Aircraft Basics
This type of aircraft can take off and land vertically, often used on smaller ships.
What is a helicopter?
The long runway on a carrier where planes take off and land.
What is the flight deck?
The first successful powered flight occurred in.
What is 1903?
Protecting ships from enemy aircraft is called this.
What is air defense?
The hook at the back of a carrier aircraft used during landing.
What is a tailhook?
The primary jet fighter used by the U.S. Navy that can operate from aircraft carriers.
What is the F/A-18 Super Hornet?
The system that launches jets off a carrier using steam or electromagnetic force.
What is a catapult?
The attack that demonstrated the power of carrier aviation in 1941.
What is Pearl Harbor?
Striking targets on land from the sea is known as this.
What is power projection?
The rotating radar dome on some aircraft is called this.
What is a radome?
These wings fold on carrier aircraft to save space on deck.
What are folding wings?
The device that catches an aircraft’s tailhook during landing.
What is an arresting wire (or arresting gear)?
This World War II battle was the first fought mainly by carrier aircraft.
What is the Battle of the Coral Sea?
Helicopters rescuing downed pilots perform this mission.
What is search and rescue (SAR)?
The term for the speed of sound used to measure aircraft velocity.
What is Mach?
This aircraft type specializes in detecting submarines from the air.
What is a maritime patrol aircraft.
This class of U.S. carriers is the newest, featuring EMALS launch systems.
What is the Ford class?
The first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was named this.
What is Enterprise?
Refueling aircraft in midair is called this.
What is aerial refueling?
Technology that reduces an aircraft’s radar signature.
What is stealth?
The E-2 Hawkeye performs this critical battlefield role.
What is airborne early warning?
The island on a carrier serves this main purpose.
What is command and control (bridge and flight operations)?
This war showed the extensive use of jet aircraft from carriers in the 1960s–70s.
What is the Vietnam War?
Coordinating aircraft in combat zones is known as this control role.
What is air battle management?
The angle of a carrier’s landing area relative to the ship’s centerline.
What is the angled flight deck?