In theory, one of the upshots of the Millennium Challenge was the recognition that these asymmetrical attacks can and do work against larger and higher-value targets. And its not like Van Ripen was the last guy to use these tactics. Somali pirates operate the same way when targeting large merchant vessels. The Houthi Rebels have been extracting an enormous price from their Saudi-backed Yemen overlords through asymmetrical warfare. The US has conducted plenty of war games since, and we've developed a host of countermeasures - primarily in the fields of drone warfare and electronic espionage - to extend both our sensory range and power projection capacity.

There's still a question of range, positioning, targeting, and all the countermeasures to the above to be considered when talking about taking out a high value naval target. Its not like the US Navy is just going to beach a frigate or carrier and let the enemy take pot-shots.

That's not to say a nation with as sophisticated a military as China or India or even Iran couldn't pull this off. And there's a ton of risk in concentrating so much value in such a fragile piece of hardware. But the power-projection capacity of a floating fortress can't be underestimated. The US projects much of its power internationally through its network of military bases. And carriers are, at their heart, floating military bases.

Even as simple support craft, they offer a huge benefit to an invading or defensively reinforcing operation.