# anti-access/area-denial

Why Missiles Alone Won't Topple a Carrier: What the Escalating US–Iran Standoff Reveals About Modern Naval Power

Rising tensions between the United States and Iran have rekindled debate over whether long‑range ballistic missiles can neutralize U.S. aircraft carriers. While intercontinental missiles serve strategic deterrence, they are ill suited to hit moving naval formations; the real threat to carriers comes from more targeted anti‑ship systems and asymmetric tactics in confined waters. The standoff highlights a shift in naval competition: carriers remain central to power projection, but must be defended and complemented by new doctrines and technologies to remain credible in contested littorals.