Claims that carriers are obsolete sit uneasily beside China's continued construction of carriers and other naval forces. Missile threats make layered defences necessary, while embarked aviation remains useful enough to justify new ships. China is also building from a relatively new force structure, with fewer inherited equipment and organizational commitments constraining its choices. That clean-sheet advantage can accelerate growth, while the lack of a long carrier tradition leaves open questions about likely combat employment.
Notable Point · 54:45-56:31
Why China still builds carriers in a missile age
The continued growth of China's carrier force suggests that missile threats change carrier operations rather than making embarked aviation irrelevant.