What you need to know: U.S.S Americaa storied Cold War aircraft carrier, made history after being used in a unique 2005 Navy test to measure the carrier’s survivability. Instead of being preserved as a museum, the retired carrier endured four weeks of punishing explosions in a live-fire “SinkEx” exercise.

-AmericaThe resilience surprised Navy officials, who noted its double-layered hull and sturdy construction as it endured the ordeal, providing valuable information for future carrier designs.

-This rare offshore test highlighted the structural strength of US carriers in combat-like scenarios, although a similar test today is unlikely due to public sentiment.

USS America’s Last Stand: When the Navy Tried to Sink Its Own Carrier

The carrier was built to some very strong specifications. When it came time to dispose of her, the Navy tried to submerge her in an experiment. It turned out to be quite historic.

Meet the USS America

Instead of turning a retired aircraft carrier into a museum, why not test the ship to see how many explosions it could have in a real fire situation?

That’s exactly what the US Navy did to USS America in 2005. America has had an excellent service history, having been deployed in multiple wars and engagements since commissioning in 1965. America was harder to sink than the Navy expected and these tests. informed the design of the next generation of carriers.

Can a carrier survive a major attack?

The Navy had a simple question: How survivable can a carrier be? To aid in the response, America’s final mission was to act as a test and evaluation demonstrator.

The ship withstood four weeks of explosions – indeed it was hard to sink. The America was eventually scuttled after the test period and went to the bottom of the sea southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina – about 400 miles west of Bermuda. America was the largest warship ever sunk.

An unusual exercise

The Navy conducted a so-called SinkEx – a sea sink with live fire training exercise.

“We will conduct a variety of comprehensive tests above and below the waterline, gathering data for use by naval architects and engineers in creating the nation’s future carrier fleet.” Vice Admiral of Naval Operations John B. Nathman said then.

USS America absorbed the punishment. It just wouldn’t sink. The ship’s double-layered hull and its many chambers contributed to America’s toughness.

Some observers he believed that the aircraft carrier was more powerful than a better armored battleship.

Exemplary file of the service

USS America was a member of Kitty Hawk class of increased carriers. The ship served for over 30 years and was deployed to many dangerous parts of the world. His service included three patrols off the coast of Vietnam during that country’s war. It also launched raids during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, contributing to the success of the First Gulf War.

Workers laid the keel on the USS America in 1961. Conventionally operated, it had eight steam boilers and four steam turbine engines with four propellers. This allowed a speed of over 30 knots.

The carrier was over three football fields long and displaced 82,200 tons. The flight deck was 252 feet wide, giving it room for about 85 aircraft. Over 5,300 sailors served on board. America was protected by RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles fitted on a Mk-29 launcher and also had a 20 mm phalanx close weapons system.

The ship was launched in 1964 and commissioned in 1965. Year A-4C Skyhawk it was the first plane to take off from America. The carrier was decommissioned in 1996.

A test unlikely to be repeated

The dive test performed on the USS America would probably not be replicated by the US Navy today. There would be too much public and media pressure—plus congressional oversight—to keep a retired carrier as a museum rather than use it as an explosive testbed.

But the exercise served a purpose. It helped the Navy learn the limits of a carrier in a simulated combat environment. Carriers can be hard to kill, even though there are many types of anti-ship missiles that can threaten these platforms. It is good to know that their design can withstand strong impacts.

About the author

Brent M. Eastwooddr., is the author People, Machines and Data: Future Trends in War. He is an expert on emerging threats and a former US Army infantry officer. You can follow him on Twitter @BMeastwood.

Image credit: Creative Commons. The main image is of the USS Enterprise on fire.