Reply #12: Wrong again, Mark.

[A HERETIC I AM]

What is surprising is the numbers are on the page you linked!

As far as the ones "currently floating", 5 of them are museums and are completely unlikely to ever be refitted for active duty. They are The Intrepid, Hornet, Yorktown, Lexington and Midway.

The others that are still afloat are either on "Donation Hold" or awaiting scrapping. They are Forrestal, Saratoga, Ranger, Independence, and the John F. Kennedy.

The only one listed on the Wiki entry held as "reserve" is the Kitty Hawk and it has been decommissioned and if not called back to service will be scrapped sometime after 2015.

That makes 22 total afloat, NOT 24, 5 of which are not going anywhere, 2 of which are likely to be museums and the rest will be either scrapped or scuttled.

As far as your statement "We have 11 active carriers now, are building and planning as many" goes, show me a link that says we have 11 total carriers in either the planning stages or under construction. Newport News has ONE keel laid (CVN 78, The Gerald R. Ford) which began construction in November of 2009. Only two more are currently planned, CVN 79 & 80. Further carriers will be built as the older hulls are retired. If you think we are heading toward a Navy with 22 active carriers, you would be mistaken.

You are much more easily taken seriously if you don't pull numbers out of your backside.