After WW2 carriers weren’t checked in peer warfare and were mostly used by US for gunboat diplomacy racket. Few years ago USA conducted wargames which conclusion was that carriers are vulnerable to hypersonic missiles. And some more years before Swedish diesel sub managed to “sink” carrier during NATO maneuvers.
Most likely not, gun boats tend to be pretty damn tough and drones aren’t actually fast or powerful. In fact I’d argue that drones are probably a terrible weapon against a carrier. They’re vulnerable to hypersonic missiles because the missiles can move faster that the boat can shoot them down. Drones are good at being small, quiet, maneuverable, cheap, easy to use, and easy to deploy. None of those things are useful against an aircraft carrier. They have very very broad area of effect anti missile systems and are made of pure armor.
On the other hand they could probably be used to deploy the world’s largest drone swarm quickly anywhere in the world from a well defended position. I don’t think they’re useless yet…
Aircrafts also become amazingly useless when your enemy hits your refuelling planes and you are in a fix now because those were all you had and you stopped making them 50 yrs ago.
Its more hypersonic missiles that have made them obsolete, as of many years ago now. If the US were in an actual war with a country who has them (China, Russia), its entire carrier fleet would be destroyed within a few hours. US military planners even admit this openly.
Are aircraft carriers even relevant anymore? In the age of drones, they seem useful only against enemies who don’t hit back.
After WW2 carriers weren’t checked in peer warfare and were mostly used by US for gunboat diplomacy racket. Few years ago USA conducted wargames which conclusion was that carriers are vulnerable to hypersonic missiles. And some more years before Swedish diesel sub managed to “sink” carrier during NATO maneuvers.
Hypersonic missiles, huh? Do drone swarms not pack enough punch?
Most likely not, gun boats tend to be pretty damn tough and drones aren’t actually fast or powerful. In fact I’d argue that drones are probably a terrible weapon against a carrier. They’re vulnerable to hypersonic missiles because the missiles can move faster that the boat can shoot them down. Drones are good at being small, quiet, maneuverable, cheap, easy to use, and easy to deploy. None of those things are useful against an aircraft carrier. They have very very broad area of effect anti missile systems and are made of pure armor.
On the other hand they could probably be used to deploy the world’s largest drone swarm quickly anywhere in the world from a well defended position. I don’t think they’re useless yet…
Maybe? I guess depend on conditions, afaik so far there has been no confirmed hit of large surface warship by drone.
Aircrafts also become amazingly useless when your enemy hits your refuelling planes and you are in a fix now because those were all you had and you stopped making them 50 yrs ago.
They are great at wasting the entire interceptor stockpile
Its more hypersonic missiles that have made them obsolete, as of many years ago now. If the US were in an actual war with a country who has them (China, Russia), its entire carrier fleet would be destroyed within a few hours. US military planners even admit this openly.