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CAPITAL SHIP FOR AN AIR NAVY

By Commander C. H. Liebhauser, U. S. Navy (Deceased)

COMMANDER LIEBHAUSER lost his life in the crash of his plane while he was serving with Anti-Submarine Squadron 39 (VS-39) in 1956. He had graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in the Class of 1942, served in the Wichita in World War II, in the Onslow in the Korean fighting, attended the Armed Forces Staff College, and instructed at the U. S. Naval Academy.

Seaplane History

Courtesy Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation. CONVAIR XP5Y-1. The world's first turboprop flying boat - 1952. Four Allison XT 40-A-4 engines drove as many sets of counter-rotating propellers giving this 60-ton aircraft a top speed of 350 mph and a 30-second take-off. The R3Y Tradewind series has been developed from this experimental model.

Although great changes have been made in military weapons in the last century the general principles of warfare have not been radically altered, nor has the old adage that "offense is the best defense" been proven in error. The objective has always been to carry the fight to the enemy wherever he may be. To achieve that objective we must constantly search for new weapon systems, or revitalize those which have been neglected in the past. To provide the punch for those weapon systems the Navy must vigorously develop and redevelop units which can best carry the fight to the enemy, combining the best advantages of surface, sub-surface, and air media. Therefore, just as the oared galley gave way to sail, and sail to steam, we may now have anew conte~der for the title of capital ship-the large Seaplane.

While other forms of naval air power have forged ahead in their technical development, with equivalent expansion of their tactical. employment, the Seaplane has moved along slowly in the shadows of its modern landbased counterparts. Most hindrances to this development have been technical, for instance the lack of suitable power plants. And more often structural lines have been less suited to aerodynamic than to hydrodynamic requirements. Only recently has any radical change been made in Seaplane design. Yet that change has almost closed the gap between the dev,.Jop1rient of large land-based aircraft andla'rge Seaplanes. Further progress may eliminate that gap altogether, and we can obtain a weapon system which will extend naval power beyond its present limit and provide a water-based, high performance, long range complement to the large carrier-based aircraft.

LAND AND SEA PLANES


Development of the Seaplane has been slow, at times almost to the point of stagnation. Although the value of waterborne aircraft was recognized early in aviation history, progress in Seaplane design fell behind that of land planes after its initial successes. Glenn Curtiss flew the first successful float plane in 1911 and went on to build and fly the first flying boat in 1912. In the years immediately following, many large flying boats were built for naval patrol duties, with adaptation to commercial use on long overwater routes not long following. A twin-engine Seaplane, the " America," was commenced in 1912 by Curtiss for a projected trans-Atlantic flight. By successive redesigns it became the FSL of 1918, one of the large flying boats which saw considerable active service in World War I. And among the military aircraft of the 1920's were included numerous Seaplanes, both flying boats and float planes.

Man, being primarily a land creature, however, could be expected to concentrate on an air vehicle completely dependent on land as a base, without the necessity of including water as a transitional medium. This undoubtedly was the principal factor which led development of the land-based airplane to the neglect of the Seaplane. To their aerodynamic disadvantage the large Seaplanes that have been developed and built have almost always emphasized the need .for seaworthiness. 'It must be remembered that most Seaplanes have been constructed for and by mariners, who have naturally expected these Seaplanes to perform well as boats. In fact, most large Seaplanes in the past have been little more than flying "boats," and not water-based aircraft. Many Seaplanes were more often frankly boat structures with the aerodynamic portion added. The best example is the famed Dornier DoX of 1929; boat plus wing plus engines on top. Size limitation itself was a great factor hindering the development of an adequate Seaplane and providing the main reason for the unusual hull configuration generally associated with the flying boat. Seaplane hulls were required to be sea-worthy and so required deep hulls with large frontal area; engines had to be positioned to give propellers clearance above the water, which strongly affected wing locations and hull shapes; seadromes hadto be well protected so that wave heights were not excessive, tending to limit the number of large seadromes and the fl~xibility of Seaplane movements. All these faftors are rendered less critical by an increase in overall size.

Most overseas airline routes were originally pioneered by large Seaplanes. Large flying boats for the lpng overwater trips were built by Boeing, Consolidated, Dpuglas, Martin, and Sikprsky in the United States, Saunders-Roe, Supermarine, and Short Brothers in Great Britain, and by aircraft builders in Germany, France, and Italy. The "clippers" operated by Pan-American Airways on trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific routes werewellknowli. German-built Dprnier flying boats were designed expressly for the purpose pf providing trans-Atlantic mail service.

The obvious fact that the Seaplane was by design restrictions not capable pf perfprming well in ,comparison to the equivalent land-plane caused attentipn to diminish in its development. Lack of enthusiasm, and the develppment money alpng with it, caused a cor" responding progressive lag in Seaplane construction. Since only a very few cpmmercial pverseas airlines had direct need for Seaplanes, there was comparatively little incentivefor aircraft builders to take great strides in the development of improved models, and as a result the number of aircraft cpmpanies in the United States continuing to construct large Seaplanes narrowed to two at present, Consolidated-Vultee and Martin. It was left tp the Navy to keep the Seaplane going, because the majority of aviation interest, both military and commercial, was turning tp the landplane.

This trend was accented during the years 1942-1945 when many large airfields were constructed allover the world. Routes originally suitable only for Seaplanes became practical for large landplanes. Commercial airlines then began to purchase large numbers pf landplanes to replace the few Seaplanes on overseas routes. One very good reason was that advance type Seaplanes had not been attempted on any appreciable scale, and large airfields were now available at stations formerly used by flying boats, with a second good reason the fact that the same aircraft type could now be operated on both long overland and overwater flights. Range of the larger landplanes became sufficient for the longest regular flight, and increased reliability overcame the fears of long over-water flight in an aircraft which could not float. At the same time the speed advantage of the sleek .landplane over the still lumbering flying boat permitted faster schedules. Many naval patrol plane duties were given over to landplanes for similar reasons, since, when the need for a patrol plane h!1.ving a higher performance arose during World War II, there was no Seaplane in a sufficiently advanced stage of design available, and the landplane was substituted. Thus, except for a limited naval use, the Seaplane flying "boat" was becoming a fast disappearing type.

Nevertheless, the Seaplane has not been completely abandoned as along range commercial transport. The Saunders-Roe Company has built several very large "Princess"- class flying boats of high performance and long range, designed to be powered by ten gas turbines, eight driving co-axial propellers and two mounted singly. Although the prototype has been flight tested successfully, completion has been suspended while awaiting improved power plants.

Although the Seaplane has been given comparatively little attention in recent years, the future indicates a need for increased emphasis on water-based aircraft, and particularly the large "hulled" Seaplane. (To differentiate between the modern blended hull configuration and the historical flying "boat," I will refer hereafter to the former as a "hulled" Seaplane, as compared to a "float" Seaplane.) Only the large water-based aircraft can fulfill certain performance and operational requirements which are becoming of steadily increasing military importance.

MILITARY REQUIREMENTS


The general requirement, the objective, is to be able to carry the fight to the enemy. It is well to remember, however, that mere point-to-point transportation of destructive effort is not enough. Besides the means for offense, a defensive capability must exist in some form; penetration of a strongly defended area may be necessary if a vital target is to be attacked. And we cannot assume that any enemy target which we may attack will be defended with less vigor than would our own forces djsplay under similar circumstances. .

It has long been axiomatic with warship constructors that it is impossible to construct the ideal single fighting unit. Sharp compromises must often be made in speed, operating radius, and armament. In fighting aircraft, these compromises become even more acute. The present day aircraft, whose overall weight is sharply limited, have concentrated mainly on armament for offensive action, depending on speed and altitude for defense. Little weight can be spared for defensive armament. There defensive tactics must depend principally upon evasion and deception. As a result, the gun-defended bomber is already outmatched by the rocket or missile-equipped interceptor fighter and the surface-to-air missile.

It is very obvious that any aircraft built to carry an adequate combination of offensive and defensive weapons at long range against a determined and prepared enemy must be a very large aircraft. An excellent example is the present effort to construct long range, high performance bombers such as the B-36, B-52, B-58, and B-60. The need for range and adequate payload dictate their size. Yet all are far from optimum in either performance or fighting capabilities. Only one possible compromise appears to exist, that of providing several very large aircraft, operating in company, carrying a portion of the necessary means to take offensive action against the enemy and to counter action from the defensive efforts of the enemy.

A retreat from the requirement of a very long range aircraft would seem to be in order . Reducing the overall range of the aircraft does several things at the same time. First of all the fuel requirements may be vastly, reduced (though with the prospective use of a nuclear-fueled power plant, this point may be discounted). More important, however, is that, with shorter ranges, escorts may be provided in the form of fighter aircraft which cannot enjoy the great range of the bomber or long range attack plane. This, however, is the situation we face at present, and which places us in danger both from our friends and our enemies. Bases of the complexity and size which are required for operating large aircraft capable of carrying heavy weapons even at medium range, and providing also for their escorts, are not only costly but entail elaborate construction and political dependence, since we must rely on allies for the land on which these bases must often be built. Nor is the provision of fighter type escorts necessarily a completely adequate defense. Medium range is also a two-edged sword; our enemy is also much closer to us, and so these bases become sorely in danger of a concentrated effort on the part of the enemy which, with their demise, and lacking a suitable alternate, would leave us without the ability to fulfill our original requirements.

Seaplane History

Courtesy Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation. R3Y-2 Tradewind - The "Flying LST." A cutaway sketch shows the load possibilities of the transport version of this flying boat. OVer 100 rearwardfacing passenger seats can be installed or 92 litters for hospital plane use.

Generally larger aircraft are required to obtain the needed overall performance. Since aircraft presently in use have not reached the optimum in desired performance, additional increases in range and payload can be obtained only by a further increase in aircraft size. And as the trend toward larger and larger aircraft continues, the problem of landing speed becomes more and more acute. Runways must always be finite in length, with extensions being obtained at great cost And when we consider the situation confronting the pilot of a large and heavily loaded aircraft on take-off, the available runway often seems much too short. Also obstacles, both man-made and natural, can usually be found surrounding any airfield. Once the boundaries of an airfield have been established, the surrounding country seems to move closer-as witness the difficulties confronting many cities desiring to enlarge their air terminals to accommodate the latest aircraft, and meeting the prospect of expensive condemnation proceedings of developed properties adjacent to the long-established boundaries, set originally with little regard for possible future expansion.

ADVANTAGES OF SEAPLANES


Size of runways, both in strength and length, must continue to increase in order to satisfy the inescapable iwindemands for increased weights and speeds. These same demands also confront the aircraft designer when aircraft strength is to be considered. For a land-based aircraft must have landing gear strong enough to sustain its weight, and strength members designed to take concentrations of load both during landing and for its entire period of ground operation. No such concentrations 'of load during normal landing occur in hulled Seaplanes, since water contact is distributed over a wide skin and structural area. And as flight approaches the speed of sound, a large portion of, the same skin area which requires high strength to absorb hydrodynamic loads requires a greater strength to absorb the aerodynamic loads imposed. This structural requirement of any high speed aircraft gives an equivalent of landing gear to a hulled Seaplane at little or no cost in weight.:.'

The safety factor over water. cannot be neglected. For commercial purposes, passenger safety is the consideration. However, for military purposes the possible recovery of combat-damaged aircraft is to be reckoned with. Recovery possibilities are excellent for Seaplanes, with size favoring the chances of the larger aircraft. An early illustration of a' flying boat's capability in this respect is the sea voyage of the NC-3 under. Commander John H. Towers. As one of the three-plane unit on the first trans-Atlantic flight in May, 1919, the NC-3 was brought down by fog 220 miles short of Horta in the Azores. AlthoUgh damaged, the remainder of the trip to port was made under her own power on the surface. Thus the NC-4 under Lieutenant Commander Read became the first successful trans-Atlantic plane.. reaching Plymouth, England, on May 31..1919. A similar surface voyage was made by a flying boat under the command iof Commander J ohn Rogers en route from San Francisco to Honolulu in 1926. Because of fuel shortage a sea landing was made after a distance of 1,841 miles, and the PN-8 was then sailed for nine days before reaching the islands. It is quite obvious that a l~ndplane under like circumstances would have been then, and now, a totallossl with a possibility of great loss of life among those aboard. The structural requirements to enable a larget land-based aircraft to ditch successfully, either when forced d.own over water (or a "crash" landing in the event of landing gear failure), need not be considered for a hulled Seaplane of equivalent size. The hull not only enables the Seaplane to make a normal wat~r landing in lieu of a sacrificial ditching, but also has the built-in strength to enable it to make a successful land ditching in the rare event when no water area is available. ,

Several iactors have limited the opera- tions of present day Seaplanes. Because of relatively modest size they are restricted for normal operations to sea conditions found only in comparatively sheltered harbor areas. This same size hindrance places a limi ta tion on the destinations they niust reach in periods of extremely bad weather. And their dependence on facilities makes it almost mandatory that flights terminate at. certain stations which can provide for their wants. All these restrictions disappear progressively as ~eaplane size increases. Maximum sea conditions for safe and normal landings are revised upward; open water may be used as a landing area for much of normal operations or in an emergency. And in general, elaborate terminal instrument facilities become unnecessary since the Seaplane is not iequired to land withi;n a closely defined space on a rigidly prescribed runway course. With suitable search radar to investigate surface conditions, adequate charts to determine the the existing depth of water, and suitable terrain height-finding equipme;nt, any large river, lake, bay, and., except during storm conditions, the open oceah may be used as a landing area. After landing, and if in shallow enough water, an anchor may be dropped and a dangerous termi1)al weather condition allowed to clear before proceeding.

However the need for a landing area becomes less critical as range and fuel reserve increases and vanishes altogether when the fuel problem is eliminated. For all practical purposes that is the very situation when nuclear propulsion is added to the picture. Here again the Seaplane has a number of advantages. One principal advantage is its almost unlimited potential size. Designers have already anticipated the problem of great weight for an airborne atomic power plant to the extent that partial shielding has been considered. Nevertheless, the shielding of the nuclear reactor, whether complete or partial, will have to be quite heavy and will require a very large aircraft to carry it. Operations of a land-based, nuclear"powered aircraft would require completely new facilities, isolated for one thing, since with partial shielding the entire airfield proper, and a large area surrounding the approaches to the runways, would have to ,be closed off to all persons not protected by shielding. Also storage and disposal of the n~lear material presents a grave problem. One proposal is to place the "hot" reactor in a waterfilled pit after landing, since water is in itself an effective shield. A large Seaplane solves much of the dilemma, inasmuch as use of isolated takeoff and landing areas could be obtained without any form of construction (merely a designated "danger area" on a chart), and having large quanti. ties of water immediately available, without even removing the reactor from the plane, if need be. Tha t these factors and others have been given full consideration is quite evident.

Seaplane History

Courtesy Martin Aircraft Company. First of the true jet-age Seaplanes - XP6M-1. Although the first two P6Ms crashed, the Seamaster with a speed of almost 600 knots and normal cruising ceiling of 40,000 feet appears to be the logical link between the propeller-driven flying boats and the huge, nuclear-powered Seaplanes that are still only an aeronautical engineer's dream.

During hearings before the Senate Appropriations Committee it was announced by the Chief of Naval Research that "our research has also included design studies of a nuclearpowered Seaplane."

Projection of land-based airpower toward an enemy always faces the alternate problems either of vulnerable installations id proximity to an enemy, or elaborate bas~ establishments to operate a long range, hig~ performance aircraft. When we contemplatti use of Seaplanes, both problems are corn+ pletely eliminated. The extremely versatile Seaplane, once the effort and expense is mad~ to develop it, requires very little if any fixed base installations other than the industrial facilities needed by all aircraft for construc., tion, majOF~epairs, and periodic overhaul, not unlike the needs of ships for both advance base and shipyard facilities. Howeveri base facilities need not be rebuilt due to a change in the landing and takeoff perform+ ance or an increase in the gross weight of ii larger Seaplane. And the tactical mobility gained by the aircraft component of the weapons system is not diluted by the stra;. tegic immobility of its base of operations.

In fact the keyword of the proper use of military Seaplanes has always been mobility. By the use of floating base facilities, Tenders, tankers,and stores vessels, a Seaplane base can be picked up and moved at will., using the same base facilities repeatedly, and requiring little more advance preparation than an adequate portfolio of properly prepared charts. The runways will be completed upon arrival, for water is much the same with very little exception throughout the world; it can be depended upon to maintain a reasonable standard consistency.

The advantages of the large Seaplane can be well combined with those of the submarine, making a strategic team which is unsurpassed in flexibili ty .Extreme mo bili ty is possible, for the stealth and strategic mobility of the submarine is combined with the tactical mobility of the aircraft. Refueling of a flying boat by a submarine was employed by the Japanese in World War II in several instances. And recently, during February, 1955, fueling at sea of a P5M Marlin by the USS Guavina was conducted successfully proving the technical capabilities of this Seaplane/submarine team. The operational potentials of this combination have yet to be fully investigated. No advance preparations ashore are required, however, and since the submarine need inform no one of its presence in the area, a base of operation can be established, or disestablished, with no other notice than the orders to the sub-surface and air umts concerned. We are then able to make an extreme dispersal of forward operating bases (and change their locations practically at will) while at the same time permitting a --concentration at any point by judicious advance deployment of Tender submarines. The need for direct flight from principal base to target can be eliminated, both as to course and timing, enabling a Seaplane force to attack from many possible directions. And enemy undercover surveillance of base facilities becomes ineffectual, for the Seaplane advance base would be located at sea, or in some hitherto unprepared and unexpected area.

A further great advantage accrues to the larger Seaplane-that of relative self-sufficiency. In designing aircraft the gross weight can be increased at a much greater rate than the weight of the crew and operational equipment required to man and operate the aircraft. Therefore extra crew members may be carried) and additional facilities for the crew installed, all of which make the unit more self-sufficient. It may then be capable of normal operation for considerable periods of time in peace or war without th.e dependence upon any base facilities, whether ashore or afloat, with a specific weapon load carried at all times-much as naval vessels usuallyoperate. Continued active operations would depend only upon the provision of fuel, foodj and expendable ordnance, without any extensive base facility. Most large naval patrol Seaplanes in the past have included this idea in their operational capability with various degrees of success. However, in general the larger the Seaplane, the greater h.as been its ability to provide for itself.

Seaplane History

Courtesy Martin Aircraft Company. P5M-2 Marlin - The Navy's current patrol Seaplane. This improved Marlin, which went into regular service in 1954, incorporates design features which point the way toward the larger and faster jet-age Seaplanes that may prove to be the "capital ship" of the air navy.

AIRBORNE SEA POWER


The modern hulled Seaplane, a large, water-based aircraft in contrast to the flying boat, makes possible a new concept in naval air warfare-aerial task forces to assist in maintaining the combination of sea and air supremacy. These large fighting Seaplanes are a logical step in the advance of naval warfare-highly mobile, long range striking power, together with an equal capability of self-defense necessary when penetrating into disputed areas. Alexander de Seversky stated it thus: "Technologically the airplane is an extension of the surface vessel, the climactic stage in the evolution of ships through the sprouting of wings." As an airborne man-of-war, the Seaplane can enjoy every logistic advantage of the naval vessel, plus the ability to deploy and concentrate forces rapidly and at great distances.

The technical developments in aircraft necessary for this new concept in air warfare have been reached. The first of the new look in Seaplanes featuring a high length-to-beam ratio is already a fully operational aircraft, the Martin PSM Marlin. Another new development along these same general lines is the Convair R3Y Tradewind, a turboprop powered aircraft which only recently broke the speed record in coast-to-coast flight for transport aircraft, making a 2,400 mile westeast flight between San Diego and Patuxent River, Maryland, averaging 403 m.p.h. Although designed originally as a patrol aircraft, the PSY, it has been, redesignated, and will be placed in service as a high speed transport.

A more advanced design is the Martin XP6M-l Seamaster, a jet powered Seaplane. This aircraft, in the 600 m.p.h. class, is comparable to the B-47 in performance and is capable of being scaled up to much greater dimensions, limited only, by manufacturing facilities. This fact was emphasized in a recen t press conference held by Secretary of the Navy Charles S. Thomas, who stated that "there is no reason why such aircraft [jet flying boat bombers] shouldn't be as large as we care to build them." In fact, aircraft of much largei proportions could be constructed in regular slipways, with the wing sections added during the final stages of construction. The normal home for such giants of the sky when not flying is logically in the water, for service, repair, and storage. unlike ocean-going ships, these aircraft could be flown to inland bases on fresh water rivers or lakes for hull cleaning and major maintenance.

Nor are these the end product in the perfection of water-based aircraft. Experiments with trans-sonic and super-sonic hydrodynamic aircraft have had considerable success. The "Skate" and "Betta" projects under Navy spons-orship give promise of a whole family of aircraft whose aerodynamic abilities are not compromised by the fact they use water as an operating medium. Overall configuration of aircraft based on these design criteria equal or better the performance of similar aircraft designed for land use, yet have advantages common to Seaplanes.

The operational units of a Seaplane striking force are now technically possible-naval units which are strategically adept, tactically agile, and which can carry a powerful punch. Therefore it would be highly appropriate to call the early versions of this new concept of fighting aircraft an aircraft cruiser, and give it a proper naval designation-"VCC."

Configuration of a prototype aircraft cruiser would give it the following characteristics :

  • Aircraft Cruiser (VCC) Gross Weight 600,000 lbs.
  • Engines 8 jet @ 15,000 lbs. thrust each Speed 600 kts.
  • Range 6,000 miles Length over 200 ft. Wing Span over 200 ft. Draft 10 ft.
  • Ordnance -
    Offensive armament bombs, mines, air "torpedoes"
    Defensive armament - short range aimed rockets , guided missiles such as the U. S. Navy "Sparrow" and U.S.A.F. "Falcon"
  • Electronics Communications, Navigation, Search and Countermeasures
  • Crew 20

    Because these dimensions are rather limiting, they placed some arbitrary restrictions on performance and fighting ability. Further developments could easily sacrifice some speed for greater range, endurance, and combat capabilities; or, since there is no limit to size beyond the facilities to construct the airframe, we could increase the unit dimensions. Also, somewhat less speed might enable a more advantageous use of the turboprop, or make use of the ducted fan power plant which would be more adaptable to the Seaplane than is the open propeller. The battle-plane, aerial counterpart to the battleship, would be a logical descendent, replacing all smaller units just as the dreadnought replaced the armored cruisers. capacity to attack while putting up a good defense is not likely to change as a fighting criteria, with the largest unit generally being the most powerful in both categories. We could expect that the airborne man-of-war would follow the same evolutionary process as its surface ancestor.

    Escorts as such for the aircraft cruiser would be both unnecessary and impossible, since an aircraft of comparable performance as to both speed and range would be needed. Therefore they, and other similar units in company, are their own best escorts. Unlike surface ships, they need defend themselves only from other units operating in their own medium, the air. Only the very short range, very high performance parasite fighter could logically accompany a forma tion of aircraft cruisers, a proposal which would parallel the evolution of the aircraft carrier, in this case an airborne version.

    The individual aircraft cruiser would be available for many possible missions, the number and combination depending only on the flexibility of its ordnance load, with operations either singly or in company with similar units easily visualized. Potential offensive missions include armed reconnaissance, attack on land or sea targets with bombs or missiles, blockade, mining, etc. They could also be employed on purely defensive operations such as screening units against enemy air attack, to provide early warning and to engage the attacker with missiles, rockets and even air-to-air bombing.

    CONCLUSION


    The Seaplane has had a long history in aviation. Its inherent safety and operational advantages both in civil and military versions were early recognized. However, the preoccupation with its water characteristics, together with unusual configurations required by relatively small sizes and inadequate power plants, permitted land plaJles to capture the principal air roles because of their one inherent advantage - speed. However military requirements now indicate a need for extremely large aircraft. Here the operational advantages weigh heavily in favor of the Seaplane. Current developments of power plants and Seaplane hulls are expected to eliminate the speed advantage of large land over water-based aircraft. Practical application of these advances should enable the Seaplane, unhampered by restrictions in size or weight, to take its rightful place in the aviation future.

    Adaptability of the large hulled Seaplane as a naval unit is obvious. The use of sea-: planes of very large size and corresponding";' fighting capabilities parallels the development and employment of warships. Attacking ability, defensive ability, speed, range, endurance and self-sufficiency increase as size increases, without a corresponding mathematical increase in support facilities when aircraft arewater-based.

    These large, high performance aircraft will give the Navy along range striking force in a separate sphere from that of the aircraft carrier striking force. The carrier task force obtains and maintains local air superiority and concentrated attack with the use of a large number of relatively small aircraft from a highly mobile and self-contained base; the Seaplane striking force can concentrate a heavy attacking force from widely dispersed bases, or provide single units on widely scattered missions. Thus one form of naval air power support and complements the other, with neither needing to fix the position of its base of operations any longer then the operational commander desires.

    Farther in the future is the aerial navy, adhering to all the well-established principles of naval warfare, employing the air oceans as a traveling medium, the water oceans as a base, and the unparalleled ability of water logistics in support, which can control the seas, the air above the seas, and the land boundaries of those seas. The tactical unit around which its striking power centers is the large Seaplane, a true naval unit and a capital ship in its own right.


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