The speed of an aircraft carrier, that is, its maximum speed on the water, is an important factor affecting its combat capability. Generally speaking, the faster the speed, the faster the aircraft carrier can deploy and maneuver, and the more it can adapt to the complex battlefield environment.
Whether it is the aircraft carriers of the United States, China, Russia or the United Kingdom, they all travel at a speed of about 30 knots, or 55 kilometers per hour. This speed is equivalent to an ordinary car or a bicycle in a vehicle on land.
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A knot is a unit used to express the speed of a ship or aircraft, and it is defined as the distance traveled by one nautical mile per hour. One nautical mile is equal to 1852 meters, so one knot is equal to 1.852 kilometers per hour. So why use nautical miles and knots to represent the speed of a ship or an airplane? It has to do with history.
In ancient times, people did not have precise measuring tools, and could only use some simple methods to estimate the speed of ships. One way to do this is to use a rope with some evenly distributed knots tied to it, and then throw one end of the rope into the water and let the rope drag out as the ship moves.
An hourglass is used to time how many knots are dragged out of the back of the ship in a certain amount of time. In this way, the speed of the ship can be obtained, which is expressed in "knots". Although this method is simple, it is not accurate enough, because the length of the rope, the spacing of the knots, the accuracy of the hourglass, the influence of the water flow, etc., will cause errors.
With the development of science and technology, people have invented more accurate speed measuring instruments, such as ship speed indicators, radars, satellite positioning, etc., but the unit of "knot" has been used to this day and has become a universal unit of navigation and aviation.
Why is the speed of an aircraft carrier only 30 knots
Next, we will explore why aircraft carriers have a speed of only 30 knots. This problem is actually not simple, because it involves many factors such as the design, power, structure, and tactics of the aircraft carrier. We can analyze it from the following aspects:
The design of the aircraft carrier: The design of the aircraft carrier should take into account its multiple functions, such as carrying and launching aircraft, loading and launching missiles, resisting enemy attacks, and ensuring the life of the crew. These functions require the aircraft carrier to have sufficient space, weight, stability and protection capabilities.
As a result, the hull of an aircraft carrier is larger, heavier, wider and thicker than that of an average warship. These characteristics will affect the hydrodynamic performance of the aircraft carrier, increase its water resistance and navigation resistance, and limit its speed. If you want to increase the speed of an aircraft carrier, you have to sacrifice its other functions, which is a balance of trade-offs.
The power of the aircraft carrier: The power of the aircraft carrier comes from its power system, and there are two main types, one is nuclear power and the other is conventional power. The advantage of nuclear power is that it is able to provide more powerful and long-lasting power, which is not limited by fuel, and allows aircraft carriers to sail at sea for long periods of time.
The advantages of conventional power are lower cost, simpler maintenance, and no nuclear contamination and nuclear threat. Whether nuclear or conventional, they need to convert power into propulsion in one or more ways, such as propellers, water jet propulsion, magnetohydrodynamic propulsion, etc.
These methods have their own advantages and disadvantages, such as the propeller has a large propulsion force, but the noise is large, and it is easy to be detected by the enemy; the water jet propulsion has less noise, but the propulsion force is smaller, and it is easy to be affected by the water depth; the principle of magnetofluid propulsion is newer, but the technology is more complex and the cost is higher. In short, the power system of the aircraft carrier should be weighed in many aspects such as power, propulsion, noise, and cost, and find a suitable point to enable the aircraft carrier to travel at a reasonable speed.
The structure of the aircraft carrier: The structure of the aircraft carrier should take into account its safety and durability, because it has to withstand a variety of external pressures, such as wind and waves, shocks, explosions, fires, etc. Therefore, the structure of an aircraft carrier is more solid and complex than that of an ordinary warship, and it has multiple decks, multiple compartments, and a variety of protective measures. These structures increase the weight and drag of the aircraft carrier, reducing its speed. If you want to increase the speed of the aircraft carrier, you have to reduce its structure, but this will reduce its safety and durability, which is also a trade-off.
Aircraft carrier tactics: The aircraft carrier's tactics should take into account its operational purpose and environment, because it has to take different actions according to different situations, such as assault, retreat, transfer, ambush, etc. These actions all require the aircraft carrier to have a certain speed, but it does not necessarily require that the faster the better. Because the speed is too fast, it will also bring some problems, such as increasing fuel consumption, reducing navigation stability, increasing the difficulty of carrier-based aircraft taking off and landing, and increasing the enemy's attention.
The consequences of being too fast
We can analyze it from the following aspects:
Fuel for aircraft carriers: The fuel for aircraft carriers is its source of power and its strategic resources. The faster the aircraft carrier travels, the greater its fuel consumption, which means that the shorter the distance and time it can sail, and the less resilient it will be combat. If the aircraft carrier is not replenished in time, it will get bogged down or even be captured or destroyed by the enemy.
For example, in World War II, Japan's aircraft carriers were unable to effectively carry out combat missions due to lack of fuel, and were even forced to anchor in ports and became targets for US air strikes. Because of the abundant fuel, US aircraft carriers can flexibly adjust their speed and course to respond to enemy threats at any time.
Carrier-based aircraft of an aircraft carrier: The carrier-based aircraft of an aircraft carrier is its main weapon and where its combat effectiveness lies. The faster the speed of an aircraft carrier, the more difficult it is for its carrier-based aircraft to take off and land, which means that the lower the number and efficiency of its carrier-based aircraft, and the weaker its offensive and defensive capabilities. If the speed of the aircraft carrier is too fast, its carrier-based aircraft will face the influence of various factors such as wind speed, wind direction, wind resistance, wind pressure, etc., causing their take-off and landing to be more dangerous and complicated.
For example, in World War II, the British aircraft carrier was too fast, which led to a number of accidents during takeoff and landing of its carrier-based aircraft, resulting in the loss of aircraft and pilots. However, due to its moderate speed, US aircraft carriers can adjust their course and speed according to the wind speed and direction, making the takeoff and landing of its carrier-based aircraft safer and smoother.
Aircraft carrier tactics: The aircraft carrier's tactics should take into account its operational purpose and environment, because it has to take different actions according to different situations, such as assault, retreat, transfer, ambush, etc. These actions all require the aircraft carrier to have a certain speed, but it does not necessarily require that the faster the better. Because the speed is too fast, it will also bring some problems, such as increasing fuel consumption, reducing navigation stability, increasing the difficulty of carrier-based aircraft taking off and landing, and increasing the enemy's attention.
Therefore, the speed of an aircraft carrier should be flexibly changed according to tactical needs, and it should not blindly pursue speed. For example, in World War II, when the United States aircraft carriers were carrying out assault missions, they would increase their speed to shorten the attack time and distance, and increase their suddenness and power; when they were carrying out retreat missions, they would reduce their speed to ensure the recovery and replenishment of carrier-based aircraft, and to increase safety and continuity.
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