Aircraft carriers more vulnerable than ever, and hypersonic weapons could make risks outweight firepower
WASHINGTON – As long as they serve usefully in that role, nations will seek means to neutralize them. Aircraft carriers have proven remarkably flexibly, serving in one way or another for nearly a hundred years. The National Interest reports. Continue reading original article
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
4 Dec. 2019 -- From the USS Forrestal on, the U.S. Navy supercarrier has existed in basically the same form since the 1950s, and is expected to continue operating into the latter half of the twenty-first century.
Still, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), cyber warfare attacks, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and hypersonic weapons are making the aircraft carrier increasingly vulnerable.
At some point, the game will be up; carriers will no longer pack the offensive punch necessary to justify their vulnerability. It’s not obvious when that day will come, however; we may find out only after the destruction of one of the Navy’s prize possessions.
Related: The new era of high-power electromagnetic weapons
John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics
