Precision Naval Fires in the Age of Information Superiority: Is The Day Of The Carrier Over

摘要

In the coming age of Information Superiority, there are those who question the United States Navy's continued focus on the big-deck aircraft carrier. Advanced cruise missiles, strategic bombers, Air Expeditionary Forces (AEFs), and distributing aviation onto smaller, more numerous carriers have all been proposed as options to the expensive and presumably ever more vulnerable big-deck carrier in the future. However, there are problems with each of these proposed alternatives to the aircraft carrier. There are continued weaknesses in the ability of even advanced cruise missiles to attack several types of targets. Cruise missiles will continue to be a complement to, not a replacement for, air power. Relying solely on land-based air power has proven to be too risky, as access denial, overflight restrictions and other constraints have seriously limited the capability of land-based air to respond in many crises in the past. The size of the big-deck carrier gives her both independent operating capability and improved survivability over smaller carrier designs. Future carriers will need to be the same size or larger than the current Nimitz class or risk reduced capability and effectiveness. Joint Vision 2010 outlines the requirements for future force capability. In order to attain the vision as described in all scenarios, the Navy will need to maintain the capability of the big-deck carrier, and continue to operate a minimum of 12 carrier battle groups in 2010 and beyond.