USS Enterprise illustrates an American carrier model repeatedly refined through operating experience. An illustrative choice between two 60,000-ton carriers and three 40,000-ton carriers shows why equal total displacement does not mean equal cost. Propulsion and command systems cost much the same on each ship, so adding hulls duplicates major expenses. Even if the smaller ships require fewer personnel overall, each still needs senior officers and experienced ratings. A larger air wing has more engineers, spares, and reserve aircraft, reducing the pressure to keep a defective machine flying. Those advantages help sustain the range and firepower around which American carrier doctrine developed.
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Why larger US carriers gain operating efficiency
Large carriers spread fixed costs across more aircraft and retain enough spare machines and specialists to sustain demanding sortie cycles.