Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:23:08-1:23:51

Bare Essex hulls are more plausible as helicopter assault ships

Converting 1943 Essex hulls into modern fixed-wing carriers would cost too much, but their volume could support new amphibious helicopter ships.

Aircraft CarriersAmphibious WarfareEssex Class Aircraft CarriersLanding Platform HelicopterRoyal NavyShip Conversion
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Question

Could the modern Royal Navy use two newly supplied Essex-class hulls?

Short answer

As fleet carriers they would be uneconomic, but bare hulls could become large helicopter assault ships.

Notes

Complete wartime carriers would arrive with steam machinery and systems that the modern Royal Navy no longer supports. Making them useful as fleet carriers would require stripping out so much equipment that conversion could cost more than a purpose-built ship. If the gift consists only of sound hulls, Britain can use their internal volume without preserving obsolete machinery. A pair of large landing platform helicopters for northern and southern amphibious groups would be the more plausible result.