Not every Flattop is a CV

[decaro]

Why Big Deck Amphibs Can't Replace the Navy's CVNs

"What Is an Aircraft Carrier?

"An aircraft carrier is more than a ship that carries airplanes. In order to effectively employ naval aviation for power projection, an aircraft carrier and its embarked air wing must be thought of as a single combat system. This is a question of fleet design, and it is an important one. To take advantage of the carrier’s mobility (compared to airfields ashore), the design of this system requires that it be able to operate far from land-based support for at least limited amounts of time in contested environments. The design must also account for the wide range of offensive missions required of carriers, especially as 'blue water' surface and submarine threats to naval forces improve ...

"What Is an Amphibious Assault Ship?

"An amphibious assault ship and its embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit is a combat system designed and optimized to project and sustain land power from the sea. This combat system is not designed to control the seas or the skies from which it operates. This mission is left to other parts of the fleet design ..."

OK, even though I'm stuck in a WitP time warp, I understand the distinction, but isn't: "The Congress of the United States requires the Navy to operate and maintain eleven aircraft carriers as a way of executing its responsibility to provide and maintain a Navy" just circular reasoning?

http://www.realcleardefense.com/article ... 07238.html

[Jeffrey H.]

Ya it seems so. Now what ?

[Mobeer]

I'd like to know what the author thinks the Cavour is, or Viraat, or a few other ships that according to the author don't qualify as carriers.

[Twotribes]

My personal opinion is that the US should maintain 16 aircraft Carriers. 2 for the Pacific, 2 for the Atlantic, 2 for the India Ocean, 2 for the Mediterranean,2 in dry dock or maintenance and 6 as back up as needed. Further if a shooting war starts we will lose a carrier or 2 and with only 11 the is no depth of defense.

[CGGrognard]

Isn't it about time we accept that drone carriers should be in the fleet. Imagine a minimal crew to operate the ship while pilots operate the drones from far away places.

[wworld7]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

My personal opinion is that the US should maintain 16 aircraft Carriers. 2 for the Pacific, 2 for the Atlantic, 2 for the India Ocean, 2 for the Mediterranean,2 in dry dock or maintenance and 6 as back up as needed. Further if a shooting war starts we will lose a carrier or 2 and with only 11 the is no depth of defense.

We can!t afford 16. Hrll, we can't even fund 13.

[decaro]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

My personal opinion is that the US should maintain 16 aircraft Carriers. 2 for the Pacific, 2 for the Atlantic, 2 for the India Ocean, 2 for the Mediterranean,2 in dry dock or maintenance and 6 as back up as needed. Further if a shooting war starts ...

We've been in several undeclared "shooting wars" against rogue nations with no navy to speak of and al-Q or its affiliates, so I have to wonder why we need so many CVs to wage asymmetric warfare. After all, this isn't WitP.

Further, our own military claims that we are incapable of waging a two theater war anyway, so why do we need carriers to cover all these regions?

[Twotribes]

Freedom of the shipping lanes is vital to US Security and economy. China is building a naval force, Russia is reemerging as a force to be worried about and India is building a Navy.

We need to control or have the ability to control the sea lanes as a vital national interest.

[decaro]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

Freedom of the shipping lanes is vital to US Security and economy ...

What security and economy? I haven't seen either for years!

[Twotribes]

And you prove you are part of the problem.

[decaro]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

And you prove you are part of the problem.

As an unemployed, service-connected disabled vet who has earned two combat patches, I sure hope the VA doesn't share your opinion of me!

[histgamer]

Perhaps that is your opinion but the US is the 2nd largest manufacture in the world behind only China in terms of annual output, furthermore it is still the largest economy in the world. The distribution of the wealth is a matter for another topic but the fact is the US has vast economic interests with which it needs to use a navy to protect.

However I would argue the minimum force needed is 9 carriers, 1 always on station in ATL and Pac (2 total), 1 preparing for sea (2 total) 1 refitting for each ocean (2 total), 1 ready at all times as a rapid response carrier for ATL and Pac (2 total) and 1 for periodic patrols to other oceans and sectors.

16 would be beyond extravagant.

ORIGINAL: Joe D.

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

Freedom of the shipping lanes is vital to US Security and economy ...

What security and economy? I haven't seen either for years!

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

Freedom of the shipping lanes is vital to US Security and economy.
...

We need to control or have the ability to control the sea lanes as a vital national interest.

Scenario you paint there sounds much like what England had going on some time ago. Great majority of nations are without carriers, and many of them manage just fine.