schweige@taurus.cs.nps.navy.mil (Jeffrey M. Schweiger) (05/17/91)
From: schweige@taurus.cs.nps.navy.mil (Jeffrey M. Schweiger) sconway@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Sean P Conway) writes: >If I remember correctly, the 'A' in CVA stands for 'heavy' not 'attack'. >This follows the same logic that a CA stands for 'heavy cruiser'. The >rationale behind this was to distinguish between the larger and smaller >carriers. I have never heard of CVAN, but I have heard of nuclear >carriers being refered to as CVA's. Maybe since all modern heavy carriers >are nuclear, they viewed it as being redundant to include the 'N'. When used with carriers, as in 'CVA' the 'A' did stand for "attack". USS Enterprise (CVN-65) was originally CVAN-65 for Aircraft Carrier, Attack (Nuclear Propulsion). The 'A' was dropped when the ASW role was brought over from the CVS's and the carriers became multimission. All currently operational USN aircraft carriers are CV's (41, 59-64, 67) or CVN's (65, 68 and on). If I recall correctly, there was a WWII era 'heavy carrier' designation, which was 'CVB'. -- Jeff Schweiger Standard Disclaimer CompuServe: 74236,1645 Internet (Milnet): schweige@taurus.cs.nps.navy.mil
swilliam@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Steve Williams) (05/20/91)
From: swilliam@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Steve Williams) schweige@taurus.cs.nps.navy.mil (Jeffrey M. Schweiger) writes: >If I recall correctly, there was a WWII era 'heavy carrier' designation, which >was 'CVB'. This was Large Aircraft Carrier. You are talking about the MIDWAY class (USS MIDWAY, USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, & USS CORAL SEA). These carriers were the largest US carriers constructed during World War II. Completed too late for service in that conflict, they were the backbone of US naval strength for the first decade of the Cold War. Beginning in 1949 they were modified to store, assemble, and load nuclear weapons, making them the world's first warships with a nuclear strike capability. P2V-3C Neptunes and AJ-1 Savages were the first delivery aircraft. These ships were initially classified as Large Aircraft Carriers CVB 41-43, respectively, reclassified as Attack Aircraft Carriers (CVA) in 1 October, 1952. USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT was decommissioned (date of decommission not sure) and USS MIDWAY AND USS CORAL SEA were reclassified as Aircraft Carriers (CV) on 30 June 1975. USS CORAL SEA was decommissioned in April 1990. I'm not sure about the status of USS MIDWAY today.