Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!cbnews!military
From: terryr@ogicse.ogi.edu (Terry Rooker)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: USN CVs wont fit in Arabian Gulf?
Message-ID: <1990Aug14.033638.8544@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 14 Aug 90 03:36:38 GMT
References: <1990Aug11.015042.19542@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Oregon Graduate Institute (formerly OGC), Beaverton, OR
Lines: 39
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: terryr@ogicse.ogi.edu (Terry Rooker)
In article <1990Aug11.015042.19542@cbnews.att.com> wdr@wang.COM (William Ricker) writes:
>
>
>Is the US Navy trend toward super-carriers the problem with getting
>naval & air superiority in the gulf?
>
No.  The trend towards supercarriers simply means that the carriers
can operate aircraft of sufficient performance so that the carrier
doesn't have to enter the gulf to attack targets in Iraq.  Remember
the carrier doesn't need to be in the gulf, the aircraft do.

>Or would smaller carriers have the same problems turning into the
>wind in a narrow body of water with oil platforms & islands?
>
Yes.  They would also have problems with dodging detection and
attacks. 

>Could the Midway fit into the Gulf?  If so, would its F4's be any
>use against the MIG23 and Mirages of Iraq?  (Midway's WWII decking
>won't take F14/15/16 stresses.)  
>
It is more than deck stress.  The F-14 is a much larger plane so it
uses more deck area.  The catapults also cannot handle the weight of
the F-14.  The 15 and 16 are not carrier capable.

>Is the flightdeck of the Tarawa capable of handling regular Navy
>aviation, or only the Marine jump-jets & choppers it routinely
>carrys?

No.  The Amphibs have no catapults or arresting gear.  I have watched
the Tarawa launch OV-10 Broncos, but that is about all they can
handle.  

-- 
Terry Rooker
terryr@cse.ogi.edu