Well, the point is that a carrier's planes would effectively extend the destructive range of that asset by allowing planes to attack places a big boat would have trouble hitting without risking the big boat itself. The earlier post that planes attacking capital ships didn't happen isn't true; in fact that very tactic is why we don't HAVE battleships anymore. Three guys in one Avenger dive bomber can wreak more havoc on an enemy fleet than thousands of guys in one cruiser or battleship.
Mark