Aviation-capable naval vessel
This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(April 2024) |
Many present-day naval vessels, aside fromaircraft carriersand full-length deckamphibious assault ships,are capable of carrying aircraft. A majority ofUnited States Navyships have at least ahelipad,capable of landing medium-sizedhelicopters.Many others have decks and evenhangarsincorporated into the structure of the ship. It has become a standard part of modernship designto have a deck that supports multiple, medium or large helicopters, as well as being able to house them in a hangar, for protection and maintenance. Aside from carriers and full-length deck amphibious assault ships, the US Navy has 12 classes ofcommissionedsurface warships, 10 of which are aviation-capable. Two of those classes, patrol ships and mine counter-measure ships, are due to be replaced by the littoral combat ship, at which point the entire US Navalsurface war fleetwill be aviation-capable.[1]
US Navy ships
[edit]As of 2016, the current types and classes of US Navy ships, along with their capabilities are as follows:
Type | Hull code | Class | Aircraft carried |
---|---|---|---|
Amphibious Command Ship | (LCC) | Blue Ridge | 2 ×Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawkhelicopters |
Amphibious transport dock | (LPD) (AFSB(I)) |
San Antonio Austin |
up to 4 or 6 ×CH-46 Sea Knightor up to 5 ×MV-22 OspreyTilt-rotors. (also fixed-wing aircraft, such as theAV-8B Harrier IIV/STOL jet, in an emergency - seeUSSGreen BayAV-8B Harrier testing) |
Cruiser | (CG) | Ticonderoga | 2 ×Sikorsky SH-60B or MH-60R SeahawkLAMPSIII helicopters. |
Destroyer | (DDG) | Arleigh Burke | up to 2 × MH-60R LAMPS III helicopters |
Dock landing ship | (LSD) | Harpers Ferry Whidbey Island |
2 ×CH-53E Super Stallionor 3 × CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters |
Littoral combat ship | (LCS) | Freedom Independence |
2 × MH-60R/S Seahawk and 1 ×MQ-8 Fire Scout |
Submarine tender | (AS) | Emory S. Land | none(equipped with platform for medium helicopter) |
Along with these types and classes, many of the US navy's non-commissioned ships, specifically those of theMilitary Sealift Command,are aviation-capable as well. TheUnited States Coast Guardalso hascuttersthat are aviation-capable. Also, with the growing technology inUAVsandUCAVs,virtually every ship afloat has, or will soon have, some type of aviation capability.
Other vessels
[edit]The following are examples of other types aviation-capable vessels from other navies around the world:
Type | National Navy | Class | Aircraft carried |
---|---|---|---|
Amphibious transport dock | Chilean Navy | Foudre | 4 × helicopters |
Command ship | Royal Danish Navy | Absalon | 2 ×EH-101helicopters |
Corvette | Israeli Navy | Sa'ar 5 | 1 × helicopter |
Cruiser | Russian Navy | Slava | 1 ×Kamov Ka-25orKamov Ka-27helicopter |
Destroyer | People's Liberation Army Navy(China) | Type 052B or Guangzhou | 1 × Kamov Ka-27 helicopter |
Dock landing ship | Royal Australian Navy | Bay | none(can accommodate Chinook-sized helicopters and Osprey-sized tilt-rotors on its deck) |
Frigate | Royal Navy(UK) | Type 23 or Duke | 1 ×Lynx HMA8or 1 ×Westland Merlin HM1 |
Landing platform dock | Spanish Navy | Galicia | 4 ×SH-3 Sea Kingor 6 ×NH-90helicopters |
Landing Ship, Tank | Hellenic Navy(Greece) | Jason | none(equipped with platform for medium helicopter) |
Helicopter destroyer | Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force | Hyūga | 3 × SH-60K, 1 × MCH-101 |
Other types
[edit]- Battlecarrier
- Merchant aircraft carrier
- Submarine aircraft carrier
- Aircraft cruiser
- CAM ship
- Drone carrier
- Fighter catapult ship
- Interdiction Assault Ship
- Seaplane tender
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Wragg, David W. (1973).A Dictionary of Aviation(first ed.). Osprey. p. 18.ISBN9780850451634.