Since most of our countries battles are fought far from home, it seems that most of the aircraft are launched off of navy aircraft carriers. Who flys the missions that are launched off of the carriers; the navy or the air force? If it's the air force what is the relationship between the airforce officer pilots and the crew of the ship. Also who maintains and prepares the planes for each combat mission. Do we still need an air force or can it be rolled into the navy?
2006-12-15 04:19:06 · 16 answers · asked by nycesq 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
This is an entertaining question in that it provokes service rivalries on who's better. The aircraft flown from aircraft carriers are normally flown by US Naval and Marine Corps aviators. Experiments have been performed with the USAF landing on carriers, with less than desirable results (their planes aren't built for it nor do their pilots like a moving airport). Naval and Marine aircraft are maintained by appropriate service personnel.
Can the USAF be disbanded, hmm. Well no one wants to see the golf courses and recreation centers go away. In all seriousness, no they cannot. The Navy does not focus on Logistics. We plan for warheads on foreheads. We depend on the Air Force to provide direction and fuel for long distance missions. Comments were made in regards to the anywhere, anytime strategy. In 2001, the USAF had to rethink it's posture and world-wide presence in that it could not adequately support operations for initial entry into Afghanistan. The bases were simply too far away and no one wanted to grant airspace to the flights. Aircraft had to make a circuitous route through international airspace to respond. Too time consuming. Now look at the Navy. The USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) dropped off its air wing and embarked several Army and Navy Special Forces Units with support craft (tanks, choppers, etc) and acted as a floating base. This shows the mutli-tasking ability of the Navy.
In regards to the comment on landing large aircraft on a carrier. In 1963 the US Navy conducted experiments involving 80 landing and takeoffs of a C-130 Hercules. The aircraft took off without the use of JATO rockets or the catapults and landed without the arresting cables. Takeoff: 745ft. Landing: 460ft at max loading. At 85,000 lbs the craft landed in 296ft. The Navy determined that while attractive, the craft was too large for normal operation onboard. The Navy prefers to use ships to move large amounts of cargo as it is cheaper than aircraft. Hence why tanks are moved by ships (Military Sealift Command Roll-On/Roll-Off ships) manned by civilian and USN personnel.
We are one big happy family that depends on each other for day to day operations. Each has a specific function to perform. Some do work, others build golf courses. Joking.
2006-12-15 11:31:38 · answer #1 · answered by deadbus 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of our fixed wing aircraft are actually AF or ANG. From a carrier, as has been said, the navy and marine officers/warrant officers are the pilots. The maintenance is done by navy personnel
The AF forward deploys assets in a way that the navy cannot. Furthermore, the AF employs aircraft for missions that the navy has no specialty or interest in. In iraq for northern and southern watch, the AF played a pivitol role in securing and directing the no-fly zones in iraq. Furthermore, the airforce has MANY forward bases in the region which, coupled with refueling capability allow the air force to strike any region of the world.
As to whether or not the AF should be rolled into the navy, that would be three steps backwards in the developement of the military. The focus of naval airpower is first for fleet defense and second for air power projection. The AF focus is on establishing dynamic air and space superiority, strategic bombardment, precision global strike capability and a secondary focus in air to ground combat support. This difference in focus provides the AF with unique capabilities that the navy could never take on... unless you can show me a C-5, C-17, B-2, B-1B or B-52 that can land on an Aircraft Carrier. Finally, the AF is the leading force in the cyberspace warfare section, and provides other capabilities FAR beyond standard airframe/payload delivery. All of these complex missions would take decades to effectively transfer between branches of service.
2006-12-15 08:59:47 · answer #2 · answered by promethius9594 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Navy flies missions generally from aircraft carriers. However it is totally possible that other branches may use the carriers from time to time.
The Navy services the planes.
However, take into consideration that there are air force bases scattered throughout the world, where the air force launches its planes. Additionally the air-force uses bombers, where the navy tends to focus on projecting sea power, whose planes are equipped to either guard carriers, attack land-based targets etc.
Additionally the world, when compared to the ability of a plane is not far. Planes could take off from England, fly through Europe and make their bombing runs in Iraq, fly back to England, repeat if necessary.
However to ask if the airforce could be rolled up into the Navy, not anytime soon. It would be a complicated and politically challenging to even draft up the proposal.
2006-12-15 04:28:55 · answer #3 · answered by wknightf3 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Naval and Marine aviators are trained in carrier operations. Air Force pilots are not. Do not minimize the sorties the USAF flies. They can forward-deploy, and have several bases in the Mideast they use. And B2's, not very needed at the moment, can reach anywhere in the world from their base in Missouri, though they surprisingly did base out of Diego Garcia at the beginning of Iraqi Freedom. Look into the history of the origin of the DOD in 1947 and you'll see some eye-openers. It probably would have been best if the Army had retained control of ground-support aircraft and transport, but the Air Force has its needed role.
2006-12-15 06:46:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Aircraft Carriers are designed to reach areas in tandem with airforce squadrons in that region or areas outside the region of tactical fighter jets.
Navy and Marine Corp officers are pilots who fly from aircraft carriers.
Today with modern refueling and communication technology B-1 lancers, B-2 spirit, B-52 stratofortresses in the air force can drop munition on targets virtually anywhere in the world..., But often times tactical airstations in other countries provide support to carrier based operations. Examples are: Italian Air Force bases supported strikes in tandem with US carriers in Kosovo and Saudi US air bases supported roles in both Iraqi wars with Air Force Tactical jets.
As far as support on ships and on bases it is the role of the several different positions, on a carrier:
Purple Jersies Fuel the aircraft
Red Jersies Arm the aircraft
Green Jersies Taxi and prepare takeoff
Yellow Jersies? Sorry, I forget?
The Air Force has certain roles that is necassary. Strategic,Tactical and Logistic.
The Navy and MArine Corp performs roles that is necassary.
Strategic and Tactical
Anywho, The Air Force is a necessity to the USA Defense Forces as well as the Navy and the supporting Marine Corp However, they all train as a complete unit and are acting as one mighty force!
2006-12-15 05:45:08 · answer #5 · answered by TAHOE REALTOR 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Navy and Marine Corps pilots are trained to launch jets from aircraft carriers. Many helicopter pilots from all services are trained to take off and land on them as well. Air Force and Army fixed wing pilots are not trained to do so.
The majority of our fixed wing fleet (fighter jets, tankers, early warning, and strategic cargo) are flown by the Air Force. The Navy's air fleet allow force projection from the seas, greatly enhancing our country's ability to affect foreign policy abroad.
The two services have distinct and different missions and should be separated.
Maintenance and support personnel from each service are responsible for the upkeep and operational readiness of their own aircraft. This work is done at the unit level.
2006-12-15 04:23:24 · answer #6 · answered by CPT Jack 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Most of our planes are air force they all fly from air bases on land not carriers. On carriers the navy and marine corps are the pilots as they are specially trained to operate from a carrier. Air force pilots train only to operate from land bases this is because air force planes have given up frame strength (necessary for carrier landings.) For lighter weight which gives them a performance edge in speed and maneuver. As for maintenance that is strictly done by navy personnel on ship and marines on land and air force people on air force bases. Do we need an air force not by my thinking nor do we need an army or coast guard as the navy does them all and with the other branches budgets could expand with the Marines taking over the Armies job and the navy taking over the air force and coast guards job. This would drastically steam line the paperwork in the pentagon.
2006-12-15 05:24:18 · answer #7 · answered by brian L 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If they are flown off of a US Navy Aircraft Carrier they are flown by Navy or Marine Corps Pilots.
2006-12-15 04:23:34 · answer #8 · answered by Gordon S 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
US Navy aircraft carriers carry pilots from both the Navy and the Marines.
2015-12-17 11:40:38 · answer #9 · answered by Jeff 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most aircraft are not flown off of Aircraft Carriers. The ones that are are flown by the US Navy.
2006-12-15 04:21:52 · answer #10 · answered by usmarcor 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋