Is it Possible to Have a Stealth Carrier???

[SUBMAN1]

Yep - the F-117 is done this year - http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_ho...s/5907352.html

-S

[StarFox]

possiable yes, practical, no

There was a study I read about a while back, a stealth carrier would require that aircraft to be below deck at all times, unless being recovered or launched. having planes on deck ruins the stealth properties. So its far more practical to have normal super carriers with heavy defenses

[CCIP]

I agree, not all that's super-duper is always practical


Depending on what happens in the world in the foreseeable future, I wouldn't be surprised that the concept of the carrier itself will be obsolete and utterly useless within 50 years.

[elite_hunter_sh3]

f-117 sucks :rotfl::rotfl:

[bradclark1]

Originally Posted by CCIP

Depending on what happens in the world in the foreseeable future, I wouldn't be surprised that the concept of the carrier itself will be obsolete and utterly useless within 50 years.

I'm not so sure unless aircraft speed and fuel useage change a lot. There is nothing like a carrier task force off your shores to make one rethink your position. In fact a carrier task force might take on a larger roll in world affairs. Fleets would have to have more destroyers and frigates though to properly protect.

[Tchocky]

Some theorists are saying that aircraft carriers wouldn't survive for very long in a modern war. Expensive, pretty, and doomed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Challenge_2002

The fact remains that the most useful task a CVBG can accomplish is power projection - designed to avoid war through intimidation. And, to be fair, CVBG's are fairly intimidating.
However, if the carrier battle group is proved to be as vulnerable as some believe it to be, I can't see it's power projection abilities being very effective.

[geetrue]

The only real use of a very expensive stealth carrier would be for first strike offensive warfare ...

Depending on which country you chose to launch an air strike on ... you can expect retaillation.

Terroist are available for a price to get even if we attack a non-super power country ...

Leaves the super powers of Russia or China to start a war with ... the ending scenerio would not be very pleasant if we attacked either of these countries.

What we need is a submaine that can carry supplies and oil for the regular Navy ships that haven't converted to nuclear yet ...

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by elite_hunter_sh3

f-117 sucks :rotfl::rotfl:

THat would be an inaccurate statement. It was an excellent aircraft in the late 1970's and early 1980's. It proved itself in the 1990's and 2000's many times over, but as that article I posted said, it is a great airplane for today, but its usefulness is seriously outclassed right now by better aircraft.

I quote:

"It is still a good airplane right now. But when you look 10 years from now or 15 years from now when you have F-22s and Joint Strike Fighters that have the same, low-observable characteristics and can carry more than two internal weapons, it's time to start looking at a transition," Moseley said.

[Konovalov]

Originally Posted by elite_hunter_sh3

f-117 sucks :rotfl::rotfl:

What stunning and insightful analysis. Who needs Janes Defence publications when we have you around.

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by Konovalov

What stunning and insightful analysis. Who needs Janes Defence publications when we have you around.

:rotfl::rotfl: Yeah - Jane Sucks by comparrison! :p

-S

Originally Posted by geetrue

What we need is a submaine that can carry supplies and oil for the regular Navy ships that haven't converted to nuclear yet ...

That'll be Silent Hunter X - Suppliers to the Hunters.

Originally Posted by motsivad

Stealth Destroyers are becoming ever more common but is it technically possible to have a Stealth Aircraft Carrier?

The cost would be astronomical of course, but I just wondered.

Surely thought the aircraft on its deck would ruin the ships stealth profile though.

It was already attempted. I think it was called "The Philadelphia Experiment."

[Sea Demon]

Stealth carrier? It depends on what you mean. If you're talking about a carrier that has signature management features, acoustic reduction characteristics, reduced RCS etc. , then yes, that stuff is being worked on. It will all be a part of the next gen carrier. Stealth in the case of a carrier will not mean "invisible carrier". It will just be made to have a profile of something different than one would expect from a carrier.

[XabbaRus]

I personally think the F-22 is over rated. Do a quick google and you'll find it has some deficiencies that aren't touted in AF publications.

For example.
Current aircraft don't have Link 16 so can't be the forward air controller that is often portrayed in articles.

Apparantly there was no destructive testing done on an airframe test model and that there is a weakness in its main fuselage boom.

http://www.armytimes.com/community/o...raptor_071126/
This is one report, also read it in AFM monthly.

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by XabbaRus

I personally think the F-22 is over rated. Do a quick google and you'll find it has some deficiencies that aren't touted in AF publications.

For example.
Current aircraft don't have Link 16 so can't be the forward air controller that is often portrayed in articles.

Apparantly there was no destructive testing done on an airframe test model and that there is a weakness in its main fuselage boom.

http://www.armytimes.com/community/o...raptor_071126/
This is one report, also read it in AFM monthly.

Minor problems that will be fixed as time goes on. FYI - every new airframe has bugs that must be worked out once you see what happens in full operation. Link 16 is a systems mod that can be added as its completed. The airframe is minor enough to not even warrant a grounding. There is a leaky top plate on the first planes off the assembly line that is causing corrosion in places, but all that will be fixed in time and current models rolling off don't have that problem.

All minor BS brought up by critics. Same thing happened for F-16's and F-15's and every other aircraft that ever entered service.

-S

PS. One thing I noticed - the F-22's are still not giving away their true potential. They are not being flown without drop tanks for instance so as not to give away their true stealthy nature. Must still be classified until a real war erupts???