Naval aviation has been in a whirlwind of changes throughout the last century, thanks to continuous technological development and strategic innovations. One of the main turning points in this development was the introduction of the concept of the angled flight deck, tested in 1952 on the USS Antietam. During the trials with the U.S. and then British naval units, the feature allowed the operations of an aircraft more safely and effectively.
Ken Shoberg, who was in the crew of the USS Antietam, remembers the backbreaking work he and his mates were doing to get the carrier ready for its missions. “It was hot, dirty work,” he said of the long hours sanding and painting.
This was not the end of the Antietam’s journey after the initial testing. The ship sailed up and down the East Coast and across the Caribbean, stopping to pick up pilots for training on the newfangled angled deck. While it was stationed in Brooklyn at the Navy Yards, Shoberg met a sailor named De Groot who convinced him he needed to go to Corps School. This would prove a turning point for Shoberg in his Navy career because he would now be able to sleep between real sheets instead of hammocks.
The angled flight deck concept worked out so well that it became par for the course in all subsequent aircraft carriers. The USS Forrestal which was launched in December of 1954 was the first supercarrier to use that design. This canted flight deck of the Forrestals covered just under four acres in area and allowed aircraft to land at an angle on the ship that was not square with the length of the vessel from prow to aft. This was done in such a way as to accommodate pilots who needed to make another try at landing without crashing into a lot of other aircraft and personnel.
The Forrestal also debuted some other innovations: a continuous fore-and-aft strength deck of 1¾-inch steel plate placed to absorb heat from jet blasts, and the four steam catapults commissioned in 1953, not only permitted faster launches but greatly improved the fighting power and endurance of the Forrestal.
This evolution was further carried on to Nimitz-class, which built Ford-class carriers. The latest class was designed to substitute for the older class. More technologies were created and better innovations were added to their weaponry. Among the techniques used on the Ford-class carriers, which also applies to USS John F. Kennedy, is the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System. This provided advanced arresting gear and, like the others, improved sortie generation by 33% compared to their predecessors by saving taxpayers approximately $4 billion over the 50-year service life with some 700 fewer crewmen.
The legacy of those advancements, from the early days of USS Antietam to the leading Ford-class carriers, is one of inspiration for that constant and relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence within naval aviation. The legacy of such advancements will continue to shape strategic capabilities as naval forces move forward into the 21st century.