Is This The End of The Carrier

[slapout9]

The argument of policy vs platform is instructive, would you care to outline which policies should/could/ought be scrapped? I know what I would propose for the UK, but don't really have a handle on the US internal politics. Moreover, isn't policy a Civilian function, into which sticking a Service Oar is loaded with problems?

That is really the problem and I would say it doesn't matter. As Ken White would say we don't do Grand Strategy or Policy by design it is whatever administration in power says it is. It is almost impossible to have a rational policy discussion with a 2 party system because each party wants to and has to claim credit for better policies so they can win elections.

This creates a constant state of confusion for war planners. Which is why they usually stay out of policy recommendations and focus on platforms, which in their defense is about the best they can do. And if they focus on flexible platforms that could be of value to any administration regardless of whether they are liberal or conservative that is about the best that they can do.

Aircraft Carriers despite their vulnerabilities are flexible platforms which is why I doubt they will go away, nor will the Marine Amphibious assault capability for the same reason. So how do you survive a high threat envronment.....build a lot of them and disperse them to ensure that they can survive the initial and sustained missile attack until they can counter-attack and destroy the opposing sides platforms.

One of the early 60's jump jet carrier platforms was literally a single aircraft carrier....one jet per carrier and disperse over a wide area until it they able to concentrate at the landing site. The problem is solvable because it has already been solved.