Carriers below a particular size or capability threshold are not automatically useless. Kuznetsov-class ships displace far less than a Nimitz-class carrier and cannot match its scale, but they still provide a useful suite of aviation capabilities. Even ships descended from the same design differ enough in displacement, machinery, and aviation arrangements to resist a single specifications table. Evaluation should begin with operational needs and doctrine rather than a single idealized carrier model.
Notable Point · 48:29-49:16
Carrier capability must be judged against the mission
A carrier need not equal a U.S. supercarrier to matter; the relevant question is whether its air wing and support systems fit the fleet mission it was built to serve.