Carrier air wings lost range when specialist aircraft disappeared

Were carrier-based ASW aircraft as effective as land-based aircraft during the Cold War?

They were effective within size limits, but the later carrier air wing lost substantial reach when several long-range specialist aircraft were retired.

Ship-based anti-submarine aircraft remained effective within the limits imposed by their smaller size. The deeper problem was the carrier air wing's contraction around the Hornet family. Retiring the A-6 Intruder, S-3 Viking, and F-14 Tomcat removed specialised strike, anti-submarine, and interception capabilities. Those retirements also shortened the distance at which the carrier group could find and attack threats. The lost reach came from the air wing's composition rather than the carrier hull itself.