Aircraft Carriers III

Italian Carrier Strike Group a Yokosuka​

ITALY’S NAVY IN AUSTRALIA​

USS Kitty Hawk Action - Color 1971 - F-4 A-7 RA-5 A-3 launch recovery arming Vietnam Viet Nam​

USS Hancock Operations 1975​

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1980s Carrier Flight Ops​

USS Harry S. Truman Flight Deck Ops • Ionian Sea (2022)​

Inside World's Most Dangerous Workplace: US Aircraft Carrier Flight Deck​

Japan’s largest warship JS Kaga (DDH 184) arrives in a Foggy San Diego​

The Izumo-class helicopter carrier (locally classified as “helicopter destroyer”) JS Kaga (DDH 184) went through modification work in order to operate the Lockheed Martin F-35B fighter aircraft.

According to a JMSDF press release issued today, the operational tests will be conducted with the support of the U.S. Navy in connection with the special modification of the destroyer Kaga. The purpose of the tests is to “collect the data necessary for the operation of the F-35B on the Izumo-class destroyers.” Tests such as the short takeoff, vertical landing, and on-board operation of the F-35B are scheduled to be conducted.

The operational tests of JS Kaga will be conducted as part of its “Indo-Pacific Deployment 2024” (IPD24) deployment.

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, the modifications on the two Izumo-class helicopter carriers – JS Izumo (DDH 183) and JS Kaga (DDH 184) – are underway in two main stages to coincide with the vessels’ periodic refit and overhaul programs, which take place every five years. The JMSDF expects both ships to complete all of the upgrades to become a light aircraft carrier operating F-35B fighters around fiscal year 2027.

Japan Marine United (JMU) started refit work on Kaga at the company’s Kure shipyard in Hiroshima in March 2022. Its initial modifications include the modifications of the

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into a square shape from a trapezoid, similar to that found on the US Navy’s Wasp-class and America-class amphibious assault ships. The first-stage modifications also include reinforcing the flight deck to support additional weight, placing additional guidance lights, drawing the yellow lines on the flight deck necessary for launching and landing F-35Bs, and fitting the ship with heat-resistant deck spots for vertical landings.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) plans to procure a total of 42 F-35Bs, along with 105 F-35As. The F-35Bs are expected to be deployed to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF’s)

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on Kyushu Island. By deploying F-35Bs to Nyutabaru, Tokyo intends to enhance Japan’s ability to defend its remote southern islands, including those near the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. These islands are controlled by Japan but claimed by China and Taiwan.

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The USS America (CV-66), a classic U.S. Navy aircraft carrier that served from 1965 to 1996, was sunk during a live-fire test in 2005 to evaluate the survivability of aircraft carriers under extreme attack conditions.

This unprecedented experiment, called "SinkEx," aimed to determine how much damage a carrier could endure.

-The America withstood four weeks of explosions, demonstrating incredible resilience due to its robust design, including a double-layered hull.

Eventually scuttled off the coast of North Carolina, it became the largest warship ever sunk. The tests informed future carrier designs but would be unlikely to be repeated due to public and political pressures.

The USS America was a classic U.S. Navy aircraft carrier from the dark days of the Cold War.

The carrier was built to some real strong specs. When it came time to dispose of her, the Navy tried to sink her in an experiment. It proved to be quite historic.

Instead of turning a retired aircraft carrier into a museum, why not test the vessel to see how many explosions it could take in a live-fire situation?

That is exactly what the U.S. Navy did to the USS America in 2005. The America had a sterling service history, having deployed in multiple wars and engagements since its commissioning in 1965. The America was harder to sink than the Navy expected, and these tests informed the design of the next generation of carriers.

The Navy had a simple question: How survivable can a carrier be? To help answer, the America’s final mission was to act as a test and evaluation demonstrator.

The vessel withstood four weeks of explosions – it was tough to sink indeed. The America was finally scuttled after the testing period, and it went to the bottom of the sea southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina – about 400 miles west of Bermuda. The America was the largest warship ever sunk.

The Navy carried out a so-called

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– a sink at-sea live-fire

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.

“We will conduct a variety of comprehensive tests above and below the waterline collecting data for use by naval architects and engineers in creating the nation’s future carrier fleet,”

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said at the time.

USS America absorbed the punishment. It simply would not sink. The ship’s double-layered hull and its many rooms contributed to the America’s toughness.

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believed the carrier was stronger than a better-armored battleship.

An Unusual Exercise​

The Navy carried out a so-called

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– a sink at-sea live-fire

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.

“We will conduct a variety of comprehensive tests above and below the waterline collecting data for use by naval architects and engineers in creating the nation’s future carrier fleet,”

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said at the time.

USS America absorbed the punishment. It simply would not sink. The ship’s double-layered hull and its many rooms contributed to the America’s toughness.

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believed the carrier was stronger than a better-armored battleship.

Exemplary Service Record​

The USS America was a member of the

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of upsized carriers. The ship served for over 30 years and deployed to many dangerous parts of the world. Its service included three patrols off the coast of Vietnam during the war in that country. It also launched sorties during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, contributing to the success of the First Gulf War.

Workers laid down the USS America’s keel in 1961. Conventionally powered, it had

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and four steam turbine engines with four propellers. This enabled a speed of over 30 knots.

The carrier was over three football fields long ,and it displaced 82,200 tons. The flight deck was 252 feet wide, giving it room for about 85 aircraft. More than 5,300 sailors served on board. The America was protected by

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equipped on an Mk-29 launcher, and it also had a

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close-in weapon system.

The ship was launched in 1964 and commissioned in 1965. An

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was the first airplane to take off from the America. The carrier was decommissioned in 1996.

A Test Unlikely to Be Repeated​

The sinking test carried out on the USS America would probably not be replicated by the U.S. Navy today. There would be too much pressure from the public and the media – plus oversight from Congress – to keep a retired carrier as a museum, rather than use it as an explosive test bed.

But the exercise did serve a purpose. It helped the Navy learn a carrier’s limitations in a simulated combat environment. Carriers can be difficult to kill, even though there are many types of anti-ship missiles that can threaten these flat-tops. It’s good to know that their design can withstand mighty blows.

About the Author​

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, PhD, is the author of

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. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer. You can follow him on Twitter

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.

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A demonstration of strength? Royal Navy exercise Strike Warrior 2024​

In focus: France’s future aircraft carrier​