If you produce 100 small boats (I'm thinking torpedo-boat size), each of which carry a few thousand cheap drones with a 5km range, then you can do 90% of the job of an aircraft carrier for 10% (or less) of the cost.