Why did aircraft carriers replace battleships as the most important naval weapons during World War II?

During World War II, the aircraft carrier replaced the battleship as the primary instrument of naval power primarily due to its superior operational range. While conventional naval guns were limited to a range of approximately 20 miles, carrier-based aircraft could deliver concerted attacks at distances of 200 to 300 miles.12

This shift was made possible by significant advancements in aviation technology during the 1930s, including more powerful engines, mature dive-bomber and torpedo-plane designs, and improved carrier infrastructure like arresting gear. By the outbreak of World War II, these developments allowed carriers to project force far beyond the reach of traditional surface fleets.213

The strategic importance of this transition was demonstrated in major Pacific engagements, such as the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway, where opposing fleets fought decisively without ever coming within sight of one another. Ultimately, the carrier’s ability to control the air over the sea became synonymous with controlling the sea itself, rendering the battleship’s limited gun range obsolete in the face of modern air power.45