Adding aircraft changes a missile cruiser's design demands

Fixed-wing aviation is proposed as an optional addition to the helicopter cruiser. Short-takeoff and vertical-landing aircraft can operate without a ski jump, though a ramp improves efficiency and permits a heavier takeoff load. Installing a ski jump is considered simpler than supplying an electromagnetic launch system. One counterargument is that a future cruiser equipped with powerful radar and directed-energy weapons would already need substantial electrical generation. On that assumption, launching a light aircraft might require a smaller additional increase in generation than expected, but the launch machinery and heavy electrical distribution would still consume tonnage. This is a speculative design comparison, with no worked aircraft-launch installation.