I quite agree, the modern CV/CVN battle group is probably one of the largest military power projection forces in the world, with air launched arrays of weapons capable of 600 nmi delivery ranges on the a/craft, and add in the additional 50-85 nmi range of the weapon itself - and the fact that a Nimitz class carries 28 planes capable of launching 2-4 AGM-88A Harpoons each, that is a punch. That same strike package can also carry and deliver 6-10 500 pound Laser guided bombs, each plane, and that is a significant amount of moving and shaking that is going to happen.
Sadly the navies of the world are already losing sight of the fact that 20-50 aircraft and their weapons are dime over dozen cheaper than losing a ship in combat to King Neptunus Rex. Every navy seen is now working with smaller shipping armed exclusively with medium and long range SAMs rather than effective fighter-borne weapon systems, to protect the carrier strike force from airborne damage. The same Nimitz -class retired the only aircraft with AWG-9/Phoenix, in favor of a much reduced range and less-capable (and slower- so easier to avoid and spoof) AIM-120 AMRAAM launched from F/A18 D/E models (themselves inferior fighter aircraft).
The CVBG makes the CVN the center of its formation for a reason. It is the largest floating target on the ocean today, and the easiest for self-guided munitions to locate and hit. Whether this is the CoChin (ex-Kuznetsov) ; the Nimitz/Roosevelt classes, the Clemenceau class, the now retired Ark Royals, or the smaller and numerous CVHs such as the Viraat and Vikrant, Principe de Asturias, and so on - makes no difference.
The Churchill class sub that put the General Belgrano down at Falklands with a twin torp hit is really the only modern image we have of what might befall an armored WW2 era ship with modern torpedoes. Hence the prompting of this thread.
