5 lines of defense that make US aircraft carriers invincible

Modern, networked, multi-layered defense systems combined with flexible tactics enable US aircraft carriers to counter virtually any threat.

With their massive size, US aircraft carriers are considered easy targets for increasingly modern and accurate anti-ship weapons. However, the possibility that opponents can sink these US "floating fortresses" without using nuclear weapons is almost zero, according to National Interest.

Loren B. Thomson, executive director of the nonprofit Lexington Institute, said that current US aircraft carriers possess five lines of defense that make them invincible on the ocean.

First of all, American aircraft carriers are highly maneuverable and flexible compared to their enormous size. These hundreds of thousands of tons of ships can travel at speeds of up to 56 km/h, making them very difficult for slower submarines to detect and track, and within 30 minutes of being detected by the enemy, the carrier's operating range is extended to more than 1,800 square kilometers, and after 90 minutes, it can be anywhere within an area of ​​15,500 square kilometers.

In addition, the current Nimitz-class and Ford-class aircraft carriers are usually 25 stories high, 76 meters high, and have a displacement of 100,000 tons. With hundreds of watertight compartments and extremely thick steel hulls, no conventional torpedo or mine can cause serious damage to the ship.

Fighter jets take off from the US Navy's aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis. Photo: USAF

Second, US aircraft carriers are equipped with powerful defense systems, integrating active and passive technologies with extended ranges to destroy threats such as low-altitude cruise missiles and enemy submarines.

These defense systems include a variety of sensitive sensors, radar-guided missiles, and 20mm Gatling guns that can fire at a rapid rate of 50 rounds per second.

The ship's 60-aircraft fleet includes a fleet of early warning radar-equipped aircraft that can detect approaching threats from a great distance, while anti-submarine helicopters can effectively deal with enemy submarines. The carrier's defensive weapons and sensors are all networked to an onboard command center to coordinate the destruction of enemies.

Third, US aircraft carriers do not operate independently, but are often deployed in battle groups consisting of many guided-missile destroyers equipped with AEGIS, the world's most modern air and missile defense system, capable of destroying all potential threats, including ballistic missiles.

The AEGIS system is connected with other attack and defense systems on US surface warships to destroy submarines, surface ships and mines at sea, or neutralize enemy missile guidance sensor systems.

A guided-missile destroyer escorts a US Navy aircraft carrier. Photo: USAF

When combined with carrier air wings, these escort ships can quickly eliminate enemy attack guidance systems. US carrier groups also often carry one or more stealth attack submarines to destroy underwater and surface threats.

Fourth, flexible tactics can help aircraft carriers optimize their survivability against threats. CCarrier warfare tactics have been developed over a long period of time to minimize risk while maintaining the ability to launch planned attacks.

For example, an aircraft carrier will not enter an area with a lot of mines until they have been cleared by minesweepers. Aircraft carriers also tend to be in open waters rather than approaching enclosed waters where enemy warships can mingle with ordinary shipping.

On the open sea, aircraft carriers will constantly move to make it difficult for the enemy to detect and track them. US aircraft carriers are also connected to other assets from the seabed to low-altitude satellites to receive specific early warning information.

Fifth, the emergence of new technologies helpsUS aircraft carrierstrengthen your defenses.

The US Navy has recently invested heavily in modern defensive and offensive technologies for aircraft carriers to deal with new threats. The most important recent technological advancement is the technology to connect all naval systems and assets in an area to maximize combat effectiveness. Initiatives such as the National Integrated Fire Control and Defense Air (NIFCA) program help connect all existing combat systems into a fast-response, seamless defensive screen that is difficult for enemies to penetrate.

A host of other new technologies are being applied, from stealth fighter jets' penetrating reconnaissance capabilities to shipboard jamming devices that can fool advanced missile guidance systems.

"The defenses that keep US aircraft carriers alive mean that few countries can pose a real threat to America's most expensive warships, short of using nuclear weapons.. With unlimited range and the flexibility of nuclear power, aircraft carriers can help the US enforce its interests anywhere in the world. This will be true for decades to come as the US Navy continues to invest in new warfare technologies," Thomson emphasized.

According to VNE