The Future of U.S. Naval Power: Rapid Aircraft Carrier Production and Shift to Submarines

While discussions on the U.S. military often focus on historical battles and strategic doctrines, it's crucial to remember that the United States is a nation capable of mass and rapid production. In the event of a conflict, the U.S. Navy could assemble a fleet of aircraft carriers with remarkable speed and efficiency. It is a common misconception that building such carriers is a lengthy and cumbersome process.

Rapid Production Capabilities

When the call to arms is given, America's military prowess shines through its industrial capacity. In a crisis scenario, the U.S. could construct up to 12 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in just 18 months, each capable of deploying 35 to 40 aircraft. This rapid production capability is a testament to the advanced manufacturing and engineering infrastructure nurturing the U.S. military.

Trends in Modern Warfare

With the evolution of missile guidance systems and the proliferation of cheap drones, the traditional design of aircraft carriers is being scrutinized. In an increasingly missile-centric battlefield, a single Ford Class supercarrier might be rendered obsolete by a swarm of 1000 drones and missiles. The efficiency and versatility of drones make them a formidable threat to even the most advanced carriers.

Battle groups also face a significant threat from tactical nuclear weapons. A single nuclear weapon can incapacitate an entire task force, underscoring the need for innovative and resilient naval strategies.

The Shift to Underwater Assets

The future of the U.S. Navy lies not just in carriers and surface ships, but in submarines. The Silent Service, the U.S. submarine fleet, carries more firepower than the rest of the surface fleet combined, making it a crucial element of naval power. In addition to traditional torpedo and missile capabilities, underwater aircraft carriers utilizing unmanned drones could emerge as cutting-edge technology.

Reevaluating Surface Combatants

While the allure of modernized battleships (BB) remains, their practicality in today's conflict scenarios is questionable. The lack of knowledgeable personnel, spare parts, and ammunition render these large vessels obsolete. The true value of the battleship lies in its armor and deck space for mounting weapons and sensors, providing a powerful air defense cover for carrier task forces.

Repurposing a battleship for modern combat would be a significant challenge, as the current power plants, ammunition, and main gun barrels are no longer available. Instead, the upper deck could be modified to house air defense systems, both guns and missiles, with some modifications to the rear barbette turning it into a protected vertical launch system (VLS) well.

This shield for the carrier would force enemy forces to engage it directly, absorbing hits without becoming too damaged to continue combat. This strategic approach ensures the carrier, the backbone of naval power, remains protected and functional in the heat of battle.