American resistance to small carriers follows directly from its naval aviation doctrine. The desired result is maximum strike potential and the greatest practical reach for the carrier air group. A large flight deck allows aircraft to land, rearm above deck, and launch again without every cycle depending on movement through the hangar. A large hangar preserves more aircraft for later launches and gives the ship greater aviation depth. Large hulls follow from how the United States expects to generate air power, rather than an arbitrary taste for size.
Notable Point · 25:50-27:07
Deck and hangar capacity in US carrier doctrine
American preference for large carriers follows a doctrine that maximizes strike reach, flight-deck throughput, and the number of aircraft available to launch.