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Acarrier battle group (CVBG) is anaval fleet consisting of anaircraft carriercapital ship and its large number ofescorts, together defining the group. TheCV inCVBG is theUnited States Navy hull classification code for an aircraft carrier.
The first navaltask forces built around carriers appeared just prior to and duringWorld War II. TheImperial Japanese Navy (IJN) was the first to assemble many carriers into a single task force, known as theKido Butai. This task force was used with devastating effect in theJapanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Kido Butai operated as the IJN's main carrier battle group until four of its carriers were sunk at theBattle of Midway. In contrast, theUnited States Navy deployed its large carriers in separate formations, with each carrier assigned its owncruiser anddestroyer escorts. These single-carrier formations would often be paired or grouped together for certain assignments, most notably theBattle of the Coral Sea and Midway. By 1943, however, large numbers of fleet and light carriers became available, which required larger formations of three or four carriers. These groups eventually formed theFast Carrier Task Force, which became the primary battle unit of theU.S. Third andFifth Fleets.
With the construction of the large "supercarriers" of theCold War era, the practice of operating each carrier in a single formation was revived. During the Cold War, the main role of the CVBG in case of conflict with theSoviet Union would have been to protectAtlantic supply routes between the United States and itsNATO allies in Europe, while the role of theSoviet Navy would have been to interrupt these sea lanes, a fundamentally easier task. Because the Soviet Union had no large carriers of its own, a situation of dueling aircraft carriers would have been unlikely. However, a primary mission of the Soviet Navy'sattack submarines was to track every allied battle group and, on the outbreak of hostilities, sink the carriers. Understanding this threat, the CVBG expended enormous resources in its ownanti-submarine warfare mission.
In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, most uses of carrier battle groups by the United States as well as that of other Western nations have been in situations where their use has been uncontested by other comparable forces. During the Cold War, an important battle scenario was an attack against a CVBG using numerousanti-ship missiles.
British and French carrier battle groups were involved in the1956 Suez Crisis.
During theIndo-Pakistani War of 1971, India used its carrier strike group centered onINS Vikrant to impose a naval blockade on East Pakistan. Air strikes were carried out initially on shipping in the harbors ofChittagong andCox's Bazar, sinking or incapacitating most ships there. Further strikes were carried out on Cox's Bazar from 60 nautical miles (110 km) offshore. On the evening of 4 December, the air group again struck Chittagong harbor. Later strikes targetedKhulna and thePort of Mongla. Air strikes continued until 10 December 1971.
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The first attempted use of anti-ship missiles against a carrier battle group was part ofArgentina's efforts against British armed forces during theFalklands War. This was the last conflict so far in which opposing belligerents employed aircraft carriers, although Argentina made little use of its sole carrier,ARA Veinticinco de Mayo, which was originally built in the United Kingdom as HMSVenerable and later served with theRoyal Netherlands Navy (1948–1968).
TheUnited States Sixth Fleet assembled a force of three carrier battle groups and abattleship during theLebanese Civil War in 1983. Daily reconnaissance flights were flown over theBekaa Valley and a strike was flown against targets in the area resulting in loss of anA-6 Intruder and anA-7 Corsair.
Carrier battle groups routinely operated in theGulf of Sidra inside the "Line of Death" proclaimed byLibya resulting in aerial engagements in 1981, 1986 and 1989 between U.S. Navy Tomcats and LibyanSu-22 aircraft,SA-5 surface-to-air missiles andMiG-23 fighters. During the 1986 clashes, three carrier battle groups deployed to the Gulf of Sidra and ultimately two of them conducted strikes against Libya inOperation El Dorado Canyon.
During theinternational military intervention in the2011 Libyan civil war, theFrench Navy deployed its aircraft carrier,Charles de Gaulle, offLibya. TheCharles de Gaulle was accompanied by several frigates asForbin,Dupleix,Aconit, the replenishment tankerMeuse and twoRubis-class nuclear attack submarines.[1]
China plans to set upseveral carrier battle groups in the future. At present China's two aircraft carriers,Liaoning andShandong, useType 055 destroyers forarea air defence withanti-submarine warfare,Type 052C orType 052D destroyers for air defence,Type 054A frigates for anti-submarine andanti-ship warfare, one to twoType 093nuclear attack submarines, and oneType 901 supply ship. China is building athird carrier, as well as anuclear-powered fourth carrier planned for construction[2] and expected to be completed by the late 2020s.[3] China is also building a new larger class of air defence destroyers, the Type 055.[4]
The only serving French carrier is theCharles de Gaulle, which also serves as the flagship of theFrench Navy. The carrier battle group of theForce d'Action Navale is known as theGroupe Aéronaval (GAN) and is usually composed, in addition to the aircraft carrier, of:
This group is commanded by a rear admiral (contre-amiral) on board the aircraft carrier. The commanding officer of the air group (usually acapitaine de frégate—equivalent to commander) is subordinate to the commanding officer of the aircraft carrier, a senior captain. The escort destroyers (called frigates in the French denomination) are commanded by more junior captains.
France also operates threeMistral-class amphibious assault ships. While incapable of operating fixed-winged aircraft, they function as helicopter carriers and form the backbone of France's amphibious force. These ships are typically escorted by the same escortsCharles De Gaulle uses.
TheIndian Navy has operated all types of aircraft carriers includingCATOBAR configuredVikrant (1961),STOVL configuredViraat andSTOBAR configuredVikramaditya andVikrant (2013) and CBGs centered on them. The Indian Navy has been operating carrier battle groups since 1961, with its first carrier battle group formed around the now decommissionedVikrant (1961).[5]Viraat was an updatedCentaur-class light carrier originally built for the Royal Navy asHMS Hermes, which was laid down in 1944 and commissioned in 1959. It was purchased by India in May 1987, and was decommissioned in March 2017. India commissionedVikramaditya in 2013 followed by the newVikrant (2013) in 2022.[6]Vikramaditya is the modifiedKiev-class aircraft carrierAdmiral Gorshkov,Vikrant is the first indigenous aircraft carrier built in India. India plans to have three carrier battle groups by 2035, each centered onVikrant (2013),Vikramaditya andVishal, another planned carrier.[7][8] As of 2023, the Indian Navy operates two carrier battle groups centred onVikramaditya andVikrant.
The Indian Navy's carrier battle group centred onViraat consisted of two destroyers, usually of theDelhi class (previouslyRajputs), two or more frigates, usually of theBrahmaputra,Godavari orNilgiri classes, and one support ship.[9]
The Carrier Battle Group (CBG) led byVikramaditya includesKolkata-class destroyers,Talwar-class frigates and the support shipINS Deepak among others.[10][11][12] While the independent CBG ofVikrant is expected to consist ofVisakhapatnam-class destroyers,Nilgiri-class frigates,Kamorta-class corvettes and the support shipINS Shakti.[13][14]
The CVS–ASW (Aircraft Carrier with Anti-Submarine Warfare)Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi was Italy's first carrier. The battle group based at Taranto called COMFORAL was formed by the carrierGiuseppe Garibaldi, twoDurand de la Penne-class destroyers, two support ships (Etna andElettra), and three amphibious/support ships (San Giusto,San Marco andSan Giorgio).
After 2010, the Italian battle group will be formed by the newCavour, 5–6 new warships (including Orizzonte-class destroyers and frigates),[15] one new support ship, some minehunters and new submarines (the COMFORAL will be a reserve group).[16]
Admiral Kuznetsov has been observed sailing together with aKirov-class battlecruiser (CBGN),Slava-class cruiser (CG),Sovremenny-class destroyer (ASuW),Udaloy-class destroyer (ASW) andKrivak I/II FFG (ASW). These escorts, especially the heavily armedKirov-class battlecruiser, use advanced sensors and carry a variety of weaponry. DuringAdmiral Kuznetsov's deployment toSyria in November 2016 on her first combat tour, the carrier was escorted by a pair ofUdaloy-class destroyers and aKirov-class battlecruiser en route, while additional Russian Navy warships met her off Syria.
Admiral Kuznetsov is designed specifically to sail alone and carries greater firepower than her U.S. counterparts. This includes 12xSS-N-19 'Shipwreck' (long range, high speed,sea-skimming) SSMs, 24 x VLS units loaded with 192SA-N-9 'Gauntlet' SAMs, and 8 x Kashtan CIWS with dual 30 mm guns, and 8 × AK-630 CIWS. Compared to the 4 × Phalanx CIWS and 4 × Sea Sparrow launchers, each with 8 missiles carried by theNimitz class,Admiral Kuznetsov is well armed for both air-defence and offensive operations against hostile shipping.
As one of the pioneers of aircraft carriers, the Royal Navy has maintained a carrier strike capability since the commissioning ofHMS Argus in 1918.[17][18] However, the capability was temporarily lost between 2010 and 2018, following the retirement of theInvincible-class aircraft carrier andHarrier GR9s.[19] During this period, the Royal Navy worked to regenerate its carrier strike capability based on the Carrier-Enabled Power Projection (CEPP) concept by ordering twoQueen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers and theF-35B Lightning aircraft to operate from them.[20] To maintain its skills and experience, the Royal Navy embedded personnel and ships with partner navies, in particular theUnited States Navy.[21]
In 2017, the firstQueen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier,HMS Queen Elizabeth, entered service followed by her sister ship,HMS Prince of Wales, in 2019. The first carrier strike group took to sea in September 2019 as part of an exercise known as Westlant 19. HMSQueen Elizabeth and her air group of F-35B Lightning jets operated alongside two surface escorts and a fleet tanker off the east coast of the United States.[22][23] The deployment was in preparation for the first operational deployment in 2021, which is expected to involve HMSQueen Elizabeth alongside four Royal Navy escorts, two support ships and a submarine.[24]
Under current plans, a Royal Navy carrier strike group will typically comprise aQueen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, two air defence destroyers, two anti-submarine frigates, a submarine, solid stores ship and a fleet tanker. However, the composition varies depending on the operational tasking. WhileQueen Elizabeth's initial deployment will be as part of an all-British carrier group, it is envisaged in the longer term that the UK's carriers will usually form the centre of a multi-national operation – in 2018, it was announced that the British and Dutch governments had come to an agreement that would see escort vessels of theRoyal Netherlands Navy operating as part of the UK Carrier Strike Group.[25] Command of the UK carrier strike group is the responsibility ofCommander United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group. A June 2020National Audit Office report however provided a critical review of the forthcoming Carrier Strike Group, especially noting the delay to the Crowsnest system.[26]
Inmodern United States Navy carrier air operations, acarrier strike group (CSG) normally consists of one aircraft carrier, oneguided missile cruiser (for air defense), twoLAMPS-capable warships (focusing on anti-submarine and surface warfare), and one to two anti-submarinedestroyers orfrigates.[27] The large number of CSGs used by the United States reflects, in part, a division of roles and missions allotted during the Cold War, in which the United States assumed primary responsibility forblue-water operations and for safeguarding supply lines between the United States and Europe, while theNATO allies assumed responsibility for less costlybrown- andgreen-water operations. The CSG has replaced the old term of carrier battle group (CVBG or CARBATGRU).[when?] The US Navy maintains 11 carrier strike groups,[timeframe?] 10 of which are based in the United States andone that is forward deployed inYokosuka, Japan.
Anexpeditionary strike group is composed of anamphibious assault ship (landing helicopter assault/landing helicopter dock), adock landing ship, anamphibious transport dock, aMarine expeditionary unit,AV-8B Harrier II or, more the newerLockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II aircraft,CH-53E Super Stallion andCH-46E Sea Knight helicopters or, more recently,MV-22B tiltrotors. Cruisers, destroyers and attack submarines are deployed with either an Expeditionary Strike Group or a Carrier Strike Group.
During the period when the American navy recommissioned all four of itsIowa-class battleships, it sometimes used a similar formation centered on abattleship, referred to as a battleship battle group. It was alternately referred to as a surface action group. The battleship battle group typically consisted of one modernized battleship, oneTiconderoga-class cruiser, oneKidd-class destroyer orArleigh Burke-class destroyer, oneSpruance-class destroyer, threeOliver Hazard Perry-class frigates and oneauxiliary ship such as areplenishment oiler.[28]
A surface action group is "a temporary or standing organization of combatant ships, other than carriers, tailored for a specific tactical mission".[29]
Since its origins, the viability of the carrier battle group has been dependent on its ability to remain at sea for extended periods. Specialized ships were developed to provide underway replenishment of fuel (for the carrier and its aircraft), ordnance, and other supplies necessary to sustain operations. Carrier battle groups devote a great deal of planning to efficiently conductunderway replenishment to minimize the time spent conducting replenishment. The carrier can also provide replenishment on a limited basis to its escorts, but typically a replenishment ship such as afast combat support ship (AOE) orreplenishment oiler (AOR) pulls alongside a carrier and conducts simultaneous operations with the carrier on its port side and one of the escorts on its starboard side. The advent of the helicopter provides the ability to speed replenishment by lifting supplies at the same time that fueling hoses and lines are delivering other goods.
There is debate in naval warfare circles as to the viability of carrier battle groups in 21st century naval warfare. Proponents of the CVBG argue that it provides unmatched firepower and force projection capabilities. Opponents argue that CVBGs are increasingly vulnerable toarsenal ships andcruise missiles, especially those withsupersonic or even hypersonic flight[30] and the ability to perform radical trajectory changes to avoid anti-missile systems. It is also noted that CVBGs were designed for Cold War scenarios, and are less useful in establishing control of areas close to shore. It is argued however that such missiles and arsenal ships pose no serious threat as they would be eliminated due to increasing improvement in ship defenses such asCooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), DEW technology and missile technology.
Additionally, carrier battle groups proved to be vulnerable todiesel-electric submarines owned by many smallernaval forces. Examples are the GermanU24 of the conventional206 class which in 2001 "sank"USSEnterprise during the exercise JTFEX 01-2 in theCaribbean Sea by firingflares and taking a photograph through itsperiscope[31] or the SwedishGotland which managed the same feat in 2006 during JTFEX 06-2 by penetrating the defensive measures ofCarrier Strike Group 7 undetected and snap several pictures ofUSS Ronald Reagan.[32]
However, carriers have been called upon to be first responders even when conventional land-based aircraft were employed. During Desert Shield, the U.S. Navy sortied additional carriers to augment the on-station assets, eventually maintaining six carriers forDesert Storm. Although the U.S. Air Force sent fighters such as theF-16 to theater in Desert Shield, they had to carry bombs with them as no stores were in place for sustained operations, whereas the carriers arrived on scene with full magazines and had support ships to allow them to conduct strikes indefinitely.
TheGlobal War on Terror has shown the flexibility and responsiveness of the carrier on multiple occasions when land-based air was not feasible or able to respond in a timely fashion. After the11 September terrorist attacks on the U.S., carriers immediately headed to the Arabian Sea to supportOperation Enduring Freedom and took up station, building to a force of three carriers. Their steaming location was closer to the targets in Afghanistan than any land-based assets and thereby more responsive. TheUSS Kitty Hawk was adapted to be a support base forspecial operations helicopters. Carriers were used again inOperation Iraqi Freedom and even provided aircraft to be based ashore on occasion and have done so periodically when special capabilities are needed. This precedent was established duringWorld War II in theBattle of Guadalcanal.
Regardless of the debate over viability, the United States has made a major investment in the development of a new carrier class—theGerald R. Ford-classaircraft carriers (formerly designated CVN-X, or the X Carrier)—to replace the existingNimitz-classaircraft carriers. The newFord-class carriers are designed to be modular and are easily adaptable as technology and equipment needed on board changes.[33]
The Royal Navy pioneered the use of aircraft carriers during World War I, but famously lost Prince of Wales and Repulse to land based Japanese bombers in 1941.
The Royal Navy pioneered carriers, explains Hewitt, head of attractions and collections at the Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust.
