Choose carrier type by the missions it can sustain

Modern flight-deck ships can be classified by operational capacity rather than displacement alone. The examples range from American nuclear supercarriers and the Queen Elizabeth class to Japanese helicopter destroyers and America-class LHDs. A supercarrier can sustain several strike, combat-air-patrol, anti-submarine, early-warning, and rescue efforts at the same time. A fleet carrier offers the same broad suite at a smaller scale, while a light carrier usually concentrates on fewer roles. LPHs and LHDs emphasize assault aviation and landing forces, though some can also support fixed-wing fighters. The useful measure is the set of missions an air group can generate simultaneously, regardless of whether the hull looks like a carrier.