Aircraft carrier

An aircraft carrier is a warship whose main role is to deploy and recover aircraft—in effect acting as a sea-going airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power great distances without having to depend on local bases for land-based aircraft. Modern navies, who operate such ships, treat aircraft carriers as the centerpiece of the fleet, a role previously played by the battleship. The change, part of the growth of air power as a significant part of warfare, took place during World War II. Unescorted carriers are considered vulnerable to attack by other ships, aircraft, submarines or missiles and therefore travel as part of a carrier battle group.

Flight deck configuration

Aircraft carriers have a flat-top deck, the flight deck that serves as a take-off and landing area for aircraft. Aircraft take off to the front, into the wind, and land from the rear. The carrier steams at up to 35 knots (65 km/h) straight into the wind during take-off in order to increase the apparent wind speed, thereby reducing the required speed of the aircraft relative to the ship. A steam-powered catapult is used to propel the aircraft forward assisting the power of its engines and allowing it to take off in a shorter distance than would otherwise be required, even with the headwind effect of the ship's course. Conversely, when landing on a carrier, aircraft rely upon a tailhook that catches on arrestor wires stretched across the deck to bring them to a stop in a shorter distance than normal. Since the end of WWII it has been common to direct the landing recovery area off to port at an angle to the line of the ship. This allows launching of aircraft at the same time as others land.

Related Topics:
Flight deck - Take-off - Landing - Knots - Apparent wind - Catapult - Tailhook - Arrestor wires

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The above deck areas of the warship (the bridge, flight control tower, engine exhausts and so on) are concentrated to the starboard side of the deck in a relatively small area called an "island". Only a very few carriers have ever been designed or built without an island and such a configuration has not been seen in a fleet sized carrier.

Related Topics:
Bridge - Control tower - Starboard

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A more recent configuration, used by the Royal Navy, has a 'ski-jump' ramp at the front end of the flat deck. This was developed to help launch VTOL (or STOVL) aircraft (aircraft that are able to take off and land with little or no forward movement) such as the Sea Harrier. Although the aircraft are capable of flying vertically off the deck, using the ramp is more fuel efficient. As catapults and arrestor cables are unnecessary, carriers with this arrangement reduce weight, complexity, and space needed for equipment.

Related Topics:
Royal Navy - VTOL - STOVL - Sea Harrier

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