The US Navy Needs More Than 11 Aircraft Carriers…But Won’t Get Them
The United States Navy currently has 11 aircraft carriers. That is impressive, to say the least.
That is more than the combined fleets of China, the UK, France, India, Spain, and Italy.
The Navy also operates nine amphibious assault ships, so-called “helo-carriers” that do have a small contingent of F-35s.
The US Navy Is Required By Law To Maintain 11 Aircraft Carriers:
By law, the US Code, specifically 10 USC § 5062, mandates that the US Navy maintain at least 11 operational aircraft carriers in its fleet.
That number was to be cut to 10 with the planned decommissioning of the USS Nimitz this spring, but that was later delayed until 2027, when the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) is scheduled to enter service.
Lt. Nicholas Eppler, from Exeter, Calif., directs flight operations as an F-35C Lightning II assigned to the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 launches from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Oct. 25, 2021. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability through alliances and partnerships while serving as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
However, the number of deployed carriers is normally about five, sometimes six, with the others being in port for maintenance and upgrades. U.S. aircraft carriers are heavily overtaxed, facing a combination of long-duration, intense deployments, significant maintenance backlogs, and an aging fleet that limits the Navy’s ability to meet global requirements.
These pressures are compounded by high-tempo missions, such as those in the Red Sea, and the strain of operating with a smaller fleet. However, despite debates over whether aircraft carriers are survivable in modern war, aircraft carrier strike groups and naval power are the single most versatile and maneuverable elements of the United States’ power projection.
America’s Ford-class aircraft carriers are built to anchor sea power for decades, but the industrial base meant to sustain them is under heavy strain. Maintenance backlogs, too few dry docks, worker shortages, aging shipbuilding infrastructure, and inconsistent funding are stretching repair timelines and disrupting deployments.
US Aircraft Carrier OPTEMPO Strains The Readiness Of The Fleet
Carriers are frequently deployed for extended periods, leading to high-tempo missions that strain both ships and crews, as seen with the USS Harry S. Truman’s 2025 deployment.
The operational tempo (OPTEMPO) of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers is severely overtaxed, driven by an increased demand for global presence and, more recently, aggressive operations in the Red Sea and Mediterranean.
The fleet is stretched far too thin, forcing ships into longer, more frequent deployments that lead to maintenance backlogs, technical failures, and crew burnout.
USS Gerald R. Ford, And Its 9-Month Deployment:
The USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group, after operating in the Red Sea, have been part of an aggressive, intense campaign that pushes the limits of new technology. This high pace has caused technical issues, such as severe plumbing failures in the ship’s sewage system, with crews working 19-hour shifts to manage repairs.
A $1.8 billion maintenance backlog, as noted in a 2022 GAO report, means ships are spending more time in shipyards.
The Ford is currently in Croatia after leaving Crete, undergoing repairs for a fire that took place in the ship’s laundry service area that injured two sailors and forced at least one hundred sailors from their sleeping quarters.
The Ford has been at sea on its current deployment for nine months. It took part in the Venezuela operation to oust strongman Nicolas Maduro and then was involved in the Iran air campaign until the fire on March 12.
PHILIPPINE SEA (May. 13, 2022) An F-35C Lightning II assigned to the “Black Knights” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314 launches from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability through alliances and partnerships while serving as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Michael Singley) 220513-N-MM912-1002
Seventy-five percent of planned maintenance periods for aircraft carriers and submarines were completed late between 2015 and 2019, with an average delay of 113 days for carriers, the GAO reported.
“The USS Gerald Ford has been deployed since last June and was previously in the Caribbean, ahead of the January operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. That has led to one of the longest deployments in Naval history, and that, according to a new report in the Wall Street Journal, is beginning to take a toll on sailors and their families.”
The high-stress environment, combined with long, back-to-back deployments, has led to decreased morale, with some carriers reporting, “sailors describe fatigue… and rising frustration”. Meanwhile, the supply chain is working overtime to maintain the necessary logistics.
USS Harry S. Truman Still Operating After A Collision:
A case in point of this backlog involves the USS Harry S. Truman. Eight months after a February collision with a cargo ship in the Mediterranean, the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman continues to operate with visible hull damage.
The Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) transit the Atlantic Ocean June 4, 2020, marking the first time a Ford-class and a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier operated together underway. Ford is underway conducting integrated air wing operations, and the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group remains at sea in the Atlantic as a certified carrier strike group force ready for tasking in order to protect the crew from the risks posed by COVID-19, following their successful deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Riley McDowell)
The Navy has deferred complete repairs until the ship’s scheduled mid-life Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH), expected to begin sometime in 2026. This kind of issue is unacceptable on the Navy’s power-projection platforms.
Aging Fleet & Reduced Numbers:
The fleet is at its smallest since WWI, forcing the Navy’s existing carriers to work harder. This issue is exacerbated by the scheduled retirement of the USS Nimitz.
The USS Nimitz (CVN-68), the US Navy’s oldest active nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was scheduled for decommissioning and retirement in May 2026 after over 50 years of service. The vessel was on its final deployment, traveling from Washington state to Norfolk, Virginia, for dismantling and defueling. However, that retirement was delayed until 2027, when the USS Kennedy is scheduled to be commissioned.
That retirement would have cut the Navy’s carrier fleet from 11 to 10. However, only about half of those are at sea at any given time; the rest are in port undergoing scheduled maintenance and upgrades. That’s where the maintenance backlogs truly hurt fleet readiness.
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) departs following a replenishment-at-sea with fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO-187) during Operation Epic Fury, March 18, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo)
The Navy is currently too small to maintain the operational tempo required to match the Chinese Navy (PLAN) in the Indo-Pacific, leading to dangerous overextension. Coupled with the current deployment of three carriers off Iran, the fleet has been left overextended.
Budget & Construction Issues:
The immense cost of building and maintaining carriers, such as the $13.3 billion per-ship cost for the Ford-class, limits the ability to expand the fleet, making it difficult to replace older ships.
The US shipbuilding capacity has significantly declined since the Cold War, struggling with workforce shortages, aging infrastructure, and a reliance on a limited number of specialized yards.
Shipbuilding programs are consistently over budget and behind schedule, with some ships facing delays of up to three years. Collaboration with allies like Japan and South Korea could help address shipbuilding challenges.
With the US building larger ships and its shipyards geared toward them, Japan and South Korea could take up the mantle of building smaller vessels, such as corvettes and frigates.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87) transits alongside the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush in the Atlantic Ocean, Feb. 21, 2026. The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group is at sea training as an integrated warfighting team. Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) is the Joint Force’s most complex integrated training event and prepares naval task forces for sustained high-end Joint and combined combat. Integrated naval training provides combatant commanders and America’s civilian leaders highly capable forces that deter adversaries, underpin American security and economic prosperity, and reassure Allies and partners. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jayden Brown)
The Threat Environment Is Constantly Evolving:
New threats from hypersonic missiles and anti-ship missiles that Russia and China possess have many analysts worried that the age of the aircraft carrier is ending and that they are more vulnerable than ever.
But reports have surfaced that Iran fired 50 of the much-ballyhooed Chinese CM-302 anti-ship missiles at American carriers in the Gulf, and that they were either all shot down or destroyed on the ground.
Still, many argue that the future of the US Navy lies in smaller, cheaper combat ships and smaller drone-based carriers to keep pace with China’s rapid naval growth.
The Navy has always believed that “preventing wars is just as important as winning wars,” and that this required forward deployment of power-projection capabilities in the form of carrier strike groups. But our demands have outstripped our abilities, and the cracks are beginning to show.
PACIFIC OCEAN (Jan. 24, 2026) – U.S. Navy Lt. Patrick Urrutia, left, and U.S. Navy Lt. Jg. Gabriela Patrick depart a U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler attached to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129 on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Jan. 24, 2026. Theodore Roosevelt, flagship of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9, is underway conducting exercises to bolster strike group readiness and capability in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Cesar Nungaray)
Eleven Aircraft Carriers Are No Longer Enough To Meet Our Needs:
Eleven carriers were deemed sufficient by Congress and the Navy to meet the requirements of a world without today’s “near peer” power competition. This won’t be sufficient to preserve American naval superiority for much longer.
China now has three carriers, including one modern one, and is building its first nuclear-powered carrier that will reportedly be the largest ever built. It plans on having six carriers in the Pacific by 2035.
Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) leads guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) prior to conducting an air power demonstration. The air power demonstration showed the capability of Stennis and Carrier Air Wing 9 to service members’ family and friends who were invited to get underway with the ship. Stennis is returning to the United States after a 7 month long deployment promoting peace, regional cooperation and stability, and supporting the global war on terrorism.
The current 11-carrier fleet barely meets the Navy’s two-hub fleet requirement. The Navy should actually have another two, perhaps three or four more carriers, but it can’t afford to build them, nor does it have the surface ships required to round out a carrier strike group.
The Navy needs the carriers for deterrence as much as for actual combat operations. Because it is always more economical to prevent a war than to actually fight one. But the US shipyards are in no shape to be building that many carriers and surface ships.’
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About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
