A Closer Look At The US Navy’s Current Carrier-Based Aircraft

The US Navy’s carrier strike groups (CSG) revolve around the fixed-wing and rotary-wing squadrons that compose its carrier air wing (CVW). The air wing is the backbone and the fist of the CSG. The helicopters, cargo planes, and airborne electronic support planes do heavy lifting and support not only the sailors and ships but also the strike fighters and guided missiles.
Photo: US Navy | DVIDS Hub
The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is the saber of the fleet. Also called the Rhino within the naval aviation community, this do-it-all multi-role fighter has been a staple of the US Navy for decades and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
The F-35C Lightning II, also called the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), is a newcomer that dramatically augments power projection ashore with its true stealth design and fifth-generation data-net technology. Another new addition to the flight deck is the CMV-22B Osprey, which was specially modified to replace the C-2 Greyhound that has provided carrier onboard delivery (COD) resupply flights to Navy flat-tops since the 1960s. Every platform in the wing has a mission and together they compose one of the most powerful fighting forces ever seen.
The “V” in “CVW” denotes fixed-wing aircraft; hence, US Navy squadrons are designated as “VF-XX.”
What’s in a Carrier Air Wing (CVW)
Fixed-Wing Combat and Multirole Aircraft
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet: multirole fighter.
F-35
EA-18G Growler: electronic warfare (EW) variant of the F/A-18.
MQ-25 Stingray: aerial refueling (AR) drone under development.
Airborne Early Warning and Reconnaissance
E-2D Hawkeye: airborne early warning (AEW) and command and control.
Transport and Logistic Aircraft
C-2A Greyhound: A twin-engine cargo aircraft used for carrier onboard delivery.
CM V-22 B Osprey: tiltrotor for personnel and cargo transport to carriers.
Helicopters
MH-60R Seahawk: helicopter used for anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
MH-60S Seahawk: versatile helo for airlift, search and rescue, or combat missions.
MH-53E Sea Dragon: Heavy-lift helicopter primarily for mine countermeasures (MCM).
Land-based support aircraft
P-8A Poseidon: maritime patrol specializing in anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
C-40A Clipper: A transport aircraft derived from the Boeing 737.
CMV-22B Osprey: Revolution in carrier onboard delivery (COD)
Boeing’s V-22 Osprey is a radical new tool in the air wing’s inventory. The iconic tilt-rotor has proven itself as a reliable and capable platform for the Marines and Air Force since its active service debut in 2007. It now sports Navy colors and has taken its place on the flight line as the newest COD platform, a job that has been fulfilled by the C-2 Greyhound for 60 years. One significant improvement over the C-2 is the Osprey’s ability to operate from short, unimproved airfields and land and take off vertically. This will greatly expand the flexibility of the air wing’s operational strategy, enhancing its ability to support expeditionary forces.
The Naval Air Systems Command website specifies that the CMV-22B is uniquely suited for transporting high-priority cargo, such as the F-35C engine power module, which is a core necessity in the COD mission. As remarked by Military.com, concerns existed as to the Osprey’s ability to transport large equipment vital to the CSG, such as jet engines, or damage that its exhaust could do on the ship deck. Still, it passed with flying colors and now serves as one of the most versatile platforms in the Navy’s entire inventory.
Specs:
Max speed: 280 kts/519 kmh
Range: 1,150 nm/2,130 km
Max payload: 6,000lbs/2,722 kg
F-35C Lightning II: 5th generation strike fighter
Lockheed Martin’s F-35C gives the Navy fighter squadrons a huge boost in lethality that it has been lacking by comparison to the Air Force for years: stealth tech. By adding the JSF to the flight deck, the CSG’s ability to project power ashore has changed like never before. Expeditionary forces and the strike group already have incredible deep-striking power. Still, with an organic stealth platform added to the mix, the lethality of the CSG is greater than ever before.
Related Elon Musk Claims F-35s & Pilots Are Obsolete The man behind SpaceX has taken to his social media platform X, once Twitter, to question the usefulness of the F-35.