Why aircraft carriers won't make sense in space

Oberon · 10-17-12, 05:26 PM

Personally I think the role of aircraft carrier would be rolled (pardon the pun) into the role of battleship, cruiser and destroyer. Since manoeuvrability is taken out of the equation then you'd want something that is capable of doing everything needed for a long cruise. Putting down 'Marines' on a hostile planet, check, protecting cargo vessels, check, providing a gunboat for diplomacy, check, humanitarian crisis, check.
Furthermore, since communications will be sporadic, these vessels will become their own nations in a sea of isolation, the captain/admiral/commodore/Legate will make decisions that will affect the homeworld without being able to check with them first. Perhaps that will require a group of diplomats or representatives of the homeworld to be on board? Likewise you'll need scientists and medical staff. So it's going to be a big ship, but if you're not needing to do the Kessel run then why worry about the size? Heck, you could go really crazy and just use a planet or a Dyson sphere.

TLAM Strike · 10-17-12, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cybermat47

Also, we would need small, heavily armed stealth ships for attacking commerce!

Far more problematic than you might imagine...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Personally I think the role of aircraft carrier would be rolled (pardon the pun) into the role of battleship, cruiser and destroyer. Since manoeuvrability is taken out of the equation then you'd want something that is capable of doing everything needed for a long cruise. Putting down 'Marines' on a hostile planet, check, protecting cargo vessels, check, providing a gunboat for diplomacy, check, humanitarian crisis, check.
Furthermore, since communications will be sporadic, these vessels will become their own nations in a sea of isolation, the captain/admiral/commodore/Legate will make decisions that will affect the homeworld without being able to check with them first. Perhaps that will require a group of diplomats or representatives of the homeworld to be on board? Likewise you'll need scientists and medical staff. So it's going to be a big ship, but if you're not needing to do the Kessel run then why worry about the size?

In other words:

August · 10-17-12, 05:42 PM

I'll bet he's thinking more like:

Cybermat47 · 10-17-12, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Far more problematic than you might imagine...

Thanks! Ruined my ideas, but it was really interesting!
Looks like space warfare is going to be a lot different to naval warfare!

tater · 10-17-12, 05:41 PM

A carrier for craft that can enter an atmosphere makes sense, but they would not be needed as combat craft. FO selects target, weapon is deorbited to precise coords. Boom.

Fighters in space are silly, sadly. Fun, but silly.

10-17-12, 05:42 PM	#3
August Wayfaring Stranger Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 23,220 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I'll bet he's thinking more like: __________________ Flanked by life and the funeral pyre. Putting on a show for you to see.

10-17-12, 05:41 PM	#5
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	A carrier for craft that can enter an atmosphere makes sense, but they would not be needed as combat craft. FO selects target, weapon is deorbited to precise coords. Boom. Fighters in space are silly, sadly. Fun, but silly. __________________ "Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one." — Thomas Paine

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10-17-12, 05:26 PM	#1
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Personally I think the role of aircraft carrier would be rolled (pardon the pun) into the role of battleship, cruiser and destroyer. Since manoeuvrability is taken out of the equation then you'd want something that is capable of doing everything needed for a long cruise. Putting down 'Marines' on a hostile planet, check, protecting cargo vessels, check, providing a gunboat for diplomacy, check, humanitarian crisis, check. Furthermore, since communications will be sporadic, these vessels will become their own nations in a sea of isolation, the captain/admiral/commodore/Legate will make decisions that will affect the homeworld without being able to check with them first. Perhaps that will require a group of diplomats or representatives of the homeworld to be on board? Likewise you'll need scientists and medical staff. So it's going to be a big ship, but if you're not needing to do the Kessel run then why worry about the size? Heck, you could go really crazy and just use a planet or a Dyson sphere.