Do We Need Aircraft Carriers? -- A Commentary

PACIFIC OCEAN (March 16, 2008) - Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) takes position in the final formation for a photo exercise for Expeditionary Strike Force (ESF) exercise. The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is currently participating in an ESF with the Essex (LHD 2) Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG). The ESF exercise is designed to test the ability of the Strike Groups to plan and conduct multi-task force operations across a broad spectrum of naval disciplines. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Joseph Pol Sebastian Gocong

From Forbes:

How the Obama Administration could save $100 billion.

Throughout the presidential campaign both candidates repeatedly pledged to ax wasteful spending from the federal budget. Now that the economic crisis is putting further pressure on outlays, will President-elect Barack Obama make good on his promise?

When it comes to spending on the Defense Department's biggest boondoggle, the answer is a definitive no.

Over the next few decades the Pentagon is planning to spend more than $50 billion on its Gerald R. Ford class of aircraft carriers. The first of these 100,000-ton ships is due for completion in 2015, with others following as vessels in the existing 12-carrier fleet are retired. Since aircraft carriers are near helpless without a protective ring of about ten destroyers, frigates and cruisers, the military wants to invest in newer versions of these, too, at a cost of an additional $50 billion.

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My Comment: Aircraft Carriers have always been big priority targets in all major conflicts. They were in the Second World War 65 years ago, and they will be in any major war today. The reason why they are high value targets is not because they are big, it is because they are "very" effective in any conflict.

The only replacement to an aircraft carrier fleet are bases in other countries. But these are not cheap alternatives, and they themselves are vulnerable to terrorism, restrictions on how to operate in a host country, and can be easily targeted by any hostile country.