Poor Mans Aircraft Carrier

Now I want to say that I am a big military nut and have always wondered just how fast the modern world could change from Civilian to military production much like how the American economy did during 1940/41 .

Specifically I want to know if other people agree it is possible to take a large cargo vessel and modify it to be an aircraft carrier . Historically the Falklands War showed that a container vessel could be used to operate VSTOL aircraft and helicopters so long as it was not put in harms way . A pair of Phalanx CIWS mounted amidships would have most likely protected her .

With the Modern world as it stands I see two options .

Option 1 .
Container ships from the Panamax size class and up are taken for conversion . A Flight deck is mounted at a height allowing for a single hangar deck underneath . Two or three lifts are mounted to facilitate aircraft transfer . Hull space is used for weapons stowage , fuel stowage and the other necessities of a Carrier . Sponsons are added to carry CIWS and a new bridge is built . No catapults are included however a 12.5 degree ramp is included. Conversion also includes a basic C3 and Combat system . Vessels are chosen on the basis of age reliability and speed . 21 knots is the minimum . Ship length will be anywhere from 240 metres to 360 metres long with a Beam of 40 to 59 metres. Assume a Hangar of 200 metres long and 26 metres wide . Assume an airgroup of 50 F-35 B and 12 SH-60 class .

Option 2 :
Only using the Ultra large container vessels . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mærsk_Mc-Kinney_Møller_(ship)
With a length of 360 metres and a Beam of 59 I see no reason why a full CTOL carrier would not be capable . The EMALS Catapult system could easily be used and with gas turbine generator sets mounting the power needed would be relatively simple . An angled flight deck is possible and an offset bridge structure can be used to balance this . Air Group could conceivably be larger then a Nimitz as the Hangar could be larger .

I understand for this to be even thought about it would take WW3 however for a nation like China is it a potential quick way to CV superiority .
 
A landing on a conventional aircraft carrier needs a reinforced deck because of the stresses involved. Any conversions would be stovl only.

You wouldn't be able to convert to full ctol.
 
HMS Ocean I believe was built to commercial standards. Still, a VSTOL carrier could easily be made out of a container ship, though unless you needed it yestesday, you might as well start from the bottom up, and adapt the ship from the keel. Such a ship might be quite good for training and humanitarian work, but it really needs to be kept away from anyone who might shoot back. Shooting up ISIS and Libyans is probably ok, but anything else and you might be looking at a lot of dead sailors.
 
HMS Ocean I believe was built to commercial standards. Still, a VSTOL carrier could easily be made out of a container ship, though unless you needed it yestesday, you might as well start from the bottom up, and adapt the ship from the keel. Such a ship might be quite good for training and humanitarian work, but it really needs to be kept away from anyone who might shoot back. Shooting up ISIS and Libyans is probably ok, but anything else and you might be looking at a lot of dead sailors.

Okay, assume that the carrier won't be used against any serious threats. Instead its role will be the sort of 3rd-world policing and terrorist-bashing that a lot of naval assets get used for anyway. Since it isn't meant to fight peer opponents, there's no need for F-35s or whatever. With that requirement waived, what sort of air group would it carry? Tucano's carrying smart bombs or something?
 

FBKampfer

Banned
CVE's, as these conversions would be, really are only going to be good for a couple of things.

Escorting convoys for ASW and maritime patrol interception.

And parking the thing offshore once you've neutralized primary defensive systems, and have forces ashore, but have yet to capture/repair an airfield.
 
Okay, assume that the carrier won't be used against any serious threats. Instead its role will be the sort of 3rd-world policing and terrorist-bashing that a lot of naval assets get used for anyway. Since it isn't meant to fight peer opponents, there's no need for F-35s or whatever. With that requirement waived, what sort of air group would it carry? Tucano's carrying smart bombs or something?
Probably we would see a lot of asw and have these carriers attached to convoys.
 
i suspect a poor mans aircraft carrier is akin to a poor mans private jet. You might be able to come up with something but it is going to be a stretch.
 

SsgtC

Banned
Keep in mind, you're not going to be converting container ships in any hypothetical WWIII scenario. The US merchant fleet isn't big enough anymore and those ships will be needed to carry freight. You're much more likely to see a ship built from the keel up as a carrier but built to commercial standards. And likely equipped with ESSMs, Phalanx and a small air group of F-35s and MH-60s. It's a good idea actually for escort work
 
Serious limiting factor here, speed. Container ships were built for fuel efficiency,not going full speed into the wind to launch aircraft or race to a trouble spot.
Good for STOL aircraft in local theaters or possibly the Mediterranean but could do the job of a convoy escort.
 
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