About this Unit
An aircraft carrier is a large warship that serves as a mobile airbase for military aircraft. These ships are equipped with a flight deck for launching and landing aircraft, as well as facilities for storing and maintaining aircraft. Aircraft carriers play a crucial role in modern naval warfare by allowing countries to project air power far from their shores. They are typically the centerpiece of a naval task force and can carry a variety of aircraft, including fighter jets, helicopters, and reconnaissance planes.
Historical Facts
• The first aircraft carrier, the HMS Furious, was originally built as a modified cruiser in 1917 before being converted to a full-fledged aircraft carrier in 1925.
• During World War II, the aircraft carrier emerged as a crucial component of naval warfare due to its ability to launch aircraft that could attack enemy ships, submarines, and even land targets.
• The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, which eventually led the United States to enter World War II, was carried out primarily by aircraft launched from Japanese aircraft carriers.
• The USS Enterprise (CV-6), one of the most famous aircraft carriers of World War II, earned the nickname "The Big E" and received more battle stars than any other US ship during the war.
• In 1942, the USS Hornet (CV-8) launched the famous Doolittle Raid on Japan, during which US Army Air Forces bombers were launched from the carrier to strike Tokyo and other Japanese cities.
• The USS Midway (CV-41), commissioned in 1945, served as the US Navy's flagship in Asia during the Cold War and was the largest aircraft carrier in the world until 1955.
• The development of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, starting with the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) in 1961, revolutionized naval warfare by providing carriers with nearly unlimited range and endurance.
• The British Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth, commissioned in 2017, is the largest and most advanced aircraft carrier in the world today, capable of carrying up to 40 F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters.
• During the Falklands War in 1982, the British aircraft carriers HMS Invincible and HMS Hermes played a crucial role in supporting ground operations and defending against Argentine air attacks.
• The USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and its class of supercarriers, commissioned in the 1970s and 1980s, remain the backbone of the US Navy's carrier fleet and are among the largest warships ever built.
