Given the speed of a US carrier, and the anti-torpedo defenses, this is not necessarily true. Given those defenses for other carriers, it is also not necessarily true there either. In any case, finding a sub near the inner ring and prosecuting it is better than having it take a pot shot. So having those ASW assets is important...and the carrier can carry more than any escort.I do understand the rationale behind that logic but if the sub is inside the outer ring it is already at the hit distance.
I believe the PLAN will come to the same conclusions...and still carry a very good load of two strike fighter squadrons once they have them in enough numbers in any case.
My initial estimate of 12-18 was for the 1st Liaoning Ari Wing, when J-15 numbers are still low. Once they have sufficient numbers, I would expect the two squadrons with a total of 20-24 aircraft.