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Many present-day naval vessels, aside from aircraft carriers and full-length deck amphibious assault ships, are capable of carrying aircraft. A majority of United States Navy ships have at least a helipad, capable of landing medium-sized helicopters. Many others have decks and even hangars incorporated into the structure of the ship. It has become a standard part of modern ship design to 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 of commissioned surface 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 Naval surface war fleet will be aviation-capable.[1]
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US Navy ships
editAs 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 Seahawk helicopters |
| Amphibious transport dock | (LPD) (AFSB(I)) |
San Antonio Austin |
up to 4 or 6 × CH-46 Sea Knight or up to 5 × MV-22 Osprey Tilt-rotors. (also fixed-wing aircraft, such as the AV-8B Harrier II V/STOL jet, in an emergency - see USS Green Bay AV-8B Harrier testing) |
| Cruiser | (CG) | Ticonderoga | 2 × Sikorsky SH-60B or MH-60R Seahawk LAMPS III 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 Stallion or 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 the Military Sealift Command, are aviation-capable as well. The United States Coast Guard also has cutters that are aviation-capable. Also, with the growing technology in UAVs and UCAVs, virtually every ship afloat has, or will soon have, some type of aviation capability.
Other vessels
editThe 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-101 helicopters |
| Corvette | Israeli Navy | Sa'ar 5 | 1 × helicopter |
| Cruiser | Russian Navy | Slava | 1 × Kamov Ka-25 or Kamov Ka-27 helicopter |
| 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 HMA8 or 1 × Westland Merlin HM1 |
| Landing platform dock | Spanish Navy | Galicia | 4 × SH-3 Sea King or 6 × NH-90 helicopters |
| 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
editSee also
edit
References
edit- ^ Wragg, David W. (1973). A Dictionary of Aviation (first ed.). Osprey. p. 18. ISBN 9780850451634.