Aircraft Carriers: Now Just As Obsolete as the Battleships? The American naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan explained just how much he thought naval tactics were impacted by technological progress in his famous 1890 volume, The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783.
One of the dichotomies he theorized was that, due to new weapon systems, “from time to time the structure of tactics has to be wholly torn down but the foundations of strategy so far remain, as though laid upon a rock.”
The Aircraft Carrier Age Over?
One of those “rocks,” as it were, has been the continued use of large naval vessels by the major sea powers of the world.
While the battleships have all been retired as outmoded and oversized relics, modern navies still operate aircraft carriers, guided-missile cruisers, and missile defense platforms like the Aegis-class cruisers and destroyers.
Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles (ASBMs) are now presented as the new threat to the United States and other allied navies, particularly since the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) have put so many resources into building this class of missile system.
One of the favorite themes of so many articles on the vulnerability of US aircraft carriers is the ability of the Chinese to sink one of them using their most modern ASBMs.
What Does it Take to Sink an Aircraft Carrier?
Some of the growing fear (some might call it hysteria) over claims about the PLAN’s ability to sink carries is exacerbated by some of the US Navy’s lesser adversaries. These include non-state actors, like the Houthi rebels.
The truth is that the Houthis have an unsophisticated arsenal that is not likely ever to pose a threat to a major US capital ship.
Interviewed in 2024, the USS Eisenhower’s commander, Capt. Christopher “Chowdah” Hill derided the claims by the Houthis of being able to sink or even significantly damage a carrier—calling them “almost comical” in an interview he gave to the Associated Press at the time.
A more realistic assessment of how difficult it is to sink a US carrier has come from analysts looking at how many missiles Soviet naval planners thought would be necessary to do the job. Some of these writings posited that it would require 12 hits from either cruise missiles or other missile types to disable a large US naval vessel.
Another Russian article from 2019 estimated that a far higher number of missile and/or torpedo strikes would be needed to achieve any measure of success. Their “graduated” assessment is that 1 to 3 missiles could cause superficial damage, which would likely be easily repaired.
From six to eight missile strikes would cause serious damage, and at least 20 missiles would be needed to destroy a US flattop.
“Ship, Shipmate, Self…”
But the same Russian writings also discuss the fact that US Navy crews are training at sea almost 24/7 for the eventuality of a hit on the ship by hostile ordnance and are more than prepared for almost any kind of an emergency.
“Ship, Shipmate, Self” is a well-known phrase used throughout the Navy. It is intended to inculcate sailors to always use all their training in times of casualty or emergency. The number one priority is to save your ship. Once this possibility has been prevented and there are no chances of further damage to your ship, you then focus on your shipmates.
The same Russian analysts also point out that the crews aboard these ships are not casual or inexperienced “first responders.”
Every sailor on board an aircraft carrier, reads the article “is a professional firefighter. On the carrier itself there is ample fire-fighting and sapper equipment, including armored tractors, [the latter] with which you can dump burning aircraft overboard” if necessary.
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 29, 2019) The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) conducts high-speed turns in the Atlantic Ocean, Oct. 29, 2019. Gerald R. Ford is at sea conducting sea trials following the in port portion of its 15-month post-shakedown availability. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Connor Loessin/Released)191029-N-YW238-1322
US aircraft carriers also maintain multiple and redundant systems and design features so that any explosions on board are contained within a defined area. These include bulkheads that permit ships to take hits and keep functioning and are designed to protect vital systems like the catapult launching system.
“The Americans learned from those disasters and battles with the Japanese Empire” during the war, reads the Russian assessment, and are well prepared for fires and explosions.
“Aircraft carriers like the Nimitz have an automated and very powerful flight deck irrigation system that can turn a flight deck into a real Niagara Falls in seconds.”
The Russian author concludes, “The aircraft carrier has tremendous survivability but, of course, is not invulnerable. In order to cause significant damage to an aircraft carrier, you need to use a lot of strength, because only multiple hits can disable it, while the aircraft carrier itself will not give up so easily.”
Words for those who think the carrier is such an easy target to ponder.
NORFOLK (July 22, 2017) Sailors man the rails of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) during its commissioning ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. Ford is the lead ship of the Ford-class aircraft carriers, and the first new U.S. aircraft carrier designed in 40 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Andrew J. Sneeringer/Released)
About the Author: Reuben F. Johnson
Reuben F. Johnson is a survivor of the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and is now an Expert on Foreign Military Affairs with the Fundacja im. Kazimierza Pułaskiego in Warsaw. He has been a consultant to the Pentagon, several NATO governments and the Australian government in the fields of defense technology and weapon systems design. Over the past 30 years he has resided in and reported from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Brazil, the People’s Republic of China and Australia.
