Aircraft Carriers

With a crew size of approximately 5,500 Sailors and Officers, you can imagine the amount of hard work being performed 24/7 throughout the massive carrier. Take a look at each level of this modern day carrier and see what goes on in one of the greatest war fighting machines ever built.

DECKS

Radar/Electronics:

The island is the superstructure above the flight deck, which contains surface search radar, air search radar and associated electronics for tracking ships and aircraft.

Primary Flight Control:

Also known as “Pri-Fly” Primary Flight Control is the center from which all flight deck operations are directed. It is home to the “air boss” who controls takeoffs, landings and the movement of planes on the flight deck and in the air around the ship.

Above the Flight Deck:

Navigation Bridge:

The Captain’s station is on the Navigation Bridge, so he can monitor flights and oversee operations throughout the ship. Officers and Sailors also steer the aircraft carrier from the Navigation Bridge.

Flag Bridge:

The battle group commander (Admiral) can view flight operations from his position on the Flag Bridge.

Flight Deck Control:

On the flight deck level of the island, crewmembers maintain scale models of the actual flight deck and the hangar bay. Miniature airplanes with their tail numbers are placed in positions that correspond to each real aircraft ’s location.

Flight Deck:

The flight deck is often described as one of the most dangerous places in the world because of the numerous high-performance aircraft launching and landing in a small area. Four catapults are positioned on the flight deck and each can launch an aircraft every few minutes. Four arresting cables are used to trap incoming aircraft by catching the plane’s tailhook, a hook bolted to an 8-foot bar extending from the belly of the aircraft. When the tailhook catches one of the carrier’s four arresting wires, the plane stops in less than 300 feet.

Gallery (03) Deck:

The Gallery deck is where the real “brains” of the ship can be found, including the various command, air wing and squadron spaces. The battle nerve center of the ship, Combat Direction Center (CDC) and Carrier Air Traffic Control Center (CATCC) can be found on this deck. Many air wing officers live in staterooms here. Naval aviators have squadron ready rooms on the Gallery deck. Ready rooms are a combination of rest area and meeting/briefing/planning center.

Below the Flight Deck:

02 Level:

This deck contains Command and Control, anchor and line-handling spaces and berthing quarters for the crew. Berthing spaces are where sailors sleep and shower. A large berthing space can sleep 250 people.

01 Level:

This deck functions as aviation equipment stowage, and houses other types of equipment.

Main/Hangar Deck:

The massive hangar deck of an aircraft carrier is designed to provide a dry, safe place to store, maintain and repair the ship’s aircraft. Nearly half of the aircraft on board can be kept in the hangar deck, with the others stationed on the flight deck.

2nd Deck:

The second deck is where most of the crew (officers and enlisted personnel) eat their meals. Enlisted personnel eat cafeteria-style in messrooms, while officers utilize wardrooms — which offer both a buffet line and a sit-down-style restaurant. Food preparation areas and offices for senior officers and department heads can also be found on this deck.

3rd Deck:

The third deck is where most of the systems that keep the ship “alive” are contained. Here, and on the deck below are machine shops, electrical switchboards and emergency diesel generators, the ship’s laundry, medical and dental facilities and the air conditioning plant. The third deck contains the ship’s store, the post office and banks of satellite phones, which allow sailors to call home from anywhere in the world.

4th Deck:

On this and the deck above are machine shops, electrical switchboards and emergency diesel generators, the ship’s laundry, medical and dental facilities and the air conditioning plant.

Engine Room:

This heavily protected and restricted space is dedicated to propulsion machinery, ammunition magazines and pump rooms. Propulsion rooms include oil-fired boilers on conventional aircraft carriers and reactors on nuclear-powered carriers. Both systems make steam to power the catapults, heat the ship and provide hot water. Carriers also have numerous tanks to hold over a million gallons of aviation fuel.