Should The U.S. Build Large (Or Small) Aircraft Carriers?

The USS Gerald R. Ford (Photo by Mark D. Faram)

Mark D. Faram and Geoff Ziezulewicz, Navy Times: What should the Navy's future carrier fleet look like?

The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford — the most expensive warship in history — was commissioned on July 22, entering the fleet amid renewed debate and questions about the role of “super carriers” in 21st century maritime warfare.

Does the sea service need more Goliaths like the Ford, or would smaller, cheaper “light carriers” be better able respond to the geopolitical realities of today?

On the light carrier side of the debate is the amphibious assault ship America, a new class of warship currently steaming across the Pacific on its first regularly scheduled deployment. While the big-deck amphib is not long enough to embark a full carrier air wing, it can deploy with a tilt-rotor V-22 Ospreys and will soon be able to carry F-35B Joint Strike Fighters.

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WNU Editor: The carrier debate continues.