[CaptainMattJ.]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Well maybe not minutes. Aircraft still are not that fast when cruising over long distances, once one side has located the other the battle would last about an hour or so- battle including the time it takes to get to the target- otherwise both a WWII and Modern Day sea battle would last minutes.

Midway was over in the space of hours:
06:00 Spruance orders the attack
07:00 1st aircraft are launched
09:20 1st USN air attack on Japanese CTF
10:00 2nd USN air attack destroys majority of Japanese Carriers

Lets compare that to a hypothetical modern day engagement
06:00 AWACS detects RED carrier group at approx 1000 nm from carrier. (it could be a long longer but 1000 nm was about the max range of a WWII naval bomber)
(lets assume it takes roughly the same time to, fuel, load and ready the planes. Its really doesn't normally, but that is another topic...)
07:00 8 F/A-18 Hornets are launched with Harpoon ASMs and 8 F/A-18E Super Hornets are launched with AAW loadouts- both Hornet groups have drop tanks, 4 S-3B Vikings are launched for refueling. Speed about 600 knots (Avg cruise speed of F/A-18).
07:45 Strike package refuels approx 500 nm from carrier
08:30 Strike Package launches 16 AGM-84 Harpoon missiles, strike package refuels and returns to carrier around 10:00

Not much of a difference, about two hours at around the same distance. In other words the combat time is cut in about half.

i said MIXED fleet. mixed WWII fleets as in DD,CL,CA,BB and even SS. didnt mean including carriers in what i said. besides they wouldnt have to send fighters. just ship launched cruise missles. as opposed to WWII, where you cant detect fleets until theyre in your face practically, and having shells fly. there wouldve also been torpedoes flying.