At some point, "weapons free" will have to be the response. Not sure how close we are to that, but its gotta be ticking closer and closer.
Targeting a carrier with land based missile weapons, even ones with hypersonic glide warheads, requires what that situation provides - precise information on position, course and speed and restricted maneuvering to simplify the target solution
I would not allow it
It's a real problem for them as well. They do not have the persistent surveillance and targeting capabilities to make it reliably happen. They could always get lucky but that would end up being problematic for them as they could not handle our response.
While I agree I have to admit I'm not of certain of that as I once was.
I hate to say it, but I must agree
I look back on a long history (Liberty, Pueblo, Stark, Cole) of us ignoring provocations when it suits the suits. I would like to think an attack on a carrier would be different, but I am not confident how many people even inside the military are truly ready to go to war with the PRC
And the next war will not afford sufficient time to learn those skills in the breech