The future of air warfare: MOTHERSHIPS

[Agamemnon]

I like Ace Combats version the best.

[Silverbullet]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

I like Ace Combats version the best.

Those are cool concepts for sure for imagination, but functionality wise theres no reason to have giant air crafts. They just become a huge target. Additionally, the heavier they are they more they cost to fly. A Nimitz class aircraft carrier weighs 90,000 tons. Imagine a compatible flying carrier, and keeping that thing in the air.

If the sole purpose of it is to house aircrafts on the go, we already have this: Nimitz class super carriers... And to be delivered in a few years first of its class, Ford class super carriers.

[supervenom]

Originally Posted by Silverbullet

Those are cool concepts for sure for imagination, but functionality wise theres no reason to have giant air crafts. They just become a huge target. Additionally, the heavier they are they more they cost to fly. A Nimitz class aircraft carrier weighs 90,000 tons. Imagine a compatible flying carrier, and keeping that thing in the air.

If the sole purpose of it is to house aircrafts on the go, we already have this: Nimitz class super carriers... And to be delivered in a few years first of its class, Ford class super carriers.

The era of the sea going air craft carrier will soon come to an end. The Anti-Navy is the direct response to the Carrier Battle Fleet.

Carrier Killer Super-cavitation Torpedo
Shkval torpedo (Russia) - VA-111 - Military Periscope
YouTube - Torpille Ã* Supercavitation: Shkval VA-111

How do you intend for an huge slow air-craft carrier to stop this type of weapon...?

What you don't seem to understand is that the future mother-ship would work off of magnetic levitation of some sort. Perhaps even helium. Being fully automated, the weight would not be as great as that of a Nimitz Class. Also, as I have said many times before, active-laser-defense will defend the mother-ship from any projectiles should its stealth become compromised. In addition, the vessel would be much easier to defend if it is not confined to a 2-dimensional field of play.

So, with the advent of the anti-navy and such torpedo's as the SHKVAL VA-111, the day of the super carrier will soon come to an end....

[Silverbullet]

Those numbers just seem way too high for it to be realistic and function reliably at the same time IMO. Like in that NASA video said, material technology is the limiting factor. It is the same reason the internal combustion engine is so inefficient.


I'd like to respond to this comment also since it was directed at me even though its was months ago:

Originally Posted by supervenom

What you don't seem to understand is that the future mother-ship would work off of magnetic levitation of some sort. Perhaps even helium. Being fully automated, the weight would not be as great as that of a Nimitz Class.

The point missed here is regardless of what technology is used to fly a mothership, it still requires energy. Magnetic levitation still requires something to generate its flux field. Even if a mother ship uses a lighter weight material than steel, having to house all those other aircrafts and just being the size it is, it certainly will weigh on the same magnitude of a carrier. I stand by my statement