An aircraft carrier is the hegemon of the sea, and it can carry many types of carrier-based aircraft to perform different combat missions. However, the number and performance of carrier-based aircraft are limited by the space and weight of the carrier, so the aircraft carrier must make trade-offs in the choice of carrier-based aircraft.
On the one hand, aircraft carriers need to have enough carrier-based fighters to ensure their own air defense capabilities and strike capabilities against the enemy. Carrier-based fighters usually have a large size and bomb load, and can perform a variety of missions such as air combat, ground attack, and sea attack. For example, the US Navy's F A-18E F Super Hornet is a multi-purpose carrier-based fighter that can carry a variety of missiles and bombs to deliver precision strikes against enemy targets.
On the other hand, aircraft carriers also need to have some professional carrier-based aircraft to perform some tasks that carrier-based fighters cannot or are not good at. These carrier-based aircraft usually have a smaller size and bomb load, but they have an irreplaceable role in some areas. For example, the U.S. Navy's E-2D "Hawkeye" AWACS aircraft is a professional carrier-based aircraft that can provide long-range air surveillance and command, and provide intelligence and support for aircraft carrier formations.
In such a trade-off, unmanned attack aircraft seem to be an attractive option. An unmanned attack aircraft is an unmanned carrier-based aircraft, which can use stealth technology to break through the enemy's air defense and carry out covert attacks on the enemy's important targets. Unmanned attack aircraft are smaller in size and bomb load than carrier-based fighters, so they can save space and weight on the aircraft carrier and increase the number of aircraft on the carrier.
However, unmanned attack aircraft are not a perfect solution. The disadvantages of unmanned attack aircraft are also obvious, the main ones are the following:
Unmanned attack aircraft have limited attack capabilities. Due to the limitation of the size and bomb load of the unmanned attack aircraft, the types and quantities it can carry are relatively small, so the attack missions it can perform are relatively simple. Unmanned attack aircraft can usually only strike at fixed enemy targets, and against moving targets or targets with strong defense, unmanned attack aircraft are powerless.
The air combat capability of the unmanned attack aircraft is zero. Unmanned attack aircraft are designed with an emphasis on stealth, not maneuverability. The unmanned attack aircraft is inferior in speed and maneuverability to carrier-based fighters, so it cannot engage in air dogfights with enemy fighters and effectively evade enemy missiles. If the enemy has a large number of fighters, it will be difficult for unmanned attack aircraft to break through the enemy's air defense, let alone complete the attack mission.
The reliability of unmanned attack aircraft needs to be improved. The control and communication of unmanned attack aircraft rely on satellites or other platforms, and once these platforms are jammed or destroyed, the unmanned attack aircraft will lose contact or even be taken over by the enemy. The software and hardware of the drone may also malfunction or be hacked, causing the drone to behave out of control or deviate from the mission.
Therefore, unmanned attack aircraft cannot completely replace carrier-based fighters and cannot become the main force of carrier-based aircraft. Unmanned attack aircraft can only be used as a supplement to carrier-based fighters to perform some special attack missions, and cannot occupy the position of carrier-based fighters, otherwise the overall combat effectiveness of the aircraft carrier will be reduced.
However, this does not mean that UAVs are useless in naval warfare. On the contrary, drones can play other roles in naval warfare, such as:
UAVs can serve as reconnaissance and surveillance platforms for aircraft carriers, providing real-time intelligence and target designation. UAVs can carry a variety of sensors to track and monitor enemy surface ships, submarines, shore-based targets, etc. for a long time, provide intelligence and target indication for aircraft carrier formations, and improve the strike efficiency and accuracy of aircraft carriers.
UAVs can serve as an electronic warfare platform for aircraft carriers, jamming and deception. UAVs can carry a variety of electronic warfare equipment to jam and deceive the enemy's radar, communications, navigation, etc., disrupt the enemy's command and control, and reduce the enemy's response ability and accuracy.
UAVs can act as loyal wingmen of aircraft carriers, providing support to carrier-based fighters. UAVs can form formations with carrier-based fighters to provide fire support, cover, and containment for carrier-based fighters, increasing the survivability and strike capabilities of carrier-based fighters.
UAVs can be used as carrier-based aircraft for UAV motherships, performing swarm tactics. A drone carrier is a type of ship that specializes in carrying drones, which can carry a large number of drones to carry out a cluster attack on enemy surface ships. UAV carriers can cooperate with aircraft carrier formations, take advantage of the numerical superiority of UAVs, carry out the first wave of strikes on the enemy's aircraft carriers, consume the enemy's anti-aircraft firepower, and create conditions for the attack of aircraft carrier-based aircraft.
The advantages of the drone carrier are:
Drone carriers are inexpensive to build. The design and construction of a drone carrier is simpler and cheaper than that of an aircraft carrier, because a drone carrier does not require a complex take-off and landing system, power system, defense system, etc., and only needs to have enough space and equipment to carry and launch the drone.
The threat of drone carriers is great. A drone carrier can carry a large number of drones, each of which can carry anti-ship missiles to carry out a swarm attack on enemy surface ships.
The losses of the UAV mothership are small. The carrier-based aircraft of the drone carrier ship are all UAVs, so even if they are shot down or damaged by the enemy, they will not build **personnel**. The drone carrier itself also does not need to have too high protection capabilities, as it can move away from the enemy's fire range, or use the anti-aircraft fire of the aircraft carrier formation to protect itself.
The disadvantages of the drone carrier are also in:
The combat effectiveness of the UAV carrier is limited. The carrier-based aircraft of the UAV carrier are all UAVs, so their combat capabilities and intelligence are not as good as manned carrier-based aircraft. The carrier-based aircraft of the UAV carrier ship may not be able to cope with the complex battlefield environment and enemy countermeasures, and may not be able to complete precise and flexible attack missions. The carrier-based aircraft of the drone carrier ship may also be jammed or hacked by the enemy, resulting in loss of control or being used by the enemy.
The existence of the UAV mothership needs to be improved. A drone carrier is designed and built to be simpler and cheaper than an aircraft carrier, but it's not an easy ship to implement. UAV carriers need to have enough space and equipment to carry and launch a large number of UAVs, which puts forward high requirements for the structure and power of the ship. The UAV carrier also needs to have sufficient communication and control capabilities to ensure contact and command with the UAV, which puts forward high requirements for the ship's electronic systems.
To sum up, the UAV carrier is a promising ship, which can cooperate with the aircraft carrier formation, take advantage of the numerical superiority of the UAV, carry out a cluster attack on the enemy's surface ships, and create conditions for the attack of the aircraft carrier's carrier-based aircraft. However, the UAV carrier also has many limitations and challenges, it cannot completely replace carrier-based fighters, nor can it become the main force of carrier-based aircraft. The UAV carrier needs to be constantly innovated and improved in terms of technology and tactics in order to reach its maximum potential.