Lightning carriers’ could be lightweights in an Asian war.

Summary

The U.S., U.K. and Japan have F-35B Lightning II fighter capable light aircraft carriers. South Korea is evaluating designs. Australia and Singapore are possibilities.

Key points concerning light aircraft carriers:

• Highly prestigious.

• Bespoke for different national requirements.

• Maintenance and training is expensive.

• Vulnerable to long-range precision strike capabilities and submarine attack. 

• Offer a marginal additional capability that comes at a high cost.

• Long-range flexible, resilient, and distributed land-based aircraft may be more cost-effective.

F-35B aircraft.

• Low-observable design, highly capable electronic warfare and attack capabilities.

• Enormous data fusion and sharing functions a quantum leap over the Falklands War era AV-8B Harrier II. 

• Can provide airborne intelligence-gathering and limited early warning.

• Some offensive capability.

USS America. 

• 45,000-tons. (Canberra Class 27,500 tons).

• Carries around twenty F-35B fighters, Osprey tiltrotors and helicopters. 

• The flagship of Expeditionary Strike Group Seven.

• Partial substitute for a supercarrier if needed, but limited combat value.

HMS Queen Elizabeth

• 65,000 tons.

• A “ski-jump” ramp facilitates heavier payloads.

• Around 24 F-35Bs.

• Expensive and complex. 

• The Royal Navy relies on others to provide escort vessels.

• Likely future operations as part of a coalition.

Izumo Class 

• Japan’s first aircraft carriers since World War II, so expertise needs re-learning.

• 20,000 tons. 

• 24 F-35B’s.

• Likely to operate close to Japan defending its southwestern islands.

• Slow growing Japanese economy creates budget constraints.

• Japan’s Ryukyu Islands have two dozen airfields suitable for operating both the F-35A and F-35B; better value than a carrier.

• F-35B’s can use smaller commercial airfields.

• Damaged runways can be repaired quickly, unlike carriers.

South Korea’s CVX program.

• 30,000-40,000 tons.

• Part of its amphibious force and desire for an active blue-water force. 

• Additional firepower to attack North Korea.

• Improving airbase defences and resilience and larger payload and longer endurance-strike aircraft are more cost-effective.

• Symbolic of the North Asian arms race.

• Planned operational early 2030’s.

References

• Aug 2020 USNI News the Future of the UK Carrier Strike Group

• Oct 2021 Forbes Its official. After a 75 year gap, the Japanese Navy has an aircraft carrier.

• Oct 2021 UNSI News U.S., U.K. Aircraft Carriers Drill with Japanese Big Deck Warship in the Western Pacific

• Nov 2021 Naval News BAE Systems Eager To Share Aircraft Carrier Know-How With Japan.