All our warships, from Frigates to Carriers have the same emphasis set on the ability to maintain seaworthyness and keep up the fight. Indeed its easier to knock a Carrier out of the battle then to take out one of our cruisers or destroyers. Its just a common opinion, especially right around budget time, by Airforce thinkers that a single hit would neutralize one of our warships.

You stated that our vessels no longer have any "Armor" after a collision between the Cruiser USS Belknap and the Carrier USS Kennedy in 1975 all classes of warships after that went back from Alluminum superstructures to All Steel Constuction. All the Alumminum hulled Adams and Farragut class destoyers have been retired. Also I made a small error, the Stark was struck by 2 exocet missiles, the Frigate USS Samual B. Roberts sturck a mine, both vessels maintained ability to menuver, put in for repairs, and returned to service.

Also with the Computer systems smashed the ship will continue to fight. With weapons set to automatic you could blow up the CIC and the missiles will still fire at targets as they appear. Our CIWS works the same way, infact there was an incedent when the weapon mounted on a carrier fired on a Perry Cruiser that was launching Chaff, the line of fire cut across the ship and scared the hell out of everybody. When a Battle Group goes into fighting mode, our own aircraft stay out of the Second Ring of defences, the missile intercept zone, because theres to much risk in an IFF signal not being processed in time to prevent the launch of a Missile. All that is required is the turn of a Key by the TAO in the CIC and control of the weapons is taken and handed to the weapons themselves.

The reason the Stark was hit was because its weapons wernt set in Automatic, and none of our ships cruise in automatic due to the risk of accidental engagement, example would be the Vincennes incedent when an Iranian Airliner was downed buy one of our brand new Aegis Cruisers.

that's one of the Greek 52+ birds at Edwards right?