Carriers(Page 2)

Latest in Carriers

Nimitz hornet and seakhawk crash
Carriers

“Bad Fuel” May Have Caused Back-To-Back Nimitz Aircraft Crashes: Trump

By Howard Altman

Posted on Oct 27, 2025

The Navy has moved several warships deployed to the Caribbean out of the path of Hurricane Melissa.
Carriers

Massive Hurricane Forces Movement Of Several Navy Ships Deployed To Caribbean

By Howard Altman

Posted on Oct 27, 2025

The U.S. Navy's supercarrier USS Gerald R. Ford and at least a portion of the rest of its strike group have been ordered to Latin American waters.
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78)

Supercarrier USS Ford Being Pulled From Europe And Ordered To Caribbean

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 24, 2025

The Navy explained why damage was still seen on the USS Harry Truman months after a collision at sea.
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)

Carrier USS Truman’s Collision Damage Won’t Be Repaired Until It Goes Through Complex Overhaul

By Howard Altman

Posted on Oct 10, 2025

The U.S. Department of Defense may finally be ready to choose which company will develop and build the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX next-generation carrier-based fighter. A report from Reuters today states that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth personally gave the green light for the selection last Friday. However, this is not the first time that there have been reports that this decision was imminent, as you can read about here.
Carriers

Navy F/A-XX Stealth Fighter Selection Imminent: Reports

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 7, 2025

J-35 launches aboard carrier.
Carriers

China’s Aircraft Carrier Capability Just Made A Stunning Leap Forward

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Sep 22, 2025

The U.S. Navy has taken an important step forward toward acquiring new carrier-based Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) type drones with contracts to Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman.
Carriers

Navy Carrier-Based ‘Loyal Wingman’ Drone Development Suddenly Pushes Forward (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on Sep 5, 2025

Boeing has provided a new rendering for its F/A-XX proposal and it’s remarkably similar to concept artwork that has already been released for its F-47, selected for the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) ‘fighter’ initiative. While it’s important to not read too much into the final appearance of either of those aircraft, based on these concepts, the new rendering does, at least, correspond with Boeing’s previous suggestions that the F/A-XX and F-47 would incorporate some commonality.
Carriers

Boeing’s New F/A-XX Next Gen Naval Fighter Concept Looks Familiar

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 29, 2025

U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever, commonly referred to as the service's "Air Boss," is still "eagerly awaiting" a new F/A-XX next-generation carrier-based fighter despite the uncertainty now swirling around that program.
Carriers

F/A-XX Next Generation Naval Fighter Selection Could Still Happen

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 25, 2025

Naval aviators need to be able to trust any future drone wingmen as much as their human counterparts, a U.S. Navy strike fighter tactics instructor has told TWZ.
Carriers

Navy Fighter Pilots Need To Gain Trust In Pilotless Wingmen By Actually Flying With Them

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 22, 2025

The U.K. Royal Air Force F-35B stealth jet that was forced to make an emergency diversion to Japan last week is still there, the U.K. Ministry of Defense has told TWZ.
Queen Elizabeth Class

UK F-35B Still Stranded In Japan Is Awaiting Spare Parts

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Aug 14, 2025

Northrop Grumman has released a new rendering of a possible configuration for its submission for the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX next-generation carrier-based combat jet. The program has long been even more secretive than the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance jet, with only a handful of concept artworks previously released. In the meantime, the future of the Navy program is being increasingly questioned, with the service and Pentagon officials apparently at loggerheads about how best to proceed with it.
Carriers

F/A-XX Next Generation Naval Fighter Concept Art Emerges From Northrop Grumman

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Aug 7, 2025

The latest addition to China’s growing family of Shenyang J-15 carrier-based fighter series, the J-15DT electronic warfare version, appears to have entered operational service. Crucially, this electronic attack Flanker is equipped for operations aboard catapult-equipped aircraft carriers like the Fujian, which recently began to host fixed-wing aircraft trials. Progress with the J-15DT points not only to China’s the scope of carrier aviation ambitions, but the growing focus on catapult assisted takeoff but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) operations, which offer many advantages.
Carriers

Our Best Look At China’s New J-15DT Carrier-Based Electronic Warfare Jet

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 5, 2025

Signs are growing that China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is close to demonstrating its ability to launch and recover aircraft from its first catapult-equipped aircraft carrier, the Fujian, if it has not done so already.
Carriers

China Teases First Catapult Launches From Its New Carrier Fujian

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 1, 2025

Ground testing has begun on the production representative MQ-25 Stingray tanker drone for the U.S. Navy, which comes ahead of an expected first flight before the end of this year.
Carriers

MQ-25 Stingray Carrier-Based Uncrewed Tanker Ground Testing Now Underway

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jul 29, 2025

A new photo suggests that China’s Shenyang J-35, its next-generation carrier-based fighter, has now entered limited series production and is also in service with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The photo joins a succession of imagery showing some of China’s latest military aircraft in great detail, including previous views of the same type of jet, although still in prototype form, as you can see in our previous coverage here.
Carriers

China’s J-35 Naval Stealth Fighter Looks Set For Service

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jul 19, 2025

Russian Navy's lone aircraft carrier, the Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov, is towed to the 35th squadron shipyard for maintenance and repair works in Murmansk, Russia on May 20, 2022. It is aimed to be completed the maintenance and repair works by the end of 2023.
Admiral Kuznetsov

Russia May Finally Abandon Its Cursed Aircraft Carrier

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jul 11, 2025

The latest addition to General Atomics' MQ-9B medium-altitude long-endurance drone family is set to be an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) configured version.
Queen Elizabeth Class

MQ-9B Airborne Early Warning Variant Could Fill Major Aerial Surveillance Gaps

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jun 17, 2025

The U.S. Navy is sending the supercarrier USS Nimitz and the rest of its strike group to the Middle East amid a new buildup of forces in the region ostensibly for defensive purposes, U.S. officials have told TWZ.
USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)

Major U.S. Middle East-Focused Buildup Confirmed (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Jun 16, 2025

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has released photos showing two of its aircraft carriers operating simultaneously for the first time beyond the so-called First Island Chain in the western Pacific.
Liaoning (16)

Two Chinese Aircraft Carriers Are Operating Beyond The First Island Chain For The First Time

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 10, 2025

Royal Navy wants to arm carriers with drones and long-range missiles
Carriers

Royal Navy To Arm Its Carriers With Long-Range Missiles

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 3, 2025

A front view rendering of PA-Ng, dated 2022.
Carriers

French Navy Offers Sneak Peek Of Its Future Carrier Air Wing

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 22, 2025

Hornet crashed aboard the USS Harry S Truman
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)

Super Hornet Crashes Landing On USS Truman, Its Second F/A-18 Loss In A Week

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on May 7, 2025

USS Harry Truman Was Evading Houthi Attack When F/A-18 Super Hornet Rolled Off Its Deck
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)

USS Harry Truman Was Evading Houthi Attack When F/A-18 Super Hornet Rolled Off Its Deck

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Apr 28, 2025

China’s full-size aircraft carrier test facility, a key part of the country’s path toward establishing a carrier fleet and associated air wings, has been modified once again. The latest reworking suggests that the aircraft carrier mockup is now intended to represent a layout similar to the U.S. Navy’s Ford class. This may well point to the configuration of China’s next homegrown carrier design, or at least one of the configurations now under study.
Liaoning (16)

China’s Giant Land-Based Carrier Mockup Grows In Size, Now Resembles Ford Class

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 16, 2025

CCAs and super hornet
Carriers

Navy Won’t Scramble To Field Loyal Wingman Drones Like The Air Force

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Apr 8, 2025

The U.S. Navy expects its future F/A-XX sixth-generation stealth fighters to offer just a 25 percent increase in range over the existing tactical combat jets in its carrier air wings.
Carriers

F/A-XX Will Have Just 25% More Range Than Existing Navy Fighters

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 7, 2025

Satellite imagery shows work on the first of Russia's Project 23900 big-deck amphibious assault ships, also known as the Ivan Rogov class, is continuing at a shipyard on the occupied Crimean Peninsula.
Carriers

Russia’s New Helicopter Carrier Is Taking Shape In Crimea

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 4, 2025

President Donald Trump, through his pick to be the next Secretary of the Navy, has thrust long-running criticisms of what is commonly called "running rust" on American warships back into the mainstream limelight.
Carriers

Warships Caked In Rust Prompting Late Night Trump Texts To Navy Secretary Nominee

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 28, 2025

The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman is back at sea conducting routine operations after a week in port in Greece for repairs.
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)

Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman Back At Sea After Collision Repairs

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 24, 2025

The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman is now in port in Greece for repairs following the collision with the cargo ship M/V Besiktas-M this past week.
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)

Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman In Greece For Repairs Following Collision

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 17, 2025

The U.S. Navy has released an image showing damage to the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman following the collision with the cargo ship M/V Besiktas-M off the coast of Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday.
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)

Collision Damage To Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman Seen In Photo

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Feb 14, 2025

We may have just gotten our first sight of China’s next-generation aircraft carrier, generally referred to as the Type 004. Construction work at a shipyard in Dalian, in China’s Liaoning province, reveals a module that is consistent with an aircraft carrier — which would be China’s fourth — although there remain many questions about the precise nature of the object.
Liaoning (16)

Structure At Chinese Shipyard May Point To China’s Next Aircraft Carrier’s Capabilities

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 13, 2025

Details are still emerging, but the U.S. Navy supercarrier USS Harry S. Truman has collided with a merchant vessel identified as the Besiktas-M in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Egypt's Port Said.
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)

Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman Collides With Merchant Ship (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 13, 2025

Indian drone maker NewSpace Research and Technologies has officially unveiled a new jet-powered loyal wingman-type drone called Abhimanyu.
Carriers

Indian Naval Collaborative Drone Concept Unveiled

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 10, 2025

Iran has finally shown a drone taking off and landing on – in the latter case with the help of arresting gear – the deck of the country's unusual new 'drone carrier,' the Shahid Bagheri. Newly emerged imagery also shows various drones and crewed helicopters on the flight deck, which has a ski jump at the bow end, including the appearance of 'drones' styled after the infamous Qaher 313.
Carriers

Iran’s Wacky Aircraft Carrier Has Entered Service

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 6, 2025

Dual Band radar still had problems prior to USS Ford's first deployment.
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78)

USS Gerald R. Ford Was Still Struggling With Its Dual Band Radar Prior To Deployment

By Geoff Ziezulewicz

Posted on Feb 5, 2025

An F-35C LIGHTNING II takes off from Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) during training with Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Jan. 22, 2022. Operating as part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, units assigned to Carl Vinson and Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Groups, America and Essex Amphibious Ready Groups, alongside JMSDF, are conducting training to preserve and protect a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Jeremy Faller)
Nimitz Class

How Life Aboard A Navy Aircraft Carrier Changed When High-Speed Internet Arrived

By Geoff Ziezulewicz

Posted on Jan 31, 2025

U.S. Navy officials have laid out several priorities they say are key to ensuring the service's carrier air wings will be able to succeed in future conflicts, especially a high-end fight in the Pacific.
Carriers

Carrier Air Wing’s Key Priorities To Win In Future Pacific Fight Laid Out By Navy

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 30, 2025

Airbus and Navantia will explore the integration of the Sirtap drone on the LHD Juan Carlos I. Both companies have signed an agreement on board the Navy's flagship to study the possible use of the RPAS from its deck.
Carriers

Spain Wants To Convert Its Aircraft Carrier For Drone Operations

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jan 28, 2025

The ex-USS John F. Kennedy left Philadelphia today for a journey to a Texas scrapyard
Kitty Hawk Class

The Famed Ex-USS John F. Kennedy Casts Off On Its Final Voyage (Updated)

By Howard Altman

Posted on Jan 17, 2025

Norfolk Naval Station, Norfolk, Virginia (April 1, 1999 -- President Clinton addresses U.S. and NATO military personnel, families, and civilian Department of Defense employees to express America's thanks to personnel deployed overseas in support of U.S. and NATO operations, as well as underscore the importance of NATO Operation Allied Force in Kosovo. (U.S. Navy photo by PH1(SW) Benjamin D. Olvey)
USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)

New Aircraft Carrier To Be Named After Bill Clinton

By Howard Altman

Posted on Jan 14, 2025

USS Jack H. Lucas
Carriers

Cost Of Navy’s Newest Arleigh Burke Destroyers Is Ballooning

By Geoff Ziezulewicz

Posted on Jan 8, 2025

The U.S. Navy is now officially using "Murder Hornet" to refer to F/A-18E/F fighters armed with five AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and four AIM-9X Sidewinder.
Carriers

Murder Hornet Nickname For F/A-18s Equipped With Nine Air-To-Air Missiles Now Official

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 6, 2025

F/A-18F Was Shot Down By Friendly Fire As Jets Were About To Land On The Carrier
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)

F/A-18F Was Shot Down By Friendly Fire As Jets Were About To Land On The Carrier

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 24, 2024

PLA Navy is expanding its reach warns the DoD.
Carriers

Pentagon Warns Of China’s Increasing Capacity To Project Naval Power Far From Home

By Geoff Ziezulewicz

Posted on Dec 19, 2024

Additional photos provide a much more detailed look at the mysterious Chinese flattop that TWZ was first to report on, and which recently went to sea, apparently for its first trials. While the function of this vessel remains unknown, the recently published photos do confirm that it’s intended to operate rotary-wing aircraft (perhaps in addition to fixed-wing drones), but there are no obvious signs of catapults or arrester cables of the kind that would be used for operating heavier fixed-wing types. There is also no indication that the vessel has a floodable well-deck like those found on many amphibious warfare ships.
Carriers

Detailed Deck View Emerges Of China’s Mysterious Aircraft Carrier-Like Ship

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 2, 2024

A mysterious Chinese vessel with a large open flight deck, which TWZ was first to report on, looks to have made its maiden voyage.
Carriers

China’s Wacky And Puzzling New Aircraft Carrier Has Set Sail

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 27, 2024

U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Joint Strike Fighters took part in recent strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, the Pentagon has disclosed.
USS Abraham Linclon (CVN-72)

F-35C Naval Joint Strike Fighters Fly Combat Missions Against Houthis In Yemen

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 13, 2024

The U.S. Navy recently used a drone control system now being installed on all its supercarriers to operate an actual uncrewed aircraft, a General Atomics Avenger, for the first time.
Carriers

MQ-20 Avenger First Drone Flown Using Navy’s Carrier-Based Control System

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 8, 2024

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN has for the first time conducted dual-carrier operations in the South China Sea. The drills, involving the country’s first two in-service carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong, as well as at least 11 other vessels, also showcased the PLAN’s fast-growing air wing, with a flyby conducted by a dozen J-15 carrier-based multirole fighters. While clearly engineered for public consumption, the photo opportunity also points to the very rapid progress made by the PLAN in developing its aircraft carrier and wider blue-water capabilities.
Liaoning (16)

Two New Versions Of China’s J-15 Carrier Fighter Now Appear To Be Operational

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 31, 2024

An example of an entirely new class of Chinese vessel with a large open flight deck has emerged at a shipyard in the southeastern end of the country.
Carriers

New Chinese Mystery Flattop Emerges

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 29, 2024

The U.S. Navy is asking for new ideas about how to increase the unrefueled range of its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft.
Carriers

New Ways To Stretch F/A-18 Super Hornet’s Range Sought By Navy

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 23, 2024

BF-19, Lt Cdr Nicholas Baker RN, Flight 633, Test 808, Arrival JS KAGA for beginning of DT Sea Trails, 20 October 2024
JS Kaga

Japan Expands Carrier Capabilities With F-35B, Drones Could Be Next

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 22, 2024

China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, arrives in Hong Kong waters on July 7, 2017.
Liaoning (16)

All Three Chinese Aircraft Carriers Were At Sea For The First Time

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Sep 23, 2024

China has offered a new and closer look at the catapults on its newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian. We also now have what appears to be the first look inside the retractable enclosed control station built into the flight deck that catapult officers on the ship will use to launch planes.
Carriers

New Chinese Aircraft Carrier’s Catapult Control ‘Bubble’ Looks Very Familiar

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 11, 2024

Captain of the USS Dwight D Eisenhower tells us what really went on during the ship's Red Sea combat cruise.
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)

Carrier Captain In Combat: Our Video Interview With Christopher “Chowdah” Hill

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Sep 10, 2024

Navy Capt. Chris "Chowdah" Hill, commander of the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, opens up about the carrier group's recent dangerous and grueling deployment to the Middle East.
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)

Carrier Captain In Combat: What Went On During 7 Months Under Fire Around The Red Sea

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Sep 7, 2024

Chiefs aboard the USS Manchester created a huge security risk by setting up a private WifI network.
USS Abraham Linclon (CVN-72)

The Story Of Sailors Secretly Installing Starlink On Their Littoral Combat Ship Is Truly Bonkers

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 6, 2024

A newly emerged photo provides our best look so far at the unusual layout of Iran’s intriguing drone-carrier ship, the IRGC Shahid Bagheri, including its angled flight deck. Converted from an existing commercial vessel, this so-called “forward base ship” design is definitely topical considering the kind of anti-shipping campaign currently being waged by Iranian proxies in the Red Sea and, according to the U.S., by Iran, increasingly further afield.
Carriers

Iran’s Bizarre ‘Aircraft Carrier’ Seen In New Detail

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 21, 2024

A major fire, which may still be ongoing, has reportedly broken out on the former Soviet Kiev class aircraft carrier Minsk, which has been rotting away in a man-made lagoon just off a stretch of the Yangtze River in China for years now.
Carriers

Soviet Aircraft Carrier Turned Failed Chinese Tourist Attraction Is On Fire (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Aug 17, 2024

The USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is now the first U.S. Navy supercarrier to have a complete dedicated Unmanned Air Warfare Center (UAWC).
USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)

Supercarrier USS George H.W. Bush Now Has First Of its Kind Drone Control Center

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 16, 2024

Captain hill on how his tweets would have needed to change if the ship was hit.
USS Nimitz (CVN-68)

Carrier Captain On How His Up-Beat Tweets Would Have Needed To Change If Houthi Missiles Struck His Ship

By Howard Altman

Posted on Aug 14, 2024

The Ohio-class, guided-missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN 729) transits with the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73) and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), not shown, on the Strait of Hormuz, Dec. 21. Philippine Sea is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the Western Indian Ocean and three critical chokepoints to the free flow of global commerce.
Carriers

U.S. Navy Rushes To Further Bolster Presence In Middle East

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 13, 2024