The reason you "refloat" ships and continue the exercise is that determining the winner is only one part of the exercise. Training is the other component, and if you have multiple carriers out of commission immediately you lose that opportunity at vast expense.

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throwawayqqq11 3 days ago | parent [-]

Training != exercise.

The one builds an ability, the other tests its success.

	▲	cwillu 3 days ago \| parent [-]
		“A military exercise, training exercise, maneuver (American English), manoeuvre (Commonwealth English), or war game is the employment of military resources in training for military operations.” --wikipedia