To me it seems as if the defense of carriers too often consists of avoiding a real debate on the value of aircraft carriers.
Critics of the modern aircraft carrier too often focus only on the alleged vulnerabilities of the ship and fail to address the role of the carrier air wing. [emphasis in original]
Um, no. In what alternate world do people worried about carrier cost and survivability fail to consider the planes--the very purpose of carriers?
The problem is that the carrier debate involves debates over apples and oranges. The age of the carrier is not over for power projection missions against weaker states. Other than for air defense and ASW if held further back behind the surface ships and subs, the age of the carrier is ending for sea control missions.
Except when sea superiority is achieved by other assets. Then the carriers with their planes can be used like old-style cavalry to run down the survivors. And for power projection missions against a weakened peer.
