War at Sea

War at Sea is a new series of one-off specials where each issue delves deep into a particular subject; from aircraft carriers, warships, submarines, navies and naval battles. Every edition you can be assured of 100 pages of interesting and informative reading, accompanied by outstanding photography.

War at Sea

CARRIER COMBAT AIRCRAFT

CARRIER COMBAT AIRCRAFT • CARRIER combat aircraft are the ultimate military asset of modern naval warfare. Their high readiness allows commanders to respond to threats anywhere in the world, deploying from remote floating platforms. Today, carrier aviation is seen as a vital tool in the projection of global power and in an increasingly unstable world, the capability to deploy a maritime aviation force that can loiter thousands of miles from its base aboard a carrier is a major strategic asset. Those who currently field strike aircraft from aircraft carriers include the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Japan, China, Russian, Italy and India. Several other nations including Australia, Egypt, Turkey and Brazil operate helicopter carriers – which in some cases can operate jump jet aircraft such as the Harrier and the F-35B – although with limited payloads.

F-35 – SUPERSONIC SUPERIORITY • THE F-35 is the modern supersonic combat carrier aircraft. It represents a quantum leap in air superiority, engineered around technology that shrinks the aircraft’s radar signature to evade enemy forces and strike deep into the battle-space. This advanced stealth aircraft is fitted with the most powerful and comprehensive integrated sensor package of any fighter aircraft in history, allowing pilots to fly undetected and access environments in which legacy aircraft would have been identified and engaged. It is a world beating airframe that neither China or Russia can match. Produced by Lockheed Martin, the F-35 is a single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multi-role fighter that can deliver ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defence missions with a revolutionary stealth capability. There are three variants of the F-35 currently in service. The US Air Force F-35A, while the US Marine Corps flies the F-35B, short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant, and the US Navy operates the carrier F-35C variant.

Carrier Aircraft Countries • AFTER the Second World War, nations reduced the size of their fleets as governments started to recover from the cost of conflict – likewise naval air-power was reduced. The United States, France and the United Kingdom opted to maintain the capability to deploy combat aircraft at sea. In the post war years. Britain and United States took part in the Korean conflict deploying carrier borne aircraft groups. Then at Suez the British and French deployed carrier combat aircraft and mounted the first helicopter assault. But there were political concerns that the then Soviet Union was planning to expand communism, first across Indo-China and then further. This sparked geopolitical tension which manifested itself in a diplomatic and military ‘stand-off’ between Moscow and the West, which became known as the Cold War. The US Navy took the decision to embark on a project of re-investment in its military as the Cold War acted as a catalyst of ongoing fear which resulted in an ‘arms race’ which was spearheaded by carrier capability. The Soviets looked at cruiser carriers equipped with helicopters while the UK and the US focussed on flat top carriers. By the 1970s, those countries who had adopted the aircraft carrier role held a strategic military advantage of being able to deliver carrier combat aircraft.

WORLD’S TOP COMBAT CARRIER AIRCRAFT • THE US NAVY’s Super Hornet strike fighter is the ultimate naval fighter spearheading Washington’s global carrier force alongside the F-35. The aircraft has a been a stalwart since its introduction. It has undergone upgrades to enhance operational...