In the Afghanistan war, U.S. carrier-based fighters substituted almost entirely for land-based theater air forces. The Navy_s carriers again played a key role in conducting around-the-clock operations against Saddam Hussein_s forces in Iraq. American carrier air power is now able to conduct coordinated deep-strike missions well beyond coastal reaches. The Navy_s performance over Afghanistan and Iraq showed how the nation_s carrier force can provide around-the-clock target coverage, consistently accurate target attack, and multiple successful target attacks per sortie.