EVOLUTION OF AIRCRAFT CARRIERS: 1965 – 2038 This book describes how current aircraft carriers evolved from earlier aircraft carriers, both from the standpoint of hardware improvements as well as the operational changes they brought about. This book picks up where the previous book (Evolution of Aircraft Carriers by Scot Macdonald) left off. Starting in 1965 with the USS America and all the way to the programs now underway to field new carriers as far into the future as the year 2038. The ship descriptions generally describe the ship as originally built. Suffice to say that all nations have unique modernization and repair programs which will change ship characteristics over time to take advantage of technology improvements and operational efficiencies. This is sometimes referred to as a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). So, for example, only new U.S. Navy carriers will get the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) catapults, but the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) can be retrofitted into all USN carriers in place of their old sets. Recent technological advancements such as introduction of the F-35C and MQ-25 Stingray drone aerial refueler will dictate additional modifications to all U.S. Navy carriers. We omitted Russia’ aircraft carrier because, frankly, it probably won’t be around much longer – at least until they find a tugboat that can pull the ship at 30 knots. Although I did not set out to include Helicopter Carriers, the Japanese helicopter carriers are included because I believe they are being upgraded to serious aircraft carrier status to support next-gen aircraft (and drones). I also included China’s UAV carrier because I suspect we will see more nations leverage this technology. USS AMERICA (CV-66) USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67) USS NIMITZ (CVN 68) USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69) USS CARL VINSON (CVN-70) USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71) USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72) USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73) USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN-74) USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN-75) USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN-76) USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH (CVN 77) USS GERALD R. FORD (CVN-78) USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CVN-79) USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-80) USS DORIS MILLER (CVN-81) USS WILLIAM J. CLINTON (CVN-82) USS GEORGE W. BUSH (CVN-83) HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH Type 001 CNS Liaoning (16) Type 002 CNS SHANDONG (18) Type 003 CNS FUJIAN (18) UAV CV (076) CHARLES de GAULLE (R91) PORTE-AVIONS DE NOUVELLE GENERATION (R92) INS VIKRAMADITYA PORTAEREI CAVOUR (CVH 550) JS IZUMO (DDH-183) JS HYŪGA (DDH 181) CVX-CLASS AIRCRAFT CARRIER