Dr. Jerry Hendrix from the Center for a New American Security has tabled three options in his paper on carrier-borne strike capability for the U.S. Navy in years to come.
![CRdKNTQXIAAN7_h[1]](http://alert5.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/CRdKNTQXIAAN7_h1.png)
Graphic: CNAS
The most radical option is to scrap the F-35C program and switch to a new unmanned combat aerial vehicle. More Super Hornets will be bought to cover shortfall in the short term before a new unmanned strike aircraft comes online. Hendrix suggests 16 UCAVs for each carrier, 12 strike aircraft supported by four unmanned tankers. This arrangement will give the carriers a long-range strike capability that was lost after the Cold War.
[thumb]http://www.cnas.org/retreat-from-range#.ViWe5ivCl1B[/thumb]