BUT IS IT POSSIBLE TO ATTACK AND SINK A NUCLEAR AIRCRAFT CARRIER?

Aircraft carriers like the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln never operate alone. They are protected by a highly sophisticated set known as Carrier Strike Group (CSG) — in Portuguese, Grupo de Ataque de Porta-Aviões.

Here is the complete protection apparatus:

🛡️ 1. Escort ships (main defense)

🚀 Cruisers with AEGIS system

Example: Ticonderoga class

Function:

Long-range air defense

Intercept enemy missiles

Ballistic missile defense

Main armament:

SM-2, SM-3, SM-6 missiles

Tomahawk (land attack)

Torpedoes

Extremely powerful radar:

Can detect targets over 500 km

🚀 Destroyers (frigates)

Example: Arleigh Burke class

They are the main guardians.

Functions:

Air defense

Defense against submarines

Defense against ships

Armament:

Tomahawk missiles

Anti-aircraft missiles

Torpedoes

Cannons

🐋 2. Attack nuclear submarines

Example: Virginia class or Los Angeles

Function:

Hunt enemy submarines

Spy

Destroy enemy ships

They operate in hiding.

They are extremely lethal.

✈️ 3. Air defense with fighters

The aircraft carrier itself launches:

F/A-18 Super Hornet

F-35C Lightning II

Functions:

Intercept enemy aircraft

Destroy missiles

Defend the group

Range: over 700 km

📡 4. Radar aircraft (AWACS)

Example:

E-2D Hawkeye

Function:

Flying radar

Detect threats over 600 km

It is the "eye in the sky".

🔥 5. The aircraft carrier's self-defense

Even being giant, it has its own weapons:

CIWS (Close-In Weapon System) systems

Example: Phalanx

It is an automatic machine gun that fires:

4,500 rounds per minute

To destroy:

Enemy missiles

Aircraft

Drones

Sea Sparrow and RAM missiles

Short-range missile defense.

🌊 6. Electronic warfare

System capable of:

Deceive enemy radars

Confuse missiles

Create false targets

📊 7. Typical complete protection structure

A Carrier Strike Group has:

• 1 Aircraft carrier

• 1 or 2 cruisers

• 2 to 4 destroyers

• 1 nuclear submarine

• 70 to 90 aircraft

Total:

👉 More than 7,500 military personnel

⚠️ 8. Layers of defense (most important concept)

Layered defense:

Submarines – invisible defense

Destroyers – intermediate defense

Cruisers – long-range defense

Aircraft – distant interception

CIWS – last defense

🧠 9. Why is it so difficult to destroy an aircraft carrier?

Because it is:

Surrounded

Protected

Monitored

One of the most protected targets on the planet.

📌 10. Impressive curiosity

The entire strike group can monitor an area the size of:

👉 An entire country like Portugal