Essex vs. Ford Comparison

Here’s a quick, fun little comparison …
 
The USS Ford, CVN-78, was commissioned Jul 2017, some 76 years after the USS Essex, CV-9, was commissioned in Dec 1942.  The improvements in carrier combat capability over the intervening 75 years must be astounding!  Let’s consider a few of the stunning improvements.
 
Speed
Essex   30+ kts
Ford     30+ kts
 
Hmm … Well, no difference there.
 
 
Range
Essex   16,000 miles at 20 kts
Ford     Unlimited
 
Of course, for operational purposes, 16,000 miles is unlimited range since there are no 16,000+ mile missions so I guess there’s no practical difference there.
 
 
Anti-Air Armament
Essex   90 guns of various types
Ford     5 guns + 2 missile launchers of various types
 
While a direct comparison of anti-air weaponry is pointless, the density of available weapons is quite pertinent and a WWII Essex puts a modern carrier to shame.
 
 
Air Wing
Essex   100 combat aircraft [1]
Ford     44 combat aircraft^a (65 total aircraft counting helos, EW, and AEW)
 
^a Available combat aircraft is around 36 since many are used as tankers
 
Well, that’s surprising.  Today’s carrier seems to have less than half the air wing combat capability of a WWII Essex. 
 

Essex - Greater Combat Value

 

Conclusion
 
Do you find it a little disturbing that the combat capability of our aircraft carriers has not improved since WWII and, in fact, the only really important characteristic, air wing size, has markedly decreased? 
 
Further, when factoring in the construction cost,
 
Early Essex      $40M  ($750M in 2023) [2]
Late Essex        $78M  ($1.33B in 2023) [2]
Ford                  $16B+
 
the Ford represents a staggering decrease in combat value for the dollar.
 
It’s clear that our carriers have become less combat effective over time.  I know that some of the less enlightened among you will attempt to say that a Ford can strike from a longer distance and with more precise, devastating weapons.  Well, first, that’s a reflection of the air wing, not the carrier and, second, that’s an absurd comparison.  The proper way to compare between WWII and today is to do so relative to the time period and the threats that existed during that period. 
 
During the Essex’s time, our carriers overmatched enemy forces, whether ship or land based, by a significant margin.  The 100 aircraft (Hellcats, Corsairs, Avengers) per carrier were far superior to enemy aircraft.  The carrier could operate with near impunity anywhere it wanted. 
 
In contrast, modern carriers are significantly inferior to land based forces (aircraft, missiles, etc.) and we acknowledge that we can’t operate them too near enemy forces.  Our 36 combat aircraft (Hornets) per carrier are, at best, on par with enemy aircraft and, more realistically, a bit less capable than enemy aircraft.
 
Despite nearly eighty years of development, today’s carriers have less combat value than a WWII Essex.  That’s disappointing and a damning indictment of Navy leadership.
 
 
 
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[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_air_wing
 
[2]https://www.patriotspoint.org/news-and-events/carriers-from-heaven-or-how-much-did-they-cost/