Are U.S. Aircraft Carriers About to Become Obsolete? ( Source- The National Security / Author- James Hasik)
USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78) ( Image source- Wikimedia Commons / Credits- United States Navy) Source- The National Interest Author- James Hasik Ever since I was a midshipman—way back under a Navy Secretary named Lehman—pundits, analysts, and strategists have been wondering whether the US Navy’s supercarriers are too big. And so again in 2015. The new Ford-class ships are a few billion more expensive than their Nimitz predecessors, and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain is worked up about that price. The Navy and Newport News Shipbuilding argue that the cost is merited, as the newer ships promise more sorties per hour than those in the fleet today. Even so, Sam LaGrone of USNI News reports that the “Navy is Conducting an Alternative Carrier Study”. He quotes Navy Secretary Stackley, in testimony before McCain’s panel, telling of how the service wants to know Is there a sweet spot, something different other than today’s 100,000 ton carrier that woul