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Aircraft Carriers

Functioning as both warships and airbases, aircraft carriers are essential components of a nation’s military presence and power, but they are also expensive to acquire, deploy, and modernize. To inform decision making about carrier use—in combat as well as noncombat situations—RAND studies carrier availability, maintenance cycles, crew training, and other key factors.

Commentary
Does Japan Need an Aircraft Carrier?
Japan has not possessed an aircraft carrier in more than 70 years. But that may soon change as the Japanese government is debating retrofitting a class of destroyers to turn them into aircraft carriers. Considering both operational needs and resources limitations, does an aircraft carrier for Japan make sense?
Oct 5, 2018
Report
Future Aircraft Carrier Options
As the U.S. Navy's legacy aircraft carrier force begins reaching expected service life, what are the possible alternatives to potentially replace it? And what are the potential implications for procurement cost and effectiveness?
Oct 6, 2017
Commentary
China's Naval Modernization: Where Is It Headed?
The PLA Navy is expanding its capabilities and operations to reduce vulnerabilities in China's near seas, but also to aggressively support its expanding global ambitions and challenge U.S. leadership in Asia.
Feb 10, 2016
Research Brief
Chinese Threats to U.S. Surface Ships
China has rapidly improved its ability to reliably locate and attack U.S. carrier-strike groups at distances of up to 2,000 kilometers from its coast in a possible military conflict.
Sep 14, 2015
Commentary
By Land and by Sea
There are good reasons for the United States to rethink how it counterbalances Iran, reassures local allies, and projects power with fewer resources. However, tying down large numbers of fighter aircraft in the Gulf is likely only to exacerbate old problems and create new ones.
Jul 22, 2013
Report
The Effects of Changing Aircraft Carrier Procurement Schedules
The Secretary of Defense's plans to shift Navy aircraft carrier acquisition to every five years should have little impact on force structure and the industrial base in the next decade—but after that, the force structure shrinks, as does the chance of meeting goals for the number of deployed aircraft carriers.
Mar 21, 2011
Research Brief
Aircraft Carrier Maintenance Cycles and Their Effects
This research brief summarizes RAND's analysis of the feasibility of different cycle lengths and their effect on the operational availability of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. The authors also examine cycle length impact on shipyard workloads.
Apr 8, 2008
Report
Increasing Aircraft Carrier Forward Presence
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier fleets must balance the timing of maintenance, training, and deployment with presence and surge demands. An evaluation of deployment scenarios examines the feasibility of different cycle lengths, their effect on carrier forward presence, and their impact on shipyard workloads.
Mar 17, 2008
Report
A Methodology for Estimating the Effect of Aircraft Carrier Operational Cycles on the Maintenance Industrial Base
Describes modeling the extension of time between depot maintenance, varying the size of work packages, and using continuous-maintenance on the maintenance industrial base, and the effect of cycle length on operational availability.
Jul 29, 2007
Research Brief
New Combat and Noncombat Roles for U.S. Aircraft Carriers
This research brief describes the range of new capabilities that U.S. aircraft carriers will require for combat and noncombat operations in the next 20 to 30 years.
Aug 29, 2006
Report
Leveraging America’s Aircraft Carrier Capabilities: Exploring New Combat and Noncombat Roles and Missions for the U.S. Carrier Fleet
Using two Concept Options Groups, explores possible nontraditional combat and noncombat roles for aircraft carriers.
Apr 28, 2006
Report
The New Face of Naval Strike Warfare
The combat leverage of U.S. carrier strike groups has improved qualitatively since Sept. 11, 2001, with carrier-based fighters conducting coordinated missions in areas of Afghanistan and Iraq well beyond coastal reaches. Future plans hold promise for further advancements.
Oct 28, 2005
Report
Outsourcing and Outfitting Practices: Implications for the Ministry of Defence Shipbuilding Programmes
Advises how the United Kingdom should best use modern outsourcing and outfitting practices for shipbuilding in the years to come.
Jun 15, 2005
Report
Options for Reducing Costs in the United Kingdom’s Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF) Programme
Examines ways in which the UK Ministry of Defence can reduce the whole-life costs and manpower requirements of the Royal Navy's two Future Aircraft Carriers (CVFs).
May 6, 2005
Report
Modernizing the U.S. Aircraft Carrier Fleet: Accelerating CVN 21 Production Versus Mid-Life Refueling
What are the pros and cons of speeding up production of the Navy's newest carrier?
Jan 1, 2005
Commentary
Atlantic Monthly and RAND View the Future
The Atlantic Monthly Magazine features a compilation of ten short essays written by experts at RAND, collectively titled Headlines Over the Horizon. The RAND authors examined developments in international and military affairs drawing little attention today that are expected to be major issues in the ...
Aug 1, 2003
Report
Options for Funding Aircraft Carriers
Examines alternatives to full-funding strategy (appropriation of enough money for an entire construction project in the initial year of construction) for funding aircraft carriers.
Jun 1, 2002
Report
Refueling and Complex Overhaul of the USS Nimitz (CVN 68): Lessons for the Future
Improving the planning and execution of the refueling and complex overhaul of the Navy's nuclear aircraft carriers
Apr 1, 2002
Report
The U.S. Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base: Force Structure, Cost, Schedule, and Technology Issues for CVN77
The U.S. Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base: Force Structure, Cost, Schedule, and Technology Issues for CVN77
Jan 1, 1998
Testimony
Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base
The purpose of this hearing was to receive testimony on the Department of the Navy's shipbuilding development and procurement programs as reflected in the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 1998 and the Future Years Defense Program.
Jan 1, 1997

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RAND Topic:
Aircraft Carriers

Topic Synonyms:
CV;
CVN;
Escort Ships

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