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Carriers as weapons really are technology for the previous century's war. Carriers as mobile military bases are still very useful for projecting power.
by pclmulqdq 4y ago
Carriers as weapons really are technology for the previous century's war.
Carriers as mobile military bases are still very useful for projecting power.
- jeffbee 4y agoThat does not seem at all obvious to me. It's a big, slow, easy target. Yes you can use them to project power into, say, Sierra Leone, but not against China. None of the expensive and fragile missile defense systems have a demonstrated history of doing anything useful.
- depereo 4y agoYou can project power hundreds to thousands of miles forward of a land mass or established base by using a carrier. Even operating it in a very cautious manner affords a great deal of tactical advantage you would not otherwise have available.
- hollerith 4y agoThe top speed of a US nuclear-powered carrier is secret, but it is known to be able to do 40 knots easily, which is not slow for a ship.
- jeffbee 4y agoIt's not a boat race. State-of-the-art anti-ship missiles may hit mach 5 in their terminal phase. Also a carrier that outruns its escort is an even softer target, and no other craft in a carrier group can keep up with the carrier's max speed.
- pclmulqdq 4y agoProjecting power is about bringing weapons to places where you want to blow stuff up, not about necessarily having a frontline fortress. That's why US military bases are everywhere (and nearly unfortified). An actual war with China will be a global affair. The aircraft carriers don't need to get in range of the missiles to bring airplanes, food, and hospitals to somewhere there is fighting. Practically, the bases in Japan are going to be the main hubs for forces fighting near China, not aircraft carriers.
- swagasaurus-rex 4y agoAir bases don't move at all. From a tactical standpoint they're much less useful than a carrier that can stay out of the range of all but the most expensive missiles.