The value of a carrier cannot be measured only against the cost of defeating incoming missiles. A state must first decide whether the operation still requires air power and then whether a dependable ally will permit a regional base. Even with political access, the base must be constructed and supplied at the necessary scale. If any part of that chain fails, a mobile airfield at sea retains strategic utility. Carrier vulnerability and carrier usefulness can therefore coexist rather than cancel each other out.
Notable Point · 53:24-54:35
Why mobile sea-based air power still matters
The case for a carrier ultimately depends on whether a state can rely on, build, and sustain a land air base near the operation.