Wartime service: During Operation Desert Storm, Keating was deputy commander, Carrier Air Wing 17, participating in combat operations in from the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga.

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They lack the firepower to inflict any serious damage to an LCS (Littoral Combat Ship) or a carrier but they are perfect for slipping through and hitting a platform.

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Thus, delaying carrier construction would allow some near-term cost avoidance, but over the longer term the service would end up paying more for each carrier and other combat systems such as the Virginia-class attack submarine.

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Ironically, there are rumors of flagging Navy support in recent budget deliberations for a program that could effectively provide U.S. carrier battle groups with several means for mitigating these missile threats: the Navy Unmanned Combat Air System (N-UCAS).

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Maintenance required for the ship, and the training required to keep the crew combat ready, are also essential considerations that have been studied and refined over the history of aircraft carrier operations.

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