![]() ![]() In either case the ship steams at up to 35 knots (65 km/h) straight into the wind during take-off and landing operations in order to increase the apparent wind speed, thereby reducing the required speed of the aircraft relative to the ship. These aircraft do not require catapult facilities or arrestor cables on the flight deck. This arrangement is designed for use with VTOL or STOVL aircraft that are able to take off and land with little or no forward movement. The second and more recent configuration, developed for the Royal Navy, has a 'ski-jump' at one end of the flat deck that helps launch the aircraft. Only a very few carriers have ever been designed without an island and most of those were experimental and developmental ships, not full fleet carriers. The command and control superstructure of an aircraft carrier, comprising the bridge, CIC and control tower, among other systems, is concentrated in a single, relatively small structure on the starboard side of the deck called an "island". When so configured, it is possible to launch individual aircraft as often as every fifteen seconds by alternating between catapults and sets of catapults (i.e. Navy ships is normally at an angle to the aircraft launching area, to allow simultaneous recovery and launching of aircraft, and will typically include additional catapults. ![]() To land on the carrier, incoming aircraft moving at 150 mph (240 km/h) are equipped with tailhooks to engage one of up to four arrestor cables stretched across the deck, stopping the aircraft within 320 feet (100 m) after engaging a cable. A steam-powered catapult, accelerates an aircraft under full throttle, from 0 to 165 mph (265 km/h) in 2 seconds during take-off to help it reach take-off speed. The most common has a flat-top deck or flight deck that serves as a take-off and landing area for aircraft. China, alongside Japan and Chile, also operate helicopter-carrying vessels.Īircraft carriers have two basic configurations. In addition the People's Republic of China's People's Liberation Army Navy possesses the former Soviet aircraft carrier Varyag, but most naval analysts believe that they have no intention to operate it, but instead are using Varyag to learn about carrier operations for a future Chinese aircraft carrier. Nine countries maintain aircraft carriers: United States, United Kingdom, France, India, Russia, Spain, Brazil, Italy and Thailand. The United States has the majority of aircraft carriers with over a dozen in service, and its aircraft carriers are a cornerstone of American power projection capability. Unescorted carriers are considered vulnerable to missile attack and therefore travel as part of a carrier battle group.Īircraft carriers are generally the largest ships operated by navies a Nimitz-class carrier powered by two nuclear reactors and four steam turbines is 1092 ft (333 m) long and costs about $5 billion. The change, part of the growth of air power as a significant part of warfare, took place during World War II. Modern navies, who operate such ships, treat aircraft carriers as the centerpiece of the fleet, a role previously played by the battleship. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power great distances without having to depend on local bases for land-based aircraft. French aircraft carrier Charles de GaulleĪn aircraft carrier is a warship whose main role is to deploy and recover aircraft. ![]()
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