U.S. Navy’s Mightiest Aircraft Carrier Carl Vinson Captured Up Close with Exclusive Look Inside

2024-09-18

Special Photo Report

Length 333 meters, Crew of about 5,000, the Guardian of the Pacific Upgrades Its Equipment

Latest Stealth Fighter Jets and Navy-Version Ospreys Deployed

Exclusive Look Inside

F/A-18s are crowded on the deck of the Carl Vinson. They are the main fighter jets of the U.S. Navy, but will soon be upgraded to the latest stealth fighter, the F-35C.

With a deafening roar, the latest stealth fighter F-35C moves orderly across the deck towards the launch deck. Once set on the catapult, a section of the deck measuring about 15 meters wide immediately rises from the rear of the aircraft, forming a massive vertical wall. This is called a “jet blast deflector,” which serves to protect parked aircraft and personnel from engine blast winds.

With a thunderous sound, the F-35C glides off the deck. While the typical length of a runway at a land base exceeds 1 to 2 kilometers, an aircraft carrier has only about 100 meters, making it impossible for the aircraft to take off with its own engine thrust alone. With the aid of the catapult, the F-35C accelerates rapidly and soars into the blue sky. The next aircraft quickly prepares for takeoff, launching at intervals of a few minutes.

From June 27 to August 1, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise “RIMPAC” took place in the waters surrounding Hawaii. The initial scene showcases the launch and recovery training conducted by the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, which played a central role in the exercise.

The Carl Vinson’s Carrier Air Wing consists of nine squadrons, and since around 2019, it has been transitioning from F/A-18 fighter jets to the stealth fighter F-35C, which is harder to detect by radar and can carry long-range missiles.

It carries around 70 aircraft, including fighter jets.

Navy-version Ospreys capable of vertical takeoff and landing are also deployed, and it is said that the Carl Vinson’s military power is comparable to that of a military base. A Japanese person was the first to closely photograph the reborn Carl Vinson.

The Carl Vinson is 333 meters long, 77 meters wide at its maximum, and has a full load displacement of over 100,000 tons, making it one of the largest aircraft carriers in the world. Within this massive ship, about 5,000 personnel work. It can carry up to 70 aircraft, including fighter jets, attack planes, and electronic warfare aircraft.

To work efficiently on the narrow deck, the deck crew wears uniforms in seven colors: purple, blue, green, yellow, brown, red, and white, making it easy to identify their specific tasks. For example, yellow signifies crew members involved in launch and recovery operations, while red indicates those handling missiles and bombs.

The operations on the deck are overseen by an officer known as the “air boss,” who maintains a watchful eye from the air traffic control room overlooking the deck. Although the carrier is a warship, its primary weapon is the aircraft. Therefore, the captain of an aircraft carrier is always selected from among pilots or aviation officers.

Since its commissioning in 1982, the Carl Vinson has primarily operated in the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Arabian Sea. Its current home port is San Diego, but it has frequently rushed to the Asia region in response to increasing provocations from China, making port calls in Japan as well.

Aircraft carriers are symbols of military power.

China has deployed aircraft carriers to Sanya and Qingdao in an effort to achieve a balance of power with the United States. They are currently constructing their fourth carrier. The situation of China assembling its aircraft carriers is something the U.S. cannot overlook. The reason the Carl Vinson is ported far from the U.S. mainland in Yokosuka was originally to maintain a rapid response capability in the Far East, but it has now largely shifted to serving as a deterrent against China.

During its visit to Japan in 2021, the Carl Vinson joined the British carrier Queen Elizabeth, which was on its first deployment in the Pacific. In October, they conducted the first joint training exercise involving Japan, the U.S., the U.K., the Netherlands, Canada, and New Zealand around Okinawa. This was in response to intensified provocations from the Chinese Navy, which had repeatedly intruded into Japanese territorial waters in 2020, applying pressure on China with U.S. and U.K. forces.

After completing the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, the Carl Vinson returned, but it will depart for Japan immediately if military tensions rise. The “Guardian of the Pacific,” equipped with renewed capabilities, is keeping a watchful eye from San Diego in preparation for potential conflicts in the Taiwan Strait.