US Fleet Carriers from Langley to Ford Class

Gloire_bb

Captain
Registered Member
This is missing the Wasp class, a class of light carriers based on the Baltimore Heavy cruiser rather than Cleveland light cruiser hull, and about 5 other classes of escort carriers
Baltimore hull was basis for Saipan.
USS Wasp by 09.1945 was one of Essex class carriers.

Previous Wasp, which was indeed one and only ship of her kind - was on sea floor for 3 years at this point.(sunk by IJN I-19 in what was to become probably the most succesful torpedo salvo in history)
 

FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
bd Popeye, Jeff Head

The USS Ranger Sailed With A Unique "Grumman Air Wing" In The Mid 1980s

VF-1 Wolfpack—F-14 Tomcat
VVMA(AW)-121 Green Knights—A-6 Intruder
VF-2 Bounty Hunters—F-14 Tomcat
VA-145 Swordsman—A-6/KA-6
VAW-116 Sun Kings—E-2
VAQ-131 Lancers—EA-6B
HS-14 Chargers—SH-3
VS-38 Red Griffins—S-3

For comparison, USS Forrestal (CV-59), the same class of ship as Ranger, was deployed at the same time in 1987 but had a much more common air wing configuration. This included two F-14 Squadrons, two A-7 squadrons, one A-6/KA-6 squadron, one S-3 squadron, one EA-6B squadron, one E-2 squadron and a SH-3 squadron. Around this same time, Nimitz class supercarriers were sporting two F-14, two F/A-18, two A-6 and one EA-6B squadrons, as well as the same number of support squadrons as seen on the Forrestal class ships.

Smaller Midway class carriers were deploying with three F/A-18 Squadrons, two A-6 squadrons—one of which had KA-6s—one E-2C squadron, one EA-6B squadron, and one SH-3 squadron.

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FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
Interesting.. I never deployed aboard a ship with two Intruder squadrons aboard. But apparently it did happen.

This page will tell you what air wings deployed aboard ships. This is a private site but very accurate.

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Also seeing it and i know fact is the number of embarked aircrafs have much decreased for Super Carriers in 1985- 1990 normaly 86 aircrafts, in 2010 only 61 ridiculous ! going for 2025 with especialy 2 EA-18G and several tanker in more for 70 -74 better more decent for a CVN able to host 85 - 90.
 

bd popeye

The Last Jedi
VIP Professional
Also seeing it and i know fact is the number of embarked aircrafs have much decreased for Super Carriers in 1985- 1990 normaly 86 aircrafts, in 2010 only 61 ridiculous ! going for 2025 with especialy 2 EA-18G and several tanker in more for 70 -74 better more decent for a CVN able to host 85 - 90.

I agree...about 80 is a good number. The reasons for a reduced air wing are;
1) Precision guided munitions require less aircraft sorties to destroy targets.
2) Lack of aircraft...sad but true..

Popeye's USN air wing 2025;
30 Super Hornets
20 Lightning II
5 Growlers
5 Hawkeyes
2 Osprey (COD)
4 Osprey Tankers
12 SH-60 variants..

78 Aircraft
 
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