Carrier Aircraft Capabilities

[JAD1920]

Can a F-18 or other US aircraft land on a foreign carrier such as French and British? I understand that Harriers of the British Navy have landed on ours.

[Calphayus]

i guess it depends on the carrier.  it should be able to if all the political stuff worked out.

[Macabe]

I don't see why they couldn't as i understand that they all essentially use a massive rubberband to land unless the aircraft can land/take off vertically. I don't know if the catapults would be compatible though.

[Razzopper]

Not sure that other countries carriers could handle our aircraft unless they operate the same type. Most aren't equipped with arrest or gear and if the did, it would have tI be calibrated for the aircraft landing. Harriers are a different ball game. They can land anywhere flat with enough space. During the Falklands war they operated from container cargo ships.

[flyingtaco]

the arrestor wires require specific setting for each type of aircraft that much I know. They are changable on U.S. carriers dont know about others  

[BnaditCorps]

i don't think so as they are a heavy fighter for naval fighters especially when stopping, but b/c of this if a British fighter wanted to land on a Murican carrier then i think the arresters would stop it before the pilot knew what had happened.

 

the french have the one supper carrier though so maybe on that

[Zwiebel_Konig]

I'm not sure about a F-18 but I know during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan the French and American aircraft of the Charles de Gaulle and USS John C. Stennis were landing on each others decks. This was I think for political reasons or something like strengthening the ties between the countries. To answer his question since the F-18 was around way before Operation Enduring Freedom  (which was in 2001 if u didn't know) it is most likely they did. But then again they might be only able to land on the French carriers, at least until the brits get their Queen Elizabeth carriers

[BnaditCorps]

I'm not sure about a F-18 but I know during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan the French and American aircraft of the Charles de Gaulle and USS John C. Stennis were landing on each others decks. This was I think for political reasons or something like strengthening the ties between the countries. To answer his question since the F-18 was around way before Operation Enduring Freedom  (which was in 2001 if u didn't know) it is most likely they did. But then again they might be only able to land on the French carriers, at least until the brits get their Queen Elizabeth carriers

 

well the Charles de Gaulle is also bigger than a British carrier as it is a true CVN not a CVL that the British ones are

[Windhover118]

 

well the Charles de Gaulle is also bigger than a British carrier as it is a true CVN not a CVL that the British ones are

 

Probably not. There is a reason the Invincible class only carries harriers and helicopters. Whether or not American carrier planes could potentially land on the Queen Elizabeth class is another question. 

[_Sarcasticat_]

i guess it depends on the carrier.  it should be able to if all the political stuff worked out.

 

2nd supertester...

Interesting.

[RedBear87]

Probably not. There is a reason the Invincible class only carries harriers and helicopters. Whether or not American carrier planes could potentially land on the Queen Elizabeth class is another question. 

With the same answer, Queen Elizabeth class are huge Invincible class for all intent and purpose, there's no catapult and no arrestor hooks, they're only compatible with US Marines F-35Bs (and AV8Bs). Charles De Gaulle will keep remaining something like a white elephant in Europe, with good peace of the European defence integrations dreamers.

[BnaditCorps]

With the same answer, Queen Elizabeth class are huge Invincible class for all intent and purpose, there's no catapult and no arrestor hooks, they're only compatible with US Marines F-35Bs (and AV8Bs). Charles De Gaulle will keep remaining something like a white elephant in Europe, with good peace of the European defence integrations dreamers.

 

yea

[mav214]

the arrestor wires require specific setting for each type of aircraft that much I know. They are changable on U.S. carriers dont know about others  

 

Correct, when inbounds are on 'final', they call out aircraft type and fuel state so the cable can be set for the correct tension, etc....

[Jarod997]

The short answer is: it depends.

 

Like some other have already posted, if the flight deck is long enough and it has an arrestor cable system which can be set for the weight of the plane, then politics aside, yes - an American (or Canadian) F-18 could land on a foreign carrier. Some British carriers (eg HMS Queen Elizabeth) don't have a catapult or arrestor system at all, they only operate S/VTOL aircraft. (They also have this "ski-jump" on the front of the deck - interesting.)

[BnaditCorps]

The short answer is: it depends.

 

Like some other have already posted, if the flight deck is long enough and it has an arrestor cable system which can be set for the weight of the plane, then politics aside, yes - an American (or Canadian) F-18 could land on a foreign carrier. Some British carriers (eg HMS Queen Elizabeth) don't have a catapult or arrestor system at all, they only operate S/VTOL aircraft. (They also have this "ski-jump" on the front of the deck - interesting.)

 

fly by and jump

[RedBear87]

(They also have this "ski-jump" on the front of the deck - interesting.)

It's even more interesting that the new Australian LHD have a ski jump but they are still debating (for an opposite point of view look here) the acquisition of F-35Bs and the modifications needed to enable their usage.

[BnaditCorps]

It's even more interesting that the new Australian LHD have a ski jump but they are still debating (for an opposite point of view look here) the acquisition of F-35Bs and the modifications needed to enable their usage.

intersting

[vasuba]

It is interesting that Allies haven't coordinated better on compatibility. Obviously one time allies can become enemies but It would take some globe rocking events to break up the current world alliances. Though I suppose the F35  Naval program is about compatibility among allies

[rsxmod6789]

well as i served on a carrier i seen japanese helicopters land on are carrier and i know that the australians use the f-18 know if the have the arresting gear hook i dont know i only seen them do a flyby when are carrier was with some of the australian ships and have some war games with the australians   

[Jarod997]

(They also have this "ski-jump" on the front of the deck - interesting.)

It's even more interesting that the new Australian LHD have a ski jump but they are still debating (for an opposite point of view look here) the acquisition of F-35Bs and the modifications needed to enable their usage.

 

Ya, they ordered the carrier from the manufacturer which came with the ski-jump. But to remove the ski-jump would have cost too much so they decided to keep it on the ship - even though the Australian Forces don't have any aircraft capable of using it. Now they HAVE the ski-jump on the ship, some people are suggesting that they purchase current aircraft which can use it. So, do you re-purpose a significant portion of the new ship to accommodate the F-35's (and lose some capacity for the various helicopters the ship was intended for), or do you live with the fact you have this thing on your ship you'll never use. 

[RedBear87]

Back to OP's question, a recent example of interoperability:

http://www.navy.mil/view_image.asp?id=192936

http://www.navy.mil/view_image.asp?id=192935

http://www.navy.mil/view_image.asp?id=192934

[KiloWhiskey]

 

Ya, they ordered the carrier from the manufacturer which came with the ski-jump. But to remove the ski-jump would have cost too much so they decided to keep it on the ship - even though the Australian Forces don't have any aircraft capable of using it. Now they HAVE the ski-jump on the ship, some people are suggesting that they purchase current aircraft which can use it. So, do you re-purpose a significant portion of the new ship to accommodate the F-35's (and lose some capacity for the various helicopters the ship was intended for), or do you live with the fact you have this thing on your ship you'll never use. 

 

There wouldn't have to be that much to do for the F35, at least the C model...Then again the F35 might be more then the Aussys need, if they could hold their nose against the un-sexyess of it and go with a navalised crop duster for CAS and ASW that would be a better fit.