Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, flagship of the Russian navy
Aircraft carriers are warships that carry airplanes and other aircraft like helicopters. They are used by navies to allow aircraft to fight along with naval warships. Aircraft carriers are usually very large, carrying hundreds or thousands of sailors and tens or hundreds of aircraft.
The top of an aircraft carrier is called the flight deck and looks like a very small airport. Old aircraft carriers carried airplanes that could takeoff and land in the short distance of the flight deck without help. Similarly, small modern aircraft carriers only carry helicopters or specially designed airplanes such as the Harrier that can take off and land straight up and down or in the short distance of the flight deck.
The flight deck of a large, modern aircraft carrier has a landing area and a take-off area. The landing area is in the back and has a short runway. Airplanes stop by using a hook on the back of the airplane to grab wires stretched across the runway. In the front, the flight deck has a steam-powered catapult that connects to the front wheel of an airplane. The catapult pulls and throws the airplane off the deck, helping it take off quickly. So, aircraft carriers are basically small, floating, mobile airports.
Because they are big ships and need much electric power, big modern aircraft carriers have on-board nuclear power plants. Others are powered by oil-burning engines.
Except for their airplanes, aircraft carriers usually have few weapons, so other warships escort them. Together, the aircraft carrier and these warships form a carrier group.
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Aircraft carriers |
- Aircraft carrier
- Escort carrier
- Helicopter carrier
- Submarine aircraft carrier
- Balloon carrier
- Seaplane tender
- Light aircraft carrier
- Amphibious assault ship
- Aircraft cruiser
- Anti-submarine warfare carrier
- Fighter catapult ship
- CAM ship
- Merchant aircraft carrier
- Supercarrier
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Battleships |
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Cruisers |
- Cruiser
- Armored cruiser
- Battlecruiser
- Aircraft cruiser
- Protected cruiser
- Unprotected cruiser
- Heavy cruiser
- Light cruiser
- Flight deck cruiser
- Merchant raider
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Escort |
- Destroyer
- Guided missile destroyer
- Destroyer escort
- Frigate
- Aviso
- Kaibokan
- Sloop
- Convoy rescue ship
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Transport |
- Troopship
- Amphibious warfare ship
- Dock landing ship
- Landing Ship Tank
- Landing Ship Vehicle
- Landing Ship Infantry
- Landing Ship Heavy
- Landing Ship Medium
- Landing Ship Support, Large
- Amphibious transport dock
- Attack transport
- Landing craft
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Patrol craft |
- Patrol boat
- Corvette
- Submarine chaser
- Armed boarding steamer
- Ocean boarding vessel
- Armed yacht
- Naval trawler
- Naval drifter
- Gunboat
- Torpedo boat
- Missile boat
- Fast attack craft (MTB, E-boat, MAS, MGB, PT boat)
- Steam Gun Boat
- Harbour Defence Motor Launch
- Coastal Motor Boat
- Q-ship
- Motor Launch
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Mine warfare |
- Mine planter
- Minelayer
- Minesweeper
- Destroyer minesweeper
- Minehunter
- Mine-countermeasure vessel
- Danlayer
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Command and support |
- Command ship
- Fast combat support ship
- Combat stores ship
- General stores issue ship
- Ammunition ship
- Oiler
- Collier
- Hospital ship
- Auxiliary repair dock
- Crane vessel
- Auxiliary ship
- Destroyer tender
- Submarine tender
- Depot ship
- Dispatch boat
- Net laying ship
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Submarines |
- Submarine
- Attack submarine
- Ballistic missile submarine
- Cruise missile submarine
- Midget submarine
- U-boat
- Deep Submergence Vehicle (DSRV)
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Miscellaneous |
- Monitor
- Breastwork monitor
- Barracks ship
- Training ship
- Guard ship
- Littoral combat ship
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Images for kids
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The Japanese carrier Shinano was the biggest carrier in World War II, and the largest ship destroyed by a submarine.
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An F6F-5 landing on the French Arromanches in the Tonkin Gulf, 1953.
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Liaoning, a Type 001 aircraft carrier
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Gamal Abdel Nasser LHD docked at Saint-Nazaire, April 2016
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