The Chinese have also copied US Navy “dual-carrier” warfare preparation exercises
By Kris Osborn, President, Warrior
The US Navy currently operates with 11 aircraft carriers, yet the geopolitical conditions and threat circumstances confronting the US seems to suggest that perhaps 12 carriers might be a stronger and more effective Navy stance.
The reasons for this are both clear and visible, given the current circumstances in the Pacific, Middle East, Mediterranean and European theaters of operation.
China threat
Most are familiar with the Chinese threat and the pace at which the PRC is building and operating new aircraft carriers. Not long ago the People’s Liberation Army Navy was able to operate as many as three carriers in the Pacific at one time. Its first carrier, the Liaoning and its second carrier called the Shandong, were both on patrol in the Pacific when the PLAN’s next carrier, the Fujian, was at sea doing sea trials.
The Chinese have also copied US Navy “dual-carrier” warfare preparation exercises in the Pacific and operated two carriers together on patrol near the South China Sea to conduct joint, integrated air attack preparation exercises. China is now known to be building a massive 4th Supercarrier anticipated to be the largest carrier ever built. As a result, Combatant Commander demand for carriers in the Pacific is arguably at an all time high, as forward presence would be critical in terms of deterrence and timing in the event of a conflict or suprise take-over of Taiwan.
The threat circumstance in the Middle East is also quite well-known, given threats presented by Iran and of course persistent attacks from the Houthis. Carrier strike groups are of course critical to deterrence, national image and establishing forward presence, yet US Navy Carrier Air Wings also demonstrated unique and tactically substantial value in counter drone and maritime missile defense operations.
Red Sea Threat
Certainly destroyers and cruisers operating in Carrier Strike Groups are well positioned with interceptors, threat detection radar and various layered countermeasures such as lasers, EW and deck-mounted guns, yet the US Navy’s Red Sea experience also showed that carrier-launched fighter jets could be essential to defensive counter-drone and counter cruise missile operations. Not only can fighter jets provide a sensor layer or aerial node beyond the standard radar field of view available to surface ships to detect targets, but they showed in the Red Sea that they could be in position to “take-out,” “destroy,” or “intercept” Houthi drones and cruise missiles with air-to-air missiles. This experience further showed that carriers could bring additional defensive maritime warfare combat maneuvers. Iran is also a major threat in the Middle East, and an ability to hold Iran at risk with the reality of a massive offensive air attack seems critical to deterrence efforts in the region. Carriers are also needed in the Mediterranean as several US carriers were deployed to protect Israel’s shores from further terrorist activity and prevent the Israel-Hamas war to escalate into a wider and much more dangerous conflict.
12 Carriers
These realities serve to underscore the many reasons why the US Navy would be well-served to operate as many as 12 carriers across the globe at one time, as it seems entirely realistic that the US Navy could need to project power and launch massive air campaigns in several different global regions at one time. Also, given their ability to transport 5th-generation F-35C stealth fighter jets into position in any contingency, carriers can help “mass” air attack anywhere in the world. At the moment, the US operates with a large-scale 5th-generation air attack advantage, and a single carrier can transport as many as 50 F-35Cs to high-risk dangerous forward areas.
Also, 12 carriers would make it possible for the US Navy to surge operational forward attack presence because more carriers will be available for deployment. At any given time, carriers will also need to return to port for maintenance or sustainment, and other carriers are unavailable due to mid-life refueling complex overhaul or RCOH.
This essay first appeared in 1945
Kris Osborn is President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University