CM,
So why is it "a very potent force"? I'd be interested to hear your reasoning. While I'm not trying to start an argument, from my perspective I see the following:
If you start by ignoring the carrier, that leaves 1 destroyer and a 2 frigates which between them only have short range SAM systems, along with ASW and anti ship weapons. They hardly have the capacity to dominate the airspace around them, and only have 100mm gunfire to offer in terms of effecting events ashore....
As to the carrier itself, how big an airgroup did it actually sail with, how worked up are they, capable of maintaining sustained ops, etc... When did it last spend an extended time at sea?
I would suggest this group is significantly different from a US carrier group, with 70+ combat ready aircraft, and at least one escort, probably more, with a 100nm ish SAM system...... Such a naval task force can dominate the airspace around itself.