An aircraft carrier is a combat and strategic ship. The main striking power lies in the aviation located on the deck. These giants have everything for repair, maintenance, as well as temporary storage of helicopters and aircraft. To date, all operating aircraft carriers in the world are large in size, as well as the most modern equipment. Let's talk about this topic in more detail and take a closer look at some of the largest ships. Among them will be both legends and aircraft carriers still in service.
general information
For the first time, the largest aircraft carriers in the world began to be used by the British during the 1st World War. Over time, the British government realized that it was much easier to defend the borders using mobile ships. By the Second World War, the British were in the lead in the number of cruisers, but over time they lost the lead to the United States. As for the current situation, then, of course, aircraft carriers are not only combat units carrying a small aviation army, but also a means of communication that allows you to quickly exchange information. The main requirement that is placed on the armed forces is mobility, so highly maneuverable combat units play a key role in many battles. However, if a nuclear exchange happens, then the largest aircraft carriers in the world will become the primary target. Powerful power plants allow you to stay on the high seas for decades.
Modern aircraft carriers
To date, such ships are most actively used. There are about 11 aircraft carriers in service with the country and 10 are being designed, while the Russian Federation has only one operating and two under construction. The US uses cruisers to resolve conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and so on.
The first US aircraft carrier, which had a nuclear propulsion system on board, was built in 1961 and was called the Enterprise. Today it is one of its length is 342 meters.
In the USSR, Admiral Kuznetsov believed that aircraft carriers were the future. Therefore, under his command, the construction of several cruisers was launched, but after the departure of Kuznetsov, the new Admiral Gorshkov closed the projects. However, in the 67th year, it was decided to build "Minsk", "Kyiv" and "Novorossiysk".
The largest aircraft carriers in the world
First of all, you need to talk about warships with aircraft on board the Nimitz class. These giants are considered the largest and most powerful not only in the United States, but throughout the world. In total, about ten ships were built. Each of them cost the government about $4.5-5.0 billion. The last aircraft carrier is considered the most powerful and is named after the 41st, George W. Bush. On its board, "George Bush" can carry about 90 pieces of military equipment. There are fighters of various brands, and combat helicopters. It is assumed that each Nimitz-class aircraft carrier will be operated for 50 years, and only after that it will be decommissioned. But the US has already started building next-generation ships. Presumably, these will be aircraft carriers of the Gerald Ford type, the combat power of which will be slightly increased, as well as the amount of aircraft transported.
The most powerful and largest aircraft carrier of the Russian Federation
The Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet of the Soviet Union, Admiral Kuznetsov, was a truly outstanding personality. In his memory was built with the same name. Its length is 305 meters and 10 centimeters. It is worth paying your attention to the fact that, unlike Western-style aircraft carriers, the designs of Soviet shipbuilders are very different. What is only the armament of the cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov". Dozens of large-caliber anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank installations, anti-torpedo weapons and much more. In fact, there is a heavy defensive offensive weapon. All this, along with those on board, makes the ship deadly and effective in combat operations. 40 units can be on board the ship at the same time aircraft. Approximately 30 aircraft (fixed wing) and 10 helicopters.
Modified "Admiral Kuznetsov" or "Liaoning"
This ship was the first aircraft carrier that China put into service. Initially, the Liaoning was built at the Nikolaev shipyard in Ukraine for operation in the Soviet Union. However, after the collapse of the USSR, the aircraft carrier went to Ukraine, which, after several years of operation so normally and without completing the ship, sold it to China for only $20 million. The Chinese brought the cruiser to mind and put it into their arsenal. If you list all the most powerful aircraft carriers in the world, then the Liaoning will be in one of the first places. This is due to the fact that it was designed following the example of the cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" with some modifications. That is why, on board the ship, there is not only a large ammunition supply, which is enough for several hours of intense battle, but also a large number of aircraft. In China, the Liaoning is used for pilot training.
"Krechet" from India
Currently, the Indian Navy has 2 aircraft carriers. One of them is called "Vikramaditya", its length is about 283-284 meters. original name ship "Baku" or "Modified Kyiv". It was built back in the Soviet Union, but after its collapse, Russia decided to decommission the ship, which was due to the high cost of maintaining the working condition of the equipment. In 2004, the aircraft carrier was sold for $2.5 billion to India. At the same time, the ship was equipped Russian fighters and armament. If you call everything modern aircraft carriers world, then "Vikramaditya" is one of them. In 2013, this ship was put into service. An aircraft-carrying cruiser of this class can carry on board about 36 aircraft, mostly Russian-made fighters.
Aircraft carrier Sao Paulo
Type "Clemenceau" were in service with France for 39 years. There were two such ships in total. One was decommissioned in 2000, and the second was sold to Brazil for only $12 million. Since the purchase, Brazilian engineers, with the support of French colleagues, began to modernize the ship. Changes were made not only to the armament, which was almost completely updated, but also to the flight deck, which was somewhat expanded. In the end, engines, all kinds of sensors, etc. were changed. However, it is difficult to say that the “Sao Paulo” has always been good. For example, in 2005 and 2012, fires broke out there, as a result of which several sailors died. "Sao Paulo" can carry on board 39 units of military equipment. The offensive potential is realized by the Skyhawk, an American light attack aircraft. The length of the ship is 264 meters 80 centimeters.
"Charles de Gaulle"
Currently, they are armed with several aircraft carriers. One of them is Charles de Gaulle. In fact, this ship is the only nuclear aircraft carrier that is not in service with the US Navy. The construction of the ship cost the state about $4 billion. The aircraft carrier was launched in 2000, although it was planned to do this a little earlier, but due to the crisis, construction was frozen. Since the reactor is nuclear, the ship can sail without refueling for about 20 years and carry about 40 pieces of aircraft on board. It was repeatedly said that in 1993 Mi-6 spies got on board the Charles de Gaulle, who, although they managed to inspect the ship, did not manage to get off it, as they were captured. Currently, many aircraft carriers of the countries of the world are taking part in combat operations, and Charles de Gaulle is one of them.
Conclusion
As you can see, the fleet of every country needs aircraft carriers. Of course, today the dominance in the sea belongs to the United States, since there are more of their ships there, they have modern equipment. Nevertheless, Russia also has potential, as well as a number of other countries, such as Japan and Great Britain. Currently, there are a large number of promising projects. For example, this year Japan plans to launch an aircraft carrier own production"Izumo". True, since Japan does not have permission to build aircraft-carrying cruisers, it is declared as a helicopter carrier. In the same year, the Indian "Viktrant" should also go on the water, and in 2020 - "Queen Elizabeth" (Great Britain). That's all that can be told about what they are, the best aircraft carriers in the world, and what is remarkable about each of these giants.
The idea of connecting the fleet and aviation was born by the great minds of mankind back in the 19th century. So a real technical miracle, called aircraft carriers, was born. They bring death and destruction, but even despite this, they are admired for their greatness. It's about them, about largest aircraft carriers in the world and will be discussed in our article.
The giant, named after one of the heroes of ancient Greek myths, went down in history as the first classic aircraft carrier, which had a landing deck for aircraft on board. He was in service with the British navy. The first descent of the vessel took place in the autumn of 2018. The Argus was damaged in action during World War II, so she was scrapped and has been used as a training ship ever since.
Lexington (USA)
The American aircraft carrier, which in the 20s of the last century bore the proud title of the largest vessel of this class, first went on the water in the fall of 1925. With a total length of 270.6 meters, the width of the aircraft carrier was 39.6 meters. Despite such large dimensions, the Lexington could reach speeds of up to 34 knots. There was enough space on its deck to accommodate 70 aircraft.
The ship participated in the battles for Pearl Harbor, it sank after receiving serious damage in May 1942.
This is the most large aircraft carrier throughout the history of World War II. The ship was launched in November 1944. On its deck fit 42 aircraft, as well as numerous artillery pieces and 12 unguided anti-aircraft guns. The size of the deck of the ship at that time seemed fantastic - 40 by 256 m.
The fate of the Sinano turned out to be tragic: it sank 17 hours after going to sea as a result of a direct hit on board by 6 American torpedoes.
Not exactly an aircraft carrier, because the Iowa, like 3 other ships designed according to this project, belongs to the class of high-speed ships for surface and underwater battles. The length of the giant is 270 m, 3 aircraft, catapults for their launch and standard artillery pieces were placed on board. The first launch of the ship took place in the summer of 1943.
This American ship was designed in the 40s of the last century; it set off on its first voyage in September 1945. The length of the vessel was 295 meters, but the width of the platform for take-off of aircraft was more than 41 meters. The Midway was equipped with 4 turbines and 12 engines that could accelerate it to 33 knots. The ship was decommissioned in the spring of 1992, and now there is a museum on board.
The aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" was the only one in the history of our country that was in service with the Russian army. It was built at the shipyard in Nikolaev in Soviet times. The ship was launched unfinished; it passed its first tests in the period from the 88th to the 89th year. Due to numerous shortcomings, the ship was repeatedly returned to the dock, repaired and altered.
Despite a number of flaws, the Admiral Kuznetsov went down in history as one of the largest aircraft carriers. Its length was 302 m, and its width was almost 72 m.
The ship was the last American history an aircraft carrier created as part of the Kitty Hawk project. It was launched into the water in 1968, and written off and transferred to the reserve in 2007.
The ship could fit 80 aircraft, which is not at all surprising with a ship width of 76.8 m and a length of 320.6 m. An interesting fact is that John F. Kennedy participated in the filming of the fantastic blockbuster 2012.
The first such vessel, created to meet the requirements of jet aviation. The ship went on its first voyage in 1955. At that time, it became the largest ship of this type with a length of 325 m and a length of 72.5 m. 90 aircraft fit on board the Forrestal.
Unfortunately, the aircraft carrier was unlucky. Fires broke out on it every now and then, rockets refused to launch and often missed their target. The ship was written off in 1993, and in 2015 it was disposed of.
The last turbocharged aircraft carrier in American history entered service in 1961. There was practically no artillery on board, and 80 aircraft could fit on the deck measuring 326x86 m.
The ship has repeatedly participated in battles, it was withdrawn from the armament of the American army in 2009.
Modern armed forces must be mobile - months-long campaigns on war elephants and half-year military galley expeditions are a thing of the past. Now, when the bill goes not even for days, but for hours, there is nothing more effective for armies than aircraft carriers. And the only thing better than an aircraft carrier is a large, very large aircraft carrier. In this material, "RG" will talk about ships that cause envy even among blue whales.
"Shinano"
The Japanese giant can hardly be attributed to the modern one, because in 1944 he sank safely during his first assignment. But what you should not doubt is its colossal, especially for that time, size. Its length was 266 meters, and its displacement was 68,060 tons. In order for you to realize the size of this hulk, imagine the Titanic. So this legendary liner was only three meters longer than the Sinano, and in terms of displacement it lost 10 thousand tons.
Initially, the Japanese was supposed to be the fourth in a series of Yamato-class battleships, but the designers' plans were redrawn by the Battle of Midway, where the Imperial Japanese Navy lost four brand new aircraft carriers and a whole group of smaller ships. The half-finished "Sinano" was decided to be converted as soon as possible into a vessel capable of carrying aircraft.
Haste made itself felt during the first and last battle of the giant. In November 1944, she was torpedoed by an American submarine. The watertight bulkheads had been installed incorrectly and were leaking, and the crew was inexperienced.
"Sinano" sank 7 hours after the attack and 17 hours after leaving the port.
"Varyag" or "Liaoning"
A giant with a very interesting and slightly sad fate was laid down at a shipyard in Nikolaev in 1985, and launched already in 1988. Most of the technical devices on the ship were absent, and the overall readiness of the combat ship could be estimated no higher than 60 percent. After the collapse of the USSR, it went to Ukraine, which until 1998 invested in it exactly as much money as was necessary to keep it afloat, no more.
In 1998, a giant with a length of 304.5 meters and a displacement of 59,500 tons was sold by official Kiev for a ridiculous amount of $ 20 million. The buyer was a private Chinese firm that announced its intention to turn the unfinished aircraft carrier into an amusement park and casino. But if there were such plans, then they were abandoned almost immediately: 20 million for the crown of the creation of Soviet designers is an insignificant price, so the PRC government nationalized the ship and completed it. Thus, by 2011, the People's Republic of China entered the pool of countries that have aircraft carriers in service.
"Admiral Kuznetsov"
The largest and most powerful aircraft-carrying cruiser in Europe and Asia began to be built in the same Nikolaev in 1982. Named after Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov, Admiral of the Soviet Union.
According to all its characteristics, the aircraft carrier was advanced: the deck was lengthened to allow the take-off and landing of the Su-25, Su-27 and MiG-29, and the hull was built in a unique way from blocks weighing up to 1400 tons. Aerofinishers, the optical landing system "Luna" and the side lifts of the aircraft first appeared on it. The length of the "Admiral" is more than three football fields, it is like the Eiffel Tower without a spire - 306 meters. At the same time, a whole small air army can be on such a colossus - 25 aircraft and 25 helicopters.
Unlike most standard aircraft carriers, the armament of the Admiral Kuznetsov is far from modest: 12 launchers 4K80 SCRC "Granit", 8 launchers "Kortik" with an arsenal of 256 missiles, 6 six-barreled 30-mm artillery mounts AK-630M for 48 thousand shells and 4 six-barrel launchers of the Kinzhal air defense system. Radar is also on top - the Beysur complex, Buran-2 and the Rezistor flight control radar station, and the Kuznetsov crew is almost 2000 sailors and officers. "Kuznetsov" is a real beauty and pride of Russia.
By 2015, the ship will replace all carrier-based Su-33 fighters with multifunctional MiG-29K. Until 2017, the ship will pass overhaul.
"Nimitz"
This American Gulliver is named after Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet during World War II. The Nimitz aircraft carrier was laid down back in 1968 and became one of the first nuclear-powered ships of this type. power plant. Participated in the infamous failed special operation "Eagle's Claw" in 1980. In May 1981, an incident occurred on board: a landing Prowler fighter crashed, killing 14 people, and about 50 were injured.
The aircraft carrier has gigantic dimensions - 332 meters in length and a displacement of almost 100,000 tons. But these figures did not bring him success in 2008, when two Russian Tu-95MS teased the "floating fortress" as part of a training flight. One of them flew at an altitude of only 600 meters above the Nimitz, and even the F / A-18 fighters raised up in alarm did not embarrass our pilots.
"Enterprise"
More than half a century ago, in 1960, the CVN-65 Enterprise was launched, which still remains the longest warship of all time - 342 meters! Also, "Big E" became the world's first nuclear aircraft carrier, and the crew of this big man was a little less than 5,000 people. In total, it was planned to create 6 such ships, but the release of the first Enterprise, which cost $ 451 million, shook the US economy, so the rest of the ships in the project were abandoned.
The aircraft carrier has always been positioned as the pinnacle of the country's naval development and took part in all conflicts and wars of the Stars and Stripes. From the Caribbean crisis to the Vietnam War, from the confrontation between North and South Korea to Yugoslavia and Iraq. Unpleasant incidents did not bypass him either, on January 14, 1969, due to the negligence of the crew, a rocket spontaneously exploded on one of the Phantom aircraft. The ensuing fire destroyed 15 more fighters, killing 27 people and injuring 349. In total, more than 100,000 people served on the aircraft carrier in 52 years.
The ship was decommissioned in 2012 and will be scrapped by 2015, despite numerous protests from former sailors who urged the government to turn the legendary ship into a floating museum.
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 largest 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)
This is not only a 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 undergoing a major renovation. 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 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 more ships this class was not 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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