Russia is reportedly planning to build "the world's largest aircraft carrier" to bolster its defenses and compete with the US in this area.
The aircraft carrier "Storm" will be able to carry 90 combat aircraft on board and will cost about $ 17.5 billion, notes British edition with reference to the Russian media.
This ship, now known as Project 23000, could be ready by 2030. However, whether it really will become the largest aircraft carrier in the world, as Moscow claims, is a moot point.
His specifications, the article notes, are similar to the characteristics of American Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. And one of the experts even told the media that the design of the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford will be taken as the basis of the ship, the publication claims.
According to the project, the deck of the new aircraft carrier will be the size of three football fields, and the crew will be up to 4,000 people. The ship will become so large that, according to The Independent, it will have its own zip code.
Currently, Russia has only the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, which was launched back in 1985. In terms of its capabilities, it is seriously inferior to the Storm ship.
Russian aircraft carrier of the future. Project 23000 Storm
A promising multi-purpose heavy supercarrier of the future - Shtorm (project 23000), is being developed at the Russian State Research Center named after. Krylov (St. Petersburg) in cooperation with the Nevsky Design Bureau.
The ship is aimed at performing various tasks in the far ocean and sea zones. It will be capable of delivering strikes against enemy ground and sea targets with the help of its own weapons and aircraft of the aviation group, as well as providing air defense.
The main requirements presented by the High Command of the Navy to the new Russian aircraft carrier are autonomy and mobility. The ship must transfer all the necessary equipment and equipment to the right place and in a short time. And the air group must provide patrols and quickly increase its presence in a given region.
At the same time, Storm should have ample opportunities both in terms of the use of carrier-based aircraft and in terms of the combat effectiveness of operations as part of heterogeneous forces. The latest aircraft carrier will be tasked with detecting and destroying enemy submarine and surface assets, attacking enemy infrastructure facilities on land, and protecting its own fleet.
The concept of a new multifunctional aircraft carrier
The concept of a new multifunctional aircraft carrier provides for the deployment of up to 100 aircraft. Aircraft and helicopters five different types will be placed and secured at the stern and bow of the aircraft carrier.
The aircraft carrier will have a practically “bare” deck. Instead of a massive tower, there are two "islands" of control (two island superstructures). This will save space on the deck and reduce the radio visibility of the ship at sea.
The aircraft carrier will be equipped with a RITM-200 two-reactor power plant with a capacity of 175 MW.
Storm will have a hybrid aircraft launch system - two electromagnetic catapults (EMALS) to accelerate aircraft and two springboards (a total of 4 launch positions on the flight deck). The length of the runway of one of the springboards will exceed 250 meters. The landing of aircraft will be provided by one arrester (a device based on a cable that dampens the landing speed). To save space, the aircraft lifts will be of vertical and swing type.
Storm will be equipped with an integrated system combat control. The electronic complex of the aircraft carrier will include integrated sensors, including radar stations with an active phased antenna array (radar with AFAR).
Takeoff and landing of airplanes and helicopters will be provided from the aircraft carrier latest generation even in a storm. Under the takeoff deck and in optimized control superstructures, the latest nuclear power plant, effective missile and electronic weapons will be placed. The use of missile weapons is one of the most interesting moments in determining the appearance of the future ship.
Four S-500 Prometheus modules will be responsible for the air defense of the ship at once. With such an air defense quartet, an aircraft carrier will be able to simultaneously detect, fire and destroy up to 10 airborne aerodynamic or supersonic ballistic targets at once at a distance of 800 kilometers. Air defense targets can be aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, medium-range missiles, supersonic cruise missiles and intercontinental ballistic missile warheads, as well as objects flying at speeds up to 7000 meters per second. Plus, the aircraft carrier will be equipped with two anti-torpedo protection systems.
The single-seat MiG-29K and the two-seat MiG-29KUB (4++ generation fighters) will solve the problem of air defense and gaining air supremacy, hitting targets with guided precision weapons at any time of the day and in any weather.
Placement of anti-ship missiles on the ship (on the base permanent basis) not planned. But this by no means prohibits the placement on an aircraft carrier (according to a good tradition), 4-8 20-foot removable containers with the Club-K missile system, or Zirkon hypersonic anti-ship missiles. The placement of 8 containers with Club-K on board the aircraft carrier means that it is armed with 32 high-precision attack cruise missiles. Container Club-K - will ensure the defeat of both surface and ground targets. The complex is a modification of the well-known Caliber missile system. Inside the containers of the complex, launchers with 3M-14, Kh-35 or 3M-54 missiles are hidden, capable of hitting both land and large surface targets at a long distance. For example, the 3M-54 missile is capable of destroying even an aircraft carrier, and the flight range of the KR 3M14 with nuclear warheads / FBCHs is 2650 and 1600 km, respectively.
The task of collecting information about the enemy and monitoring air, ground and surface space, as well as guiding aircraft to detected targets will be provided by a radar control point and a radar patrol and guidance point based on the Yak-44E aircraft. The submarines will be fought by Ka-32/Ka-27 helicopters armed with torpedoes, depth charges, missiles and mines.
The hull of the ship will be optimized so that the water resistance will be reduced by 20-30%. The latter will provide significant energy savings and the ability to increase the speed and autonomy of the ship. Note that the movement of the vessel with a drag of 30% less than that of the traditional hull contour means that with conventional power it will be possible to have a cruising range of 30% more and the fuel consumption will also decrease.
As you can see, the best developments of domestic and Western schools for creating ships of this class will be used on Storm. In the project, great importance is given to the possibilities for providing aeronautics for carrier-based aviation. For example, according to the project, the maximum width of the flight deck will exceed 80 meters, the composition of the double deck was adopted from the UK. At the same time, it is planned to create a smooth flight deck.
As an innovation, an improved aircraft carrier hull design can be singled out, which can significantly reduce water resistance and increase its efficiency and seaworthiness.
The military power of the ship is significantly enhanced by the deployment and use of an airborne early warning and guidance aircraft (AWACS) on it.
In general, it can be noted that Storm will become a multi-purpose aircraft carrier that will serve as a sea airport. In Soviet times, carrier-based aircraft performed anti-submarine, defensive and air defense missions, and the aircraft carrier was positioned as a military cruiser designed for sea attacks at long distances.
TTX aircraft carrier Storm:
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It was built in 1994-1997 by the Spanish company Basan and is similar in design to the aircraft carrier Principe de Asturias, built earlier by the same company for the Spanish Navy.
It is used for patrolling the exclusive economic zone and search and rescue operations. Also among its tasks is the provision of air support, but in general, the combat capability of the ship is assessed as low due to lack of funding and rare access to the sea.
According to the media of both Thailand and many other countries, the Chakri Narubet can be considered the largest royal yacht in the world, since during short-term sea trips, members of the royal family are usually present on the ship, for which the aircraft carrier provides extensive apartments.
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Electronic weapons include: AMS / Selex EMPAR multifunctional phased array radar, long-range three-coordinate radar for detecting air targets, short-range and medium-range air and surface target detection radar, two fire control radars 76-mm AU, aviation control radar, navigation Radar, a hydroacoustic station for navigation and mine detection, an infrared situational illumination system, an all-round infrared system, an instrumental landing system for aircraft on the deck.
In addition to aircraft and helicopters, it can carry troops: 415 people, up to 100 units of wheeled vehicles, or 24 main battle tanks, or 50 heavy armored combat vehicles.
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The aircraft carrier of the Brazilian Navy, the former aircraft carrier "Foch" type "Clemenceau" of the French Navy. It was laid down on February 15, 1957, launched on July 23, 1960, joined the French Navy on July 15, 1963. On November 15, 2000, it was transferred to the Brazilian Navy and, after repairs in February 2001, arrived in Brazil.
The power plant is a twin-shaft steam turbine. It consists of six Laval steam boilers and two Alstom turbines.
Total power - 126,000 liters. With.
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The aircraft carrier was built on the basis of the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral Gorshkov" through a deep modernization. After a complete reconstruction, the ship changed its purpose: instead of an aircraft-carrying anti-submarine cruiser, the ship became a full-fledged aircraft carrier.
In November 2013, the solemn transfer of the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier (the former heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov) to the Indian Navy took place in Severodvinsk. From November 26, the ship made the transition from Severomorsk to the Indian naval base Karwar. On January 8, 2014, the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, without weapons and aircraft, arrived at the coast of Karnataka. The integration of the new ship into the Indian Navy took about four months. All this time, Russian warranty service specialists worked on the ship.
The composition of the air group has been determined: these are 14-16 MiG-29K aircraft, 4 MiG-29KUB aircraft (transferred to India on February 12, 2009), up to 8 Ka-28 helicopters, 1 Ka-31 helicopter, up to 3 HAL Dhruv (instead of 2 Ka-28) . Initially, pilots will be trained on an electronic simulator for naval aviation, and after a similar complex is put into operation, in India.
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"Charles de Gaulle" - the flagship of the French Navy, the only operating aircraft carrier of the French Navy, the first French surface warship with a nuclear power plant. Among the aircraft carriers of other countries, excluding the United States, this is the second largest (after the Russian heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov) and the most combat-ready aircraft carrier.
Maximum capacity - up to 100 aircraft for up to 7 days. Launches can be made every 30 s. However, simultaneous takeoffs and landings are not provided for by the design.
Supports the L16 tactical radio standard for data exchange between military units, which can act as a command post. In this case, he can control fighter aircraft, send them target designation data, and assign combat missions.
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The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers are British aircraft carriers, also known under the code name CVF, being built to replace the current Invincible-class light aircraft carriers. There are currently two aircraft carriers under construction (HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales).
The development of the ship's mechanical structures was fully automated. The computer simulation tools were developed by QinetiQ. The design of the hull proceeded from the required 50-year service life of the ship. A feature of the hull was the presence of a springboard used for aircraft with a short takeoff. Since the service life of the F-35 aircraft is 20 years, it was decided to leave the possibility of converting the aircraft carrier into a smooth-deck, designed for horizontal take-off aircraft. The hull has nine decks, not counting the flight deck. The 85,000 tons of steel, worth the £65 million needed to build two aircraft carriers, are being supplied by Corus.
These ships are to be the largest ships ever built for the Royal Navy.
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The Liaoning is the PLA's first and only aircraft carrier. It was laid down in 1985 at the shipyard in Nikolaev for the Soviet Navy as the second aircraft carrier of project 1143.6. After the collapse of the USSR in 1992, the ship went to Ukraine and construction was stopped in 1998. Bought by China for $ 25 million officially for the purpose of organizing a floating entertainment center. Towed to China and completed as an aircraft carrier. September 25, 2012 joined the PLA Navy.
The design of the ship is close to the same type "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov", most of the differences are in the used systems of combat and electronic weapons. According to reports, the launchers of the P-700 Granit anti-ship missiles in the bow of the aircraft carrier were dismantled, and the deck shafts for them were closed up to make more space for placing spare parts for aircraft and helicopters of the ship's air group.
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"Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" is a Project 1143.5 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, the only one in its class in the Navy of the Russian Federation. Designed to destroy large surface targets, protect naval formations from attacks by a potential enemy using aircraft carriers and a large number of submarines. "Admiral Kuznetsov" also has the task of supporting landing operations.
The aircraft carrier carries 12 4K-80 launchers for Granit heavy missiles. The aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" is the only aircraft carrier in the world that can be in the Black Sea, since under the Montreux Convention the passage of "clean" aircraft carriers through the Bosporus and Dardanelles is prohibited, and the "Admiral Kuznetsov" has serious missile weapons and therefore is declared as " aircraft carrier cruiser.
On November 12, 2016, the carrier group began maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean off the coast of Syria. On November 15, 2016, from the aircraft carrier, for the first time in the history of the Russian Navy, Su-33 aircraft began to strike at the positions of ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists in the provinces of Idlib and Homs in Syria.
2 "Nimitz" (mustache)
In 1981, during discussions both within Congress and the Pentagon, it was decided to produce an improved Nimitz. In the end, 7 aircraft carriers of this type were built.
The first improved Nimitz aircraft carrier is considered to be Theodore Roosevelt, commissioned in 1986. In 1999 he participated in the NATO war against Yugoslavia.
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The Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers are a series of US multi-purpose nuclear aircraft carriers that have been under construction since 2009. They were created as an improved version of the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers and differ from them, with comparable sizes and aircraft armament, reduced crew due to a high degree of automation and, as a result, lower operating costs. In addition, the new aircraft carriers are distinguished by the introduction of a number of new technologies and design solutions, in particular, elements of stealth technology. The lead ship was laid down on November 14, 2009; it is planned to be commissioned in 2016. In addition to it, the construction of at least two ships is planned, as aircraft carriers of the Gerald R. Ford type are adopted, they will replace the Nimitz aircraft carriers.
As a means of air defense of self-defense, the ship is armed with Raytheon ESSM missiles with two 8-container launchers for 32 missiles each. The missiles are designed to deal with high-speed, highly maneuverable anti-ship missiles. Short range systems include RAM anti-aircraft missiles manufactured by Raytheon and Ramsys GmbH.
The ship will use an improved system for storing and supplying ammunition and consumables with double-height storage facilities. The aircraft carrier's ammunition consists of missiles, artillery rounds, bombs and air-to-ground missiles for attack aircraft, torpedoes and depth charges for anti-submarine aircraft.
The Navy is one of the main constituent parts armies of any power that has access to the seas and oceans. Many empires, such as Great Britain, for example, have built their power thanks to a strong fleet capable of responding to any threat many thousands of kilometers from their native land.
Of course, modern warships are very different from their ancestors. The flagship of any flotilla today is an aircraft carrier group, which allows attacking and defending not only with the help of installed guns, but also with air groups placed on the decks.
The presence of aircraft imposes requirements on the size of ships. All aircraft carriers boast impressive volumes, but some of them stand out even against this background. In this article, we will talk about just such ships, and also answer the question: “What is the most large aircraft carrier in the world?".
First Place - Enterprise (United States of America)
This ship is the first representative of the aircraft carriers with a nuclear-powered engine. It was launched back in 1961, but still remains the largest ship in the world in its class. The cost of building the Enterprise cost the state $450 million. The high price was one of the reasons why this series of ships is limited to just one aircraft carrier, although several more such ships were originally planned.
The length of the ship is as much as 342 meters. It accommodates about 80 aircraft. The total crew of the aircraft carrier is more than three thousand people. Enterprise has 4 steam catapults. Half is located in front of the ship, and the other half - on the landing strips. With the help of catapults, the Enterprise is able to lift one plane into the air in a quarter of a minute.
On the contrary, the landing of air groups is carried out with the help of an arrester, which consists of four cables that are stretched in the underdeck and help the operation of special brake cylinders. In addition, the aircraft carrier has a nylon net that is capable of catching an aircraft if, due to unforeseen circumstances, it flies over the arresting position.
Runners-up - Nimitz (United States of America)
A more modern American aircraft carrier that also has a powerful nuclear engine. The first ship was launched in 1975. Production continued until 2009 when the last vessel entered service. In total, 10 such ships were created during this time. The length of the ship is 330 meters. These ships were actively used during several military conflicts, including in Yugoslavia and Iraq.
The cost of one ship is four and a half billion US dollars. The aircraft carrier carries 66 ships for various purposes (48 of them are multirole fighters). The nuclear reactor, which is installed in the ship, allows it to operate for about 25 years without replacement. The state spends about 160 million US dollars per year on the maintenance of one aircraft carrier.
Nimitz can be operated for more than 50 years. To date, all 10 ships are in combat service.
Third place - Kitty Hawk (United States of America)
The aircraft carrier was launched in 1955. Its length is 325 meters. These are the first ships of their class that do not have a rich arsenal of artillery, instead of which missile systems. In addition, these are the last American aircraft carriers that were not equipped with nuclear reactors. The aircraft carrier at the time of launching had all the modern electronics and sonar. The last ship of this line (there were four in total) was decommissioned in 2007.
Fourth place - Forrestal (United States of America)
Another American aircraft carrier, one of the largest. Its length is 320 meters. Forrestal was created for the needs of jet aircraft after the end of World War II, whose experience was taken into account when creating the ship. The first ship of the line was launched in 1955. Interestingly, this aircraft carrier was considered unlucky among American sailors and received many derisive nicknames due to the greater number of accidents associated with fires on the ship. As a result of one of them, about 135 people died.
The last ship in the line was decommissioned in 1993. It was sold at auction for one center, since there was no one willing to buy it, except for one single company.
Fifth place - John F. Kennedy (United States of America)
Named after the famous American President, this ship was launched in 1968. Its length is 320 meters. This ship belongs to the Kitty Hawk class. Just like other ships, it did not have a nuclear engine (although the installation was originally planned). Instead, gas turbine equipment was used.
Most of the time, the aircraft carrier was in the Mediterranean Sea, performing various tasks there during the Cold War. The ship served for about 40 years and during this time has undergone several major repairs. In the fleet, the ship was not known as the most successful, as it experienced several collisions during its operation.
The largest accident occurred in 1975 as a result of a collision between a ship and a cruiser, which was almost completely destroyed by the impact.
John F. Kennedy was removed from service in 2007, a whole ceremony was organized to send him off.
The aircraft carrier also became a movie star. It is he who is depicted in the 2012 film falling on the White House.
6th place - Midway (United States of America)
It's not only large aircraft carrier, produced in the year of the end of World War II, but also the first heavy aircraft carrier in the US Navy. The ship was in operation for 50 years. During this time, he took part in several military operations of the country, including the Vietnamese and Iraqi.
He left the Midway service in 1992, and five years later a huge fleet museum was created on its basis. The length of the ship is 305 meters.
In addition, the ship participated in the famous rescue operation at the end of the Vietnam War, when the Viet Cong captured the capital of the southerners. In order to land a plane loaded with refugees fleeing the imminent massacre and the totalitarian regime, the crew of the aircraft carrier dropped helicopters on board into the water, with a total cost of over 10 million dollars. This operation entered the pages of US military glory.
Seventh place - Admiral Kuznetsov (USSR, Russian Federation)
The most powerful aircraft carrier in the USSR and in Russia. The ship was created in Nikolaev and received the name of the famous Soviet admiral. After the collapse of the USSR, he became part of the Russian Navy. Today he serves in the Northern Fleet. It houses fighter jets and anti-submarine helicopters.
The ship was laid down in 1982, and it was launched in 1985. It is interesting that at the time of the laying it was given the name "Riga", and at the time of the first descent - "Leonid Brezhnev". After the descent, work continued on the construction of the ship on the water. In 1989, the ship, still unfinished, went to sea for tests with aircraft. In 1990, construction was completed and the ship was renamed again.
It is currently passing overhaul. Already in the summer of this year, the ship is planned to sail to the Mediterranean Sea, most likely to the shores of the Syrian Arab Republic. The length of the ship is 300 meters.
Eighth place - Lexington (United States of America)
The oldest aircraft carrier on this list. In total, two ships of this type were produced, both took an active part in the beginning (for the USA) of World War II. One of the aircraft carriers was destroyed in the spring of 1942 during heavy fighting with the Japanese. The second ship, despite numerous damages, survived the wars and was scuttled after taking part in the test. nuclear weapons in 1946.
Lexington was able to accommodate 63 aircraft. Most of them were fighters, as well as reconnaissance aircraft. The aircraft carriers of this series appeared as a result of heated debates between American military experts. At that time there was a conflict between two opinions about the future of naval battles. One part of the specialists advocated the creation of coastal airfields and powerful battleships, as they believed that aircraft were not good enough at destroying ships. The other part insisted on the creation of powerful aircraft carrier groups, giving them a decisive role in future battles. As a result of the tests carried out with the help of captured German ships, the second point of view won, and, as the Second World War confirmed, it is quite justified.
Ninth place - Varyag (USSR, Ukraine, China)
Another long aircraft carrier belonging to the Soviet Union. The history of the Varyag is indeed of interest. Its construction began in Nikolaev in 1986. Two years later, he was already launched, after which work continued on him already on the water. After the USSR ceased to exist, the ship went to the Ukrainian Navy, but since then it has not been used, cash injections into it have ceased, and the necessary repairs have not been carried out, so the ship has slowly degraded.
As a result, the Varyag was sold to a Chinese company for US$20 million, far below its actual value. The buyers said they planned to create on its basis Entertainment Center. However, later the ship was completed as a warship. It was renamed "Liaoning" and is now successfully performing combat missions as part of the Chinese Navy.
Tenth place - Shinano (Japan)
The longest Japanese aircraft carrier during World War II. Initially, it was built as a battleship, but after the first serious defeat against US Navy In 1941, the Japanese command decided to rely on aircraft carrier groups, seeing the advantage American aircraft carriers had on the water.
The ship was completed after one year. At that time it was the most protected aircraft carrier. Particularly well protected were containers for storing aviation fuel, which, if hit by an enemy projectile, could destroy the entire ship.
The Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers are the successor to the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. It is expected that a total of 9-10 new aircraft carriers of this class will be built. These will be the largest and most powerful warships ever built. These aircraft carriers will be the main striking force of the US Navy throughout the 21st century.
The hull design of the Ford class is similar to that of the Nimitz class. The new aircraft carriers will have a smaller, redesigned island and more automated and efficient surveillance and control systems. It will be able to carry an air group of 85 aircraft, helicopters or unmanned aerial vehicles. It will include F-35 JSF and F/A-18E/F, EA-18g, E-2D Advanced electronic warfare aircraft, MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters.
2. Nimitz (USA)
A total of 10 aircraft carriers of this class were built, including 3 from the original design and 7 from the improved design. These were the largest warships of their time. With a nuclear power plant, they can carry 80 aircraft and helicopters, mainly F/A-18E/F, EA-6B Prowlers electronic warfare aircraft, E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft and MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters.
The Nimitz class have automated systems self-defense against cruise anti-ship missiles through the integration and coordination of weapons systems and electronic warfare.
3. Admiral Kuznetsov (Russia)
Commissioned by the Russian Navy in 1991, the Admiral Kuznetsov is smaller than American aircraft carriers but carries more powerful offensive weapons.
The absence of a catapult excludes the launch of aircraft with heavy strike weapons. This warship carries about 40 aircraft and helicopters, including the Su-33 and MiG-29K, various versions of the Ka-27 shipborne helicopters.
Admiral Kuznetsov is a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, not just an aircraft carrier. It carries a number of offensive weapons, it is worth noting 12 × PU SCRC "Granit".
4. Liaoning (China)
The Varyag was the second Kuznetsov-class ship to come off the stocks in the city of Nikolaev, now in Ukraine. It was laid down in 1985 and launched in 1988, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, funding for the construction of the ship stopped. The unfinished hull was eventually sold to China, where it was restored and refitted.
This aircraft carrier was commissioned by the Chinese Navy in 2012 under the name "Liaoning". "Liaoning" can carry up to 50 aircraft and helicopters. After repairs, the Chinese ship lost all offensive heavy weapons of the Admiral Kuznetsov class. It now only carries short-range defensive weapons.
5. Queen Elizabeth (Great Britain)
Aircraft carriers of the type "Queen Elizabeth" in the amount of 2 ships should be part of Royal Navy of Great Britain by 2020. The first aircraft carrier was laid down in 2009 and is now being completed afloat.
Sistership "Prince of Wales" is planned to be commissioned by 2020. These new aircraft carriers will be the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy. They will be able to carry more than 40 aircraft and helicopters. Their main armament will be F-35B STOVL aircraft and CH-47 Chinook, Merlin and Lynx Wildcat helicopters.
6. Charles de Gaulle (France)
This is a relatively modern nuclear ship. It entered service with the French Navy in 2001. She is currently the flagship of the French Navy. It is the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier built outside the United States.
"Charles de Gaulle" can carry more than 40 aircraft and helicopters. The air group consists of 30 Rafale multi-role fighters, there are also E-2C Hawkeye radar warning aircraft, helicopters are represented by SA 365F Dauphin or AS 322 Cougar.
A second ship was planned, but due to a lack of funding, construction never began.
7. Vikramaditya (India)
The Indian Navy is featured in our Top 10 Carriers of the World by the name Vikramaditya, this light aircraft carrier is a modified and refitted former Kyiv-class aircraft carrier. One of the ships of this class, after refitting at Sevmash, was sold to India.
"Vikramaditya" can carry about 30 aircraft and helicopters, including MiG-29KU and MiG-29KUB, Ka-31 helicopters. The maximum air group consists of 30 aircraft and 6 helicopters.
8. Sao Paulo (Brazil)
Sao Paulo is a Clemenceau-class aircraft carrier. It was originally commissioned into the French Navy in 1963, under the name "Foch". The ship was sold to Brazil in 2000 where she became the new flagship of the Brazilian Navy.
Sao Paulo can carry up to 40 planes and helicopters. However, this aircraft carrier currently serves mainly for pilot training. Its offensive capabilities are limited.
9. Cavour, Italy
Cavour is a light aircraft carrier, it was commissioned in 2008. It is currently the new flagship of the Italian Navy. This modern warship is designed to operate V / STOL F-35 aircraft and helicopters, and can serve as a command center.
"Cavour" carries more than 20 aircraft and helicopters. Currently, V-8B Harrier IIs are taking off from it. In the future, they will be replaced by Lockheed Martin F-35B, helicopters are represented by O-101, NH-90 and SH-3D.
It can carry main battle tanks and amphibious vehicles in an aircraft hangar. It also accommodates a regiment of 325 Marines.
10. Chakri Narubet (Thailand)
The aircraft carrier "Chakri Narubet" was built in Spain. It was commissioned by the Royal Thai navy in 1997.
It can carry about 30 planes and helicopters. The air group includes AV-8S Matador aircraft and S-70B Seahawk, Sea King or CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
However Chakri Naruebet lacks defensive armaments. primary anti-aircraft armament was not installed including an 8-cell VLS launcher for Sea Sparrow missiles and four Vulcan Phalanx CIWS mounts. This vessel is protected by simply Mistral short-range infrared homing missiles.
The US Navy strike aircraft carrier Enterprise (operational code CVN-65) was in many ways the first: the first nuclear-powered ship of this type, the first, however, and the only representative of the Enterprise class aircraft carriers, the first, i.e. largest warship ever built...
The construction of the ship began on February 4, 1958 at the shipyard in Newport, launched in September 1960, included in the fleet on November 25, 1961. The first combat mission in which Enterprise participated was the blockade of Cuba in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The Enterprise-class aircraft carrier project was a development of the previous KittyHawk class. The cost of construction was very high - 451 million dollars, this was the reason that no more ships of this class were built.
The hull is smooth-deck, with a one-sided corner deck. The armored flight deck is integrated into the power structure of the ship, providing longitudinal rigidity of the hull. The length of the flight deck is 331 m, the maximum width is 78 m. 4 lifts are designed to deliver aircraft from the hangar. Up to 43 aircraft can be on deck at the same time. Ammunition is delivered by 3 lifts.
4 steam catapults are designed to launch aircraft; in pairs in the bow on the corner deck. Gas shields rising behind the catapults protect the deck from hot gases jet engines. The catapult is capable of accelerating SuperHornets to a speed of 200 km / h in 2 seconds along a hundred-meter runway, while overloads reach 4g. Using all 4 catapults, an aircraft carrier can launch planes every 15-20 seconds.
Aircraft braking after landing is provided by 4 arresters. If they fail to completely stop the aircraft, then an emergency barrier is provided to prevent it from falling into the water, which is a rising net.
The power plant of the ship consists of 8 nuclear reactors. To increase survivability, each 2 reactors operate on a separate propeller shaft with a five-blade 32-ton propeller with a diameter of almost 6.5 m. To increase maneuverability and reduce the ship's circulation radius, each propeller is equipped with its own rudder. One refill nuclear fuel can last more than 10 years of service.
The use of a nuclear plant had several advantages. First, the absence of the need to store a large volume of fuel for engines has increased the stock of aviation fuel to more than 9 million liters. Secondly, due to the absence of chimneys and large air shafts, it was possible to reduce the size of the deck superstructure (“island”) and increase the area of the flight deck by 400 square meters. m, to exclude its smoke. Thirdly, the cellars for ammunition increased to 2500 tons.
But there were also disadvantages. A large number of reactors, their size, radiation protection and some other reasons made it necessary to increase the width of the ship's hull, which, in turn, led to an increase in its length to ensure the specified speed characteristics.
Aircraft carrier characteristics:
- Maximum displacement 93284 tons
- Length 342 meters
- Width at the waterline 40.5 meters
- Width maximum 78.4 meters
- Draft 12 meters
- Flight deck area 18,211.5 m2
- SSU power 280,000 hp
- Maximum speed 33.6 knots (62.2 km/h)
- Maximum capacity 5828 people
- Crew 3000 people (2700 privates, 150 senior officers, 150 middle officers)
- Flight personnel 1800 people (250 pilots and 1550 technical personnel).
- Armament: 3 x Mk 29 NATO Sea Sparrow launchers, 3 x 20mm Phalanx CIWS Mk 15
- Home port: Norfolk (Norfolk, Va)
Aviation Group
The main weapon system of the largest aircraft carrier is an aviation group that performs various tasks from ship protection to air support for ground forces and strikes against enemy targets.The ship has 8 squadrons:
- Long Range Air Reconnaissance Squadron using E2C-Hawkeys.
- The squadron, using Vikings aircraft, is designed to destroy enemy submarines and refuel in the air.
- Radar Defense Squadron. It includes Prowlers aircraft.
- 3 squadrons of F-18 Hornets fighter-bombers.
- A squadron of F-18 SuperHornets multirole fighter-bombers and ground attack aircraft. Despite the similarity to conventional F-18 Hornets, this is a completely new aircraft, featuring a longer range, new weapons, new avionics, etc.
- Seahawk Helicopter Squadron. Their main tasks are the search for enemy submarines, search and rescue operations, the transportation of cargo and personnel between the ships of the squadron.
Aircraft carrier accident
On January 14, 1969, while 140 km from Hawaii and heading for the war zone in Vietnam, one of the missiles exploded on the takeoff deck of the ship, causing a large fire and the detonation of bombs of nearby aircraft. The ship was severely damaged, killing 27 and injuring more than 300 people. Repair took 51 days.
Escort ships
Considering the huge firepower, the aircraft carrier is one of the main targets for enemy attacks. A small squadron of support vessels accompanies the Enterprise at all times to protect it. Among them:
- Cruiser - equipped with an early detection system, capable of destroying any air target.
- Frigate - protects the aircraft carrier from enemy missiles
- Anti-missile boat - protects against homing missiles, air raids and submarines
- Supply ship - ensures the functioning of this group, supplies everything necessary, from food to ammunition.
- Submarine
End of service.
For the entire period of service, the aircraft carrier made 25 campaigns, took part in many hostilities and operations. Decommissioned on December 1, 2012 and is being prepared for disposal. His name will be transferred to the new ship CVN-80 (Ford type).
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