From: bull@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Carrier info.wanted !
Date: 25 Jan 93 17:23:38 GMT
Organization: Computer Centre, Monash University, Australia


From bull@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au

> From Don Palmrose <dpe@inel.gov>
> Stefan Kronkvist INF <skronkvi@aton.abo.fi> writes:
>>
>> I am looking for general aircraft-carrier information.
>>
>> 1) How many carriers do UK,USA and France have? (names if possible)
>
> For US carriers, I'm not quite sure how many are left but I'll give it a shot
> (I don't have a Jane's Fighting Ship handy)
>
> Saratoga,  Forrestal,  Enterprise,  Ranger,  Kitty Hawk,  Independence,
> Kennedy,  Nimitz,  Vinson,  Eisenhower,  Roosevelt,  Lincoln
>
> Am I missing 2 more?  Lexington may only be used for training now.
>
> [mod note -- Lexingtion is going to be de-commissioned (or may have been
> already, and Forrestal is taking her place.
>
> You missed the Constellation (part of the JFK/Kitty Hawk class)
>
> Midway was on it's way back from Japan to be de-commissioned

        I'll add a few more notes. There are 4(?) conventionally powered
"Forrestal" class carriers (oil fired steam boilers), built in the '50's.
All other currently serving carriers are nuclear powered. There are 2
other conventionally powered carriers, Midway and Coral Sea, but they have
been removed from service and are scheduled to be scrapped. There is at
least 1 new carrier due to enter service soon, USS George Washington, and
another under construction, possibly ready by 1996, both based on the
"Nimtz" design.

[mod note -- From all the other posting, here is the "canonical" list
of U.S. Carriers currently being used:

Ship		Class		Propulsion
----------	----------	-----------------
Forrestal	Forrestal	Oil  (note -- used as training carrier)
Ranger		Forrestal	Oil
Saratoga	Forrestal	Oil
Independence	Forrestal	Oil
JFK		JFK/Kitty Hawk	Oil
Constellation	JFK/Kitty Hawk	Oil
America		JFK/Kitty Hawk	Oil
Kitty Hawk	JFK/Kitty Hawk	Oil
Enterprise	Enterprise	Nuclear
Nimitz		Nimitz		Nuclear
Eisenhower	Nimitz		Nuclear
Vinson		Nimitz		Nuclear
Roosevelt	Nimitz		Nuclear
Lincoln		Nimitz		Nuclear

List does not include carriers under construction or not yet commissioned.
As you can see, there are more than 4 conventionally powered carriers

Steve]

        France has 2 conventionally powered carriers, Clememceau (sp?)
and Foch, and 1 nuclear powered carrier under construction (with plans
for a second nuclear carrier) called Charles DeGaulle.

        England has 3 Invincible class carriers, with no immediate
plans for replacing them. All 3 carriers are conventionally powered
using turbines. Names: Invincible, Illustrious, ?.

>> 2) What kind of aircrafts are they using at their carriers?
>
> US naval aircraft are:
> F-14  interceptor
> F/A-18  fighter/bomber
> A-6   bomber
> EA-6B  electronic countermeasures
> S-3   ASW turbojet aircraft
> SH-3  ASW helo
> SH-60  ASW helo
> E-3   early warning radar plane
> C-2   cargo/transport plane

        France: F-8 Crusader     Fighter
                Super Etendard   Attack
                Alize            Anti-sub plane
                Super Frelon     Anti-sub helicopter
                Lynx (?)         Anti-sub helicopter

on the Degaulle: Rafael-M (sp?) (marine version) Fighter/Attack
                 Helicopters unknown

        England: Sea Harrier     Fighter/Attack
                 Sea King        Anti-sub helicopter
                 Sea King AEW    Airborn Early Warning helicopter

>> 3) What kind of defensive weaponry is usually fitted on a carrier (exept
>>    for the planes of course)?
>
> US carriers have:
> Phalanx CIWS
> NATO Sea Sparrow
> Older ships might have 2 to 4 5"Mk48s if they have not been removed

        France: 4 100mm guns. I think a short range missile as well.
on the Degaulle: unknown.

        England. 1 Sea Dart medium range missle launcher.
                 2 GoalKeeper CIWS (based on the US GAU-8, 30mm
                   gatling gun)

>> 4) Did UK use their carrier(s) at the 'Falklands-War'?
>
> Yes

        England sent HMS Invincible and HMS Hermes. Hermes was an
older design, converted to carry Sea Harriers, and has been sold to
India, where it is the Indian Navy flagship.

>> 5) When is the average western carrier built (-50:s -60:s ...)?
>
> All US carriers are now from the mid-1950's and later.

        Both French carriers were built in the late 50's.
        The English carriers were built in the 70's

>> 6) Are there any major differenses between British,French and US carriers.
>
> Yes, the US carriers are much bigger coming in at about 96K tons fully loaded.

        Basically true. No other country has as many carriers as the US,
and no-one has carriers of a similar size to even the smaller Forrestal
class carriers. The French carriers are considered to be "Light" carriers.
The English carriers are classed CVV (vertical *landing* aircraft only,
helicopters and Harrier "jump jets"). Even the DeGaulle, when finished,
will be a "medium" sized carrier.

        Other countries with CVV's are Spain (2), Italy (1), Russia (5 plus
1 incomplete).

        This discussion also hasn't mentioned the US Wasp class, heavy
assault ships (1 launched, 1 building, 2 more to follow) which are
supposed to have a secondary role of "sea control" where they can act as
light carriers using AV-8B Harrier jets and Seahawk anti-sub helicopters.

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