Aircraft carriers Viability. Two.

Smaller Vessels.

HMS Ocean and Albion are in the class of the smaller carrier, equiptted with more helicopters and drones than actual aircraft? The Spanish proposed Matador class carriers gave the option of both V/STOL (Vertical and short take-off and landing) aircraft in conflict and helicopters in the peace role, but one does not know if this is what the British Royal Navy would do with it ships?

There is always value in good design and it has been found that smaller targets do better in wars than the larger ones that are more vulnerable to being hit? Large carriers need more defensive weapons systems to counteract incoming missiles, where as the small targets are actually more likely to avoid being hit!

One of the big problems with smaller carriers is their limitations in aircraft availability and many studies have been made for their role not just as a carrier of six to eight own jets. But that of buddy refueling systems for larger fighters to give them extended flight over returning to their own carriers?

These smaller carriers also have the advantage as the U.S. navy has found of shock attack missions with their seals on unsuspecting targets? These operations again take advantage of modern technology such as the Predator drones doing reconnaissance and pin-point target hitting, while helicopter gunships can back up boat landing craft and transport helicopters in and out quickly!

Aircraft Carriers Viability. One.

Real estate at Sea.

The United States today posses the largest fleet of Nuclear powered aircraft carriers in the Nimitz class, these ships carry several hundred aircraft of various types from fighter jets, to ELINT and AWACS. They also carry a host of different helicopters from Anti-Submarine warfare ASW to medium transport and the CH-47J the latest version of the Boeing-Vertol Chinook to the CH-53.

Many other nations have smaller carriers such as Brazil, France, China, Russia, Britain, Australia and India, Spain and Italy. Some are nearly as big and nuclear, while the others are conventional diesel and have to be replenished at sea.

These ship carry up to 5000 crew, combing air arms, marines, seals, commando's with their military equipment  and vehicles than can be landed by landing craft or large transport helicopter's?

The military philosophy one would think is the same, but every nation has their own take on how to deal with the foe and these ideas have been developed over the last one-hundred years from the first British one decker's right up to the mini carrier six aircraft VTOL jump jets and six rotary wing.

 

Defence is provided by sophisticated missile systems both anti-aircraft, missile and ship to land such as the Tomahawks. Raptor and Predator drones along with others such as Helli star and Scout/rangers are also used to cut the risk of loosing valuable pilots in hostile territory

Invisible Bombers. Part-Two.

Unseen flying Technologies.

With the advent now of micro computers and new material developed in the vacum of space these combined have lead to the design and development of invisible objects to be deployed on the modern battlefield.

Co-alition forces are now employed in fighting the first mass mobile army in modern history, they may have 14th Century beliefs but they certainly know how to use 21st Century technology.

Many new types of drones and UAV, UCAV are being deployed and the air war at one level will be a success, but alas America has had to return to boots on the ground. Perhaps this is the death knell of the Democrats politically in the United States.