In a most dramatic and unusual fate, on May 14, 2005, the USS America, a decommissioned Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carrier, met its extraordinary end. Instead of being preserved as a museum, the vessel would undertake extensive, grueling live-fire tests designed to assess the durability and survivability of future naval carriers. The decision, though controversial, provided invaluable data that would shape the design of the next generation of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.
Commissioned in 1965, USS America led a colorful service history, joining many of the major military operations around the world, such as the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. After more than three decades of service, the carrier was retired in 1996. The Navy saw another way America could make one final mission to contribute to national defense.
It was then decided that the USS America would be apt for a SinkEx or a sink-at-sea live-fire training exercise. So, several controlled explosions were conducted on it over four weeks. This was for studying how aircraft carriers withstand extreme conditions of damage. Vice Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John B. Nathman, while further explaining the motive behind this decision, said, “America will make one final and vital contribution to our national defense, this time as a live-fire test and evaluation platform.”
Tests revealed the incredible survivability of the USS America. The carrier became almost too hard to sink amidst the continuous bombardment. Its double-bottomed hull and extensive compartmentalization were among the leading contributors to the toughness of this warship. According to mechanical engineer Blake Horner, “She is not only far larger than WWII battleships, but she is also a lot tougher.”
Eventually, the USS America was sent to the bottom from onboard to ensure it sank. The carrier sank beneath the waves at 11:30 am on May 14, 2005, coming to rest upright on the Atlantic floor, nearly three miles below the surface this marked the end of the largest warship ever intentionally sunk.
Tests carried out on the last mission of USS America have been very instrumental in designing future carriers, such as the Gerald R. Ford class. The exercise showed just how difficult it was to sink a vessel that huge using modern weaponry. As one expert explained, “It took four weeks and they ended up having to scuttle her from onboard due to her not sinking.”
The living legacy of the USS America is not just on the floor of the Atlantic but also in the survivability features of the Navy’s newer and future carrier fleet. This last mission so solemn secured the continuation of the USS America’s contributions to national defense long after its decommissioning.