Claims Of Aircraft Carrier Vulnerability Are False, But The Versatility Is Real (From Forbes)

There has been a persistent drumbeat of concern since the Cold War ended about the supposed vulnerability of the U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. The nature of the threat and the likely perpetrators change over time, but somehow the danger to the carriers is always there–at least in the minds of some pundits. It turns out, though, that the carriers aren’t really as doomed as some claim. In fact, Pentagon analysts who want to reorganize the Navy are turning away from the vulnerability thesis as a rationale for change. That’s progress, but it seems that many around Secretary of Defense Mark Esper still don’t grasp the versatility and value of large-deck, nuclear-powered carriers. So I have written a commentary on the subject for Forbes here.