Summary: The utility of traditional aircraft carriers is being reevaluated in light of technological advancements that enhance their vulnerability, especially against potent Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) strategies employed by adversaries like China. The USS Gerald R. Ford exemplifies the pinnacle of carrier technology but also highlights the financial burden, with each Ford-class carrier costing approximately $13 billion. The U.S. Navy's commitment to maintaining a fleet of 11 supercarriers implies a total expenditure exceeding $140 billion, prompting discussions on more cost-effective alternatives. The "Lighting Carrier" concept emerges as a viable solution, leveraging amphibious assault ships equipped with F-35B Lightning II jets. These ships offer a cost-efficient means to project power with reduced risk, costing around $2.5 to $3.5 billion each. This approach could sustain the U.S. Navy's global presence while mitigating the financial and tactical vulnerabilities associated with traditional supercarriers.
Aircraft carriers are some of the most expensive weapon systems in the world and bring unparalleled capabilities to the battlefield.
The U.S. Navy has the most and best aircraft carriers in the world, with 11 major ships and several smaller warships that can double as light aircraft carriers in an emergency.
However, advancements in technology have made aircraft carriers more vulnerable to the point of raising questions about their utility on the modern battlefield.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the latest and most advanced aircraft carrier in the world, came with a price tag of $13 billion.
Each new Ford-class aircraft carrier will cost around the same. If the Navy intends to maintain a fleet of 11 supercarriers—Congress would have to agree for any number less than that since there is a law that requires 11 big flattops—that means the aircraft carrier fleet will cost the Navy more than $140 billion.
Naturally, some might argue that that kind of money should be invested elsewhere and not on warships that carry a big target on their back.
The Chinese military has been regularly hosting training exercises in which it tries to sink simulated American aircraft carriers. Beijing understands that flattops can bring unparalleled firepower to the battlefield and tries to find perfect ways to contain or sink them. In terms of containment, the Chinese military has been investing heavily in a potent Anti-Access/Aerial Denial (A2/AD) that uses long-range munitions and other systems to restrict adversary movement in a particular area. Simply put, a potent A2/AD umbrella would make the risk of using aircraft carriers in the waters around Taiwan and the South China Sea too big.
To be sure, the U.S. military possesses potent long-range strike capabilities that could counter or take out Chinese systems. But that would only lessen, not erase, the risk to America’s aircraft carrier fleet in the waters around China.
The best alternative would probably be to diversify the aircraft carrier fleet.
The Navy has already been experimenting with this idea under the “Lighting Carrier” concept. This idea pairs amphibious assault ships—warships that look like aircraft carriers but are smaller and are intended to support marine operations—with specialized aircraft that can operate from smaller surfaces.
In the past, the AV-8B Harrier fulfilled that role, but now, the F-35B Lighting II stealth fighter jet brings unparalleled upgrades. The “B” version of the fifth-generation stealth fighter is a Short Take-off, Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft that can take off and land like a helicopter but still operate like a fighter jet.
Compared to supercarriers like the Ford class, “Lighting Carriers” cost only a fraction, with a price tag of approximately $2.5 billion per warship (the first three ships cost $3.5 billion).
As such, they carry a much lower risk to the battlefield, and the Navy would be more likely to throw into permissive or semi-permissive waters.
This alternative would allow the military to maintain its global force projection capabilities.
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP. Email the author: [email protected].
How the U.S. Navy Can Save the Aircraft Carrier
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07.03.2024
Summary: The utility of traditional aircraft carriers is being reevaluated in light of technological advancements that enhance their vulnerability, especially against potent Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) strategies employed by adversaries like China. The USS Gerald R. Ford exemplifies the pinnacle of carrier technology but also highlights the financial burden, with each Ford-class carrier costing approximately $13 billion. The U.S. Navy's commitment to maintaining a fleet of 11 supercarriers implies a total expenditure exceeding $140 billion, prompting discussions on more cost-effective alternatives. The "Lighting Carrier" concept emerges as a viable solution, leveraging amphibious assault ships equipped with F-35B Lightning II jets. These ships offer a cost-efficient means to project power with reduced risk, costing around $2.5 to $3.5 billion each. This approach could sustain the U.S. Navy's global presence while mitigating the financial and tactical vulnerabilities associated with traditional supercarriers.
Aircraft carriers are some of the most expensive weapon systems in the world and bring unparalleled capabilities to the battlefield.
The U.S.........
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