Western countries held a meeting on the future strategy of the Navy in Paris, the capital of France. The participating countries all have aircraft carriers, each with its own characteristics: the United States nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the United Kingdom's conventionally powered aircraft carrier, France's small nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Italy's small conventionally powered aircraft carrier, and India's glide jump carrier. China, although it has a large number of aircraft carriers, was not invited to participate.
The meeting focused on the future development of aircraft carriers. The aircraft carrier is not only a symbol of maritime power, but also a symbol of the strength of the country's navy. The U.S. Navy has a wealth of experience in the use of aircraft carriers, with a total of 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. The U.S. Navy's USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier is carrying out missions in the Red Sea, including bombing Houthi camps and intercepting incoming missiles and drones.
Nevertheless, the US Navy is worried about the future of aircraft carriers. French Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Nicolas Waryol emphasized the importance of carrier maneuverability, while Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Franchetti noted that despite the carrier's power, new threats in modern warfare, such as satellite jamming, electronic jamming, drones, anti-ship missiles, and hypersonic missiles, have weakened the carrier's advantage. She believes that the safety of aircraft carriers must be given top priority.
In the waters of East Asia, the US Navy may face a formidable adversary. China has comprehensive capabilities, including satellite reconnaissance, electronic jamming, drones, aeronautical anti-ship missiles, and anti-ship ballistic missiles, enough to pose a threat to the U.S. Navy. This has left Western countries questioning the safety and value of aircraft carriers in the region.
Sir Ben Key of the British Navy asked the question: "Why is China building aircraft carriers?" "The reason for China's construction of aircraft carriers may be in response to pressure from Western countries. Although aircraft carriers cost a lot of money, for a big country like China, aircraft carriers are an important tool for safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. China's aircraft carriers will not be used for global deterrence, but will focus on protecting national interests.
Both these Western countries and India recognize the importance of aircraft carriers for the future navy, but how to effectively use them in the new threat environment remains a challenge. Although the aircraft carrier's capabilities are strong, if it cannot adapt to the new strategic environment, its safety still cannot be guaranteed. The future of aircraft carriers will depend on how they adapt to these new challenges.