An aircraft carrier is considered the most valuable
sea-based asset.
Considering that the earth is covered mostly by water
and that a major portion of the population lives within
100 miles of the sea, as a floating airbase, an aircraft
carrier can do much but does not have the problems
linked to the diplomatic authorizations necessary to
operate from a land airport abroad, and the clearances
to overfly other countries’ airspace. An aircraft
carrier is an autonomous
microcosm, as it has everything needed to operate
internally, from food to fuel, from ordnance to
supplies, and is therefore capable to express the
maximum of its capabilities from the very first day of
intervention.
An
aircraft carrier is even more than just a military
platform; it is a tremendous diplomatic tool, able to
exert influence by its mere presence in an area, and to
deliver strategic political messages.
While
expensive to buy and operate, aircraft carriers may be
ultimately less expensive and far more flexible than
deploying and sustaining land-based air assets to an
available friendly host nation, and therefore well worth
the investment. Based on
the capabilities to support the launch and recovery of
fixed-wing assets, aircraft carriers can be categorized
into three groups:
The
CATOBAR aircraft carriers (Catapulted Assisted Taken Off Barrier Arrested
Recovery):
These units, equipped with nuclear propulsion and a
flat-deck with a catapult launching system, ensure
exceptional autonomy and represent fully-capable
floating military airbases that can be deployed for long
periods at great distances from their motherland. This
group includes the US Navy super-carriers of the
Nimitz
and
Ford classes.
The STOBAR
aircraft carriers (Short Take-Off Barrier Arrested
Recovery):
Utilize conventional propulsion and were all launched
from Ukrainian shipyards of the former Soviet Navy. They
are currently in service within the Russian Navy and the
Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy.
The STOVL
aircraft
carriers (Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing):
Capable to support fixed-wing assets operations, are
equipped with conventional propulsion and are in use in
major NATO Navies, namely the Royal UK Navy (HMS Queen
Elizabeth), the Italian Navy, the Spanish Navy, along
with the US Marine Corps’ Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD)
Wasp and Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA)
America Class
units.
Learn
more about aircraft carriers here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_carrier
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