Once more discussion of the American "light" aircraft carrier [CVL]. Think in this particular case too the Amphibious Assault Ship of the USS America class with the mission solely of "sea control" as that term defined. Air power in the strike and air superiority role.
1. That Chinese aircraft carrier much ballyhooed Liaoning the inventory of warplanes to include:
Aircraft carried - -
* "24 Shenyang J-15" [air superiority]
* "6 Changhe Z-18" [rotary wing]
* "4 Changhe Z-18J" [rotary wing]
* "2 Harbin Z-9" [rotary wing]
Total of 36 fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. Twenty-four of which are comparable to the F-18 strike aircraft.
APPARENTLY NO ORGANIC TANKERS, AEW, EW, FIXED-WING ASW?
AEW = Airborne Early Warning. EW = Electronic Warfare. ASW = Anti-submarine-warfare.
2. Compare that warplane inventory of the Liaoning with that of a current American super-carrier [CVN].
An American super-carrier at any given moment having a 50 % greater strike fighter capability AND organic warplanes of the support role. AEW, EW, ASW [ rotary], tanker. An American super-carrier a self-contained warship capable of totally independent action not requiring outside support.
3. An American super-carrier strike group also as understood by doctrine NOT consisting of a single warship.
Always that super-carrier accompanied AND supported by a variety of other vessels to include:
* "One or two Aegis guided missile cruisers"
* "A destroyer squadron . . . with two to three guided missile destroyers (DDG)"
* "Up to two attack submarines"
* "A combined ammunition, oiler and supply ship"
LIGHT AMERICAN CARRIERS [CVL] OF THE USS AMERICA CLASS ALSO WILL REQUIRE A COMPARABLE CONTINGENT OF SUPPORTING WARSHIPS? A NECESSITY? EVEN A LIGHT CARRIER WILL NOT BE OPERATIONAL AND DEPLOY IN A VACUUM!
Nor can we preclude the possibility of a light carrier as augmentation to a traditional carrier strike group as that term understood.
THIS ALL GETS VERY COMPLEX ALL VERY QUICKLY, DOESN'T IT?
coolbert.
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