The question that remains is how does one successfully acquire and lock a target that’s capable of maneuvering at 30 knots for an indefinite period of time, and do so with the precision necessary to ensure a killing hit with a conventionally tipped ballistic missile?
MIRVs, with terminal guidance.
MIRVs aided by emitters built into components in electronics installed on the ship (READ: Chinese ASICs and subcomponents)
The answer is to continue work on the upgraded Standard Missiles.
Yes. Not a trivial task. Seems like you’d need real-time imaging from low-earth orbit as well as a secure tactical datalink to the weapon.
Then you have the risk of lofting a ballistic weapon between nuclear armed combattants. How is the side being targetted expected to react?
Finally, the sinking of a US aircraft carrier with all hands is very likely to draw an escalated response. Consider that the US has already taken that decision by the simple act of putting the carrier within range of those (theoretical) weapons in the first place.
30+ knots.
The flank speed of these ships is a carefully guarded secret.
Of course, if they ever crank it on that high, they’ll leave their escorts staring at their wake, but hey... They’ll also leave a big empty space in the area the missile was aiming for.