America’s aircraft carriers are the heart of the US Navy and serve as American territory floating around the world, allowing the US to project massive air and sea military might.
During flight operations, an aircraft carrier’s deck is an extremely dangerous place with expensive fighter jets and helicopters landing and taking off on a short runway. However, sailors and airmen mitigate risks by fine tuning the chaos with coordination and precision.
Here are 27 pictures to prove there is really nothing quite like America’s aircraft carriers.
Tiger cruise participants commemorate their voyage with a spell-out on the flight deck on the USS Carl Vinson.
An MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron takes off from the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard.
An aircraft director guides an F/A-18C Hornet onto a catapult aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.
An aircraft prepares to launch from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.
An F/A-18F Super Hornet from the Black Aces of Strike Fighter Squadron 41 lands aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis.
Sailors stow an aircraft barricade after flight deck drills aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.
Sailors conduct a special patrol insertion/extraction exercise aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.
Ship executive officer addresses Sailors on the flight deck during an all-hands call on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.
USS Bonhomme Richard conducts flight operations.
A pilot confirms the weight of his jet prior to launch on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis.
Airman position model aircraft on a planning board in the flight deck control center aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.
Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate signals a C-2A Greyhound on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.
USS Theodore Roosevelt conducts vertical replenishment.
USS Essex sailors scrub the flight deck.
A landing craft air cushion enters the well deck of USS Kearsarge in Gulf of Aden.
USS Essex conducts deck landing qualifications.
USS John C. Stennis conducts helicopter operations.
A Super Hornet launches from the deck of USS Enterprise.
Sailor signals for sailors to set up the aircraft barricade during a drill aboard USS George Washington.
MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter lands aboard USS Essex.
An AV-8B Harrier launches from USS Makin Island.
Sailors conduct a chock-and-chain evolution with an SH-60 Sea Hawk aboard USS Wasp.
An airman directs an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter on the flight deck of aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis.
Sailors prepare an F/A-18E Super Hornet on the USS Ronald Reagan.
