Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:00:08-4:00:55

Why a modern bomber needs an impractical carrier

A carrier able to operate an unmodified modern heavy bomber would become a floating airfield, while the aircraft itself would still need major naval adaptation.

Aircraft CarriersCarrier OperationsNaval AviationStrategic BombersWarship Design
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Question

How large would a carrier have to be to operate a modern bomber?

Short answer

So large that it would be closer to a floating airfield than a practical carrier, and the bomber would still need major redesign.

Notes

The panel rejects a conventional carrier as a practical base for a modern heavy bomber. Supplying the required takeoff and landing space would push the ship toward a vast floating platform with a runway rather than a recognizable fleet carrier. The bomber would also need extensive structural and operational modification before shipboard use. Changing the carrier's power source does not solve the deck-length, handling, recovery, and aircraft-design constraints that make the concept unworkable.