Displacement: full load ~59000t at service
entry ~69000t by decomissioning Dimensions: 297.5 x 80.3 x 10.7 m Aviation: full flight deck with angled deck; hangar deck;
4 elevators; 4 steam catapaults; 80+ aircraft including A-4
Skyhawk, A-6
Intruder, A-7 Corsair
II, C-2 Greyhound,
E-2 Hawkeye, EA-6B
Prowler, F-4 Phantom
II, F-8 Crusader,
F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18E/F
Super Hornet,SH-3
Seaking and SH-60
Seahawk Armament: 2 x Mk 29 octuple launchers for NATO Sea Sparrow,
2 x Mk 15 Phalanx CIWS Propulsion: 12 boilers; steam turbines; 212,000 shp; 4 shafts;
33 kts Description: The Midway class were the last US carriers built
in WWII and the last constructed with axial flight decks. At 59000
tons and with airgroups in excess of 100 aircraft the ships were
impressive additions to the fleet. They featured a heavy anti-aircraft
gun armament. With the developement of the angled flight deck by
the British in the 1950s and the building of the first large US
carrier with the new layout, USS Forestal, these were outdated so
in the 1954 Roosevelt went into refit. In 1956 she rejoined the
fleet with the new angled deck and was followed by the others over
the next few years. The gun armament of the Midway class vessels
was reduced over the years and eventually they sported only a pair
each of Mk 29 Sea Sparrow and Mk 15 CIWS. Modern air groups for
the Midway class were around 75 aircraft and they were not cacpable
of operating the F-14 Tomcat or the S-3 Viking.
