"What It Would Really Take To Sink A Modern Aircraft Carrier" Topic

"The modern aircraft carrier is a global symbol of American dominance, hegemony, peace, even empire. But at over 1,000 feet long, and displacing more than 100,000 tons, is it a sitting duck? Is the massive emblem of American greatness just an obsolete, vulnerable hunk of steel?

There's a lot of consternation about whether or not the United States should even have massive supercarriers anymore. Obviously, the answer here is "depends on how much explosives you've got." But while sinking an aircraft carrier is difficult, it's not impossible. The key is what it's used for, and who it's used against. But if you wanted to sink one, here's what you'd have to do, and what you'd be up against…"
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Amicalement
Armand

Interesting article. Truthfully, sinking a CVN isn't worth the effort. Damaging the propulsion train or the flight deck would accomplish the same near-term goal of a mission kill.

Regards,

Scott Chisholm

That's true – but sunk is gone.

And a lot more hand-wringing than a ship that limps back to port eventually.

Glad you enjoyed it my friend!. (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

There was a reason after all that the US bothered to capture all those islands in the Pacific. It was called land based air. If a nation has an airfield with lots of planes on it, it is very difficult to operate in the surrounding waters with your navy. Carriers are limited in what they can bring in the way of aircraft, unless you bring lots of carriers. Which the US could and did do in the last years of the war.

Even during the Gulf War the navy would use land bases to sortie aircraft. Quicker and easier to do stuff on land then in a tight hanger or flight deck. During the WWII, the Navy had lots of land based aircraft too.

You can't sink an island and it only takes a good engineering unit a couple hours to get a runway back up and running. That is way Clark Field is so important and would give the Chinese fits if it was reopened. Heck the Vietnamese would probably be more then happy to host an Air wing or two.

I thought it took loose lips to sink ships.
Good read, though.

Pull out the plug and let the water in? They DO still have plugs, don't they?

Yes, they have to have plugs – if they leak a bit the plugs are very useful for letting the water out.