An aircraft carrier is a military asset of unbelievable caliber, as it can provide a mobile launch platform for fighter jets anywhere on the planet, bringing what is effectively an air base directly anywhere on the face of the Earth, provided it is still positioned in international waters. As a result, nations across the globe will go to great lengths to ensure that an aircraft carrier is always in their active inventory, as such a single platform can drastically change the nature of a nation’s military power.