The Washington times., 1924-01-12
BY REAR ADMIRAL. WILLIAM A.
MOFFETT, u. S. N.
Chief OF the Bureau Of AerOnautiCS,
Navy nNrtnent.

WON GAAS ~ NJ Az
Chief OF the Bureau Of AerOnauticS,
Navy Department.
Copyright, 1894. by Cosmopolitan
News Service.)
The problem of Incorporating
aviation into the navy is one to
which the Navy Department is
very much alive. 1t is further real
lied that aeronautics is a rapidly
growing art, and that constant
efforts are necessary to keep the
navy supplied with aircraft that
will best perform their allotted
functions.
New Fields Developed.
Aviation development in the navy
II not confined to the improvement
of existing types, but is constantly
reaching out in new fields. The
enormous possibilities of aviation as
q leading factor in the problems of
the national defense are recognized
and every effort is being made to
take advantage of these possibilities.
The basis of an effective aviation
arm of the naval establishment is
cooperation with the older arms,
and recognition Of the limitations
of each. aircraft and surface YES
sells each have limitations that can
best be met by cooperation between
the two. The battleship has ire
menduus striking and holding pow
er. Surface craft cannot only de-
liver deadly blows, but can secure
and hold advantages that are OBJ
tanned by remaining on the job for
as long a period as necessary. Air
craft has its mission in it's great
speed and suddenness of attack
when operating with surface ships
as an auxiliary to them.
Part of Fleet.
TO give aviation its widest sphere
Of usefulness as a part of the navy
It is vital that aircraft form a part
Of the fleet itself, not only in the
harbors and near the coast, but on
the high seas as well, If necessary
thousands of miles at sea. In order
to make this reality planes are
being carried on the individual ships
craft carriers.
The navy today has only one air
craft carrier, the U. S. S. Langley,
has been in commission for a little
more than a year, and during that
time problems of the greatest i'm
portance have been worked out in
connection with keeping aviation at
h.
cruisers are now being converted
into aircraft carriers, the Saratoga
and the Lexington. They will be
fitted with large flying off decks
that will permit planes to land and
70 take the air from them while I'M
DER way at sea. While the in
dividual vessels are equipped to
carry planes for defense and scout
ing 1T is the aircraft carrier that
will bring to the fleet the pre-
ponderant air force that is vital for
successful naval operations today
as in the future.
The two aircraft carriers do not
represent heavy expense, but
IN reality effect a saving, as they
are being constructed from two of
the partly completed battle cruisers
that were to have been destroyed
by the Limitation o. Armament
Treaty Of 1921. The battle cruisers
would have been a total loss If
provision had not been made in
the Treaty for the conversion OF
two Of them into aircraft carrie rs
Planned For Battle.
All peace time plans for navies
and armies are made with view
TO securing victory in hattle. So il
is With aviation rs a part of the
navy. The detailed plans, the years
OF labor. are all directed in giving
to the fleet. in time Of national
need, the necessary addition to the
power of the surface ships that is
vital to successful operation in
modern war.
The naval battles of the future
will see squadrons of scouting plane
searching the seas before the two
battle lines bring their guns into
action. The location of the enemy.
Information that will enable the
fleet having that information to
attack under conditions most favor.
eblc TO it's SUCCESS, ca1 test he
obtained by scouting aircraft, both
planes and rigid airships. that from
their vantage point of thousands
OF feet in the air can observe the
ocean for many miles in every
direction.
With the enemy located. the tor.
pedo and bombing planes will be
In a position to harass the enemy