The US Navy tends to resist small carriers because it usually wants a carrier to do several jobs at once. Combat air patrol generation shows why four aircraft in the air can imply many more aircraft cycling through alert status, maintenance, and reserves. Eighteen aircraft provide four groups of four plus two spares, so a modest continuous presence consumes most of a squadron's available structure. Carrier displacement and aircraft capacity must be connected to mission endurance rather than treated as prestige numbers.
Chapter · 1:02:01-1:06:24
Carrier size follows mission math
A small-carrier discussion turns into practical air-group math: how many aircraft are needed to sustain combat air patrol, strike, and other missions.