Air-group sizing starts with the missions the navy wants to keep running. A combat air patrol may require eighteen fighters, while anti-submarine warfare can demand a substantial helicopter force and airborne early warning needs its own rotating aircraft. Persistent support for troops ashore consumes more aircraft than an occasional strike package because the presence over the battlefield must be maintained. Aircraft assigned to strike cannot safely be borrowed from the patrol in a high-threat environment. The total mission demand should determine the carrier's aviation capacity.
Chapter · 24:11-27:49
Build the air group from simultaneous missions
Fighter, strike, anti-submarine, early-warning, and rescue requirements must be counted together before they can determine carrier size.