SPEAKING OF SMOKE AND MIRRORS......

AN ALERT INDIAN DEFENSE JOURNALISTS BRINGS YOU THIS STORY: 

Iran’s fake aircraft carrier features fake F/A-18 Hornet in Jolly Rogers livery

This official U.S. Navy Photo illustrates a real U.S. Carrier Task Forces at work. Click on the "Indian Defense " link below to see an image of a fake U.S. aircraft carrier under construction in one of Iran's shipyards. What purpose they intend to put it to we have no idea.

Update: October 25, 2018  The AC mockup has been observed in recent years being used for target practice at least to the point of having fighter bombers make obvious mock bomb runs on it. Its probably a bit expensive to actually hit with ordinance. 
But if all an potential enemy has is smoke and mirrors we suggest that they pay real attention to our Navy's jack:
 

American Admiralty Books Safety & Privacy Policies   EU VISITORS WARNING POSSIBLE COOKIES AHEAD

The ships flying this jack in earnest are not stage props. The same is true for the Indian Navy, so often the target of smoke and mirrors of both Iran and China. Be sure to click on the INDIAN DEFENSE link below for the entire defense journal article. If Iran wasn't so ill intended it would be entertaining to watch. 

 You can read the full story in INDIAN DEFENSE by David Cenciotti