The Royal Navy “supercarrier” HMS Queen Elizabeth is setting off for sea trials. Begun eight years ago and built at a cost of £3.6 billion, the carrier is the largest war ship ever constructed by Great Britain. After six weeks … Continue reading
Tag Archives: aircraft carrier
In 2011, a drought lowered the levels of the Rhine River, revealing unexploded munitions from World War II partially buried in the river banks exposed by the falling waters. Now, in Portsmouth harbor in the UK, World War II bombs are also being uncovered, not due … Continue reading
Today, Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II christened the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth. As the ceremony was held in Rosyth, Scotland, the queen christened the ship with a bottle of whiskey from the Bowmore Distillery, rather than the … Continue reading
Iran appears to be be building a non-functioning mock-up of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. The mock-up appears to be more of a barge, is not nuclear powered, doesn’t really look all that much like the Nimitz and is only about 2/3 the … Continue reading
A US Navy’s X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System drone, nicknamed Salty Dog 502, successfully landed on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush at sea. The Navy press release reads, in part: “Today’s demonstration was the first time a tailless, unmanned … Continue reading
Remember when ships were built from the keel up and launched by sliding down the building ways into the water with a satisfying splash? OK, maybe I am showing my age. These days ships are built like LEGOs, massive LEGOs, … Continue reading
The Defense News blog Intercepts recently posted a photo of nine “flattops” home for Christmas at Norfolk naval base. Of the nine, five are aircraft carriers – the DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, GEORGE H. W. BUSH, ENTERPRISE, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, and HARRY S TRUMAN. The other four are the … Continue reading
At the end of last September, the New York Times quoted un-named “Chinese and other military experts” regarding the Liaoning, the first Chinese aircraft carrier to go into service, that “China does not have planes capable of landing on the carrier and so far … Continue reading
Now that China has finally commissioned Liaoning, its first aircraft carrier, the discussion has focused on whether the ship is a meaningful addition to the Chinese Navy or merely a symbol of status and prestige. Some have pointed out that the … Continue reading
After ten sea trials and over 25 years of construction and refitting, China has put its first aircraft carrier into service. Long rumored to be named Shi Lang, the carrier has instead been named Liaoning, after the province where it was rebuilt and refitted. … Continue reading
This is not really a nautical story, which is why it is amusing. The Billings Gazette reports that “the Wyoming House of Representatives on Monday advanced legislation to launch a study into what Wyoming should do in the event of … Continue reading
There have been a book, two movies and one pop song entitled, “Sink the Bismark.” That is what came to mind when I heard that the Torbay Council’s Harbour Committee is recommending that they sink the Ark Royal. The … Continue reading
We recently posted about the Chinese conversion of the Russian aircraft carrier Varyag. China is not the only country looking to surplus Russian aircraft carriers to expand their naval power. India purchased the surplus carrier, Admiral Gorshkov, from the Russians … Continue reading
The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Invincible was sold to Turkish scrappers last February. Now bids are open for the sale of HMS Ark Royal. While scrapping seems a likely outcome the tender allows that “alternatively the vessel may be purchased for re-use/refurbishment for non-warlike purposes.” … Continue reading
For seventy years, battleships were the unchallenged masters of the oceans, until technology swept them aside. Now the aircraft carrier reigns supreme. The US currently has five times more aircraft carrier capacity based on flight deck acreage than the the … Continue reading
On Thursday Adm. John C. Harvey Jr., the head of Fleet Forces Command, announced the results of the investigation of the aircraft carrier Enterprise videos and recommended punishment for 40 officers and senior enlisted sailors. Lewd Navy Video Report Lewd Navy Videos … Continue reading
Commander Nigel Matthews Commander Nigel Matthews, who has died aged 89, survived being run over by an aircraft carrier and flew again the same day. Nigel Matthews died on December 19. His first wife died in 1977; he married, secondly, … Continue reading
Last November, we posted about the sale by tender, through an internet site, of the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible. The highest bidder was a Turkish scrapper. HMS Invincible sold to Turkish ship recyclers Leyal Ship Recycling, which is based near Izmir, … Continue reading
The holiday shopping season is in full swing. But what can you get for the person who has everything? Why not a used aircraft carrier? Just because the Royal Navy won’t be able to launch ship-borne fixed wing aircraft for the next decade doesn’t mean … Continue reading
Perhaps the best news for the stranded passengers on the disabled cruise ship, Carnival Splendor, is that the flush toilets aboard are back in service and that the ship is proceeding slowly under tow to the mainland. Still lacking refrigeration on … Continue reading