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Even if the United States has fallen into decline in absolute economic and military terms, China may have crested early and plunged into yet steeper decline. In that case, the margin between the contestants would widen even if both countries were on the wane. If that’s how Xi Jinping & Co. size things up, they might order the People’s Liberation Army into action while China

Advances in technology have made aircraft carriers vulnerable to enemy fire once again. Anti-ship missiles can now reach and challenge the air defense of an aircraft carrier group. This development could change the face of war in a potential conflict between the U.S. and China in the Indo-Pacific.

The U.S. Navy’s carrier strike groups face increasing threats from advanced missile technologies, such as Russia’s Kh-47M2 Kinzhal and China’s DF-26 and DF-21 "carrier-killing" missiles. Staying out of range of these missiles is a serious problem 

China's People's Liberation Army Rocket Forces (PLARF) possess the DF-26B intermediate-range ballistic missile, known as the "Guam Killer," capable of reaching U.S. facilities on Guam.

Despite the U.S. Navy's heavy investment in its aircraft carrier fleet, including the advanced Gerald R. Ford-class, their vulnerability to Chinese anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities poses a significant threat.

In 2007, a Chinese Song-class diesel submarine showcased its stealth by surfacing within torpedo range of the USS Kitty Hawk during a US Navy exercise, demonstrating the vulnerabilities of American naval power.

Ukraine’s drones have taken a heavy toll on Russian ships and ports, offering valuable lessons in asymmetrical warfare.

The DF-26B allows China to target US Navy warships operating near regions China considers to be within its sphere of influence. This capability means that all those expensive US Navy warships—notably aircraft carriers—will be vulnerable to attack from the DF-26B. The DF-26B carries the nickname “carrier killer.” 

The Third Taiwan Crisis in 1995-1996 exposed China to the strategic dominance of U.S. aircraft carriers, marking a turning point in Chinese military planning.

Beijing’s three existing carriers do not hold a flame to Washington’s eleven, making the need for carrier-killing missiles - that can sink U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, in theory -  much more important.