Late-Cold-War Iowa-class battleships formed the centre of surface action groups partly in response to the Kirov class. Their guns were formidable, but escorts were still needed to give the battleship freedom to reach and attack its targets. Carrier groups likewise combined the carrier's air wing with fighters and escorting ships that created layers of security. That supporting force made the relevant comparison the utility of two whole task groups, not a battleship against a carrier in isolation.
Chapter · 12:14-13:22
A battleship still needs a task group
The reactivated Iowas needed layered escorts, inviting a direct comparison between a battleship surface action group and a carrier group of similar cost.