War at Sea

War at Sea is a new series of one-off specials where each issue delves deep into a particular subject; from aircraft carriers, warships, submarines, navies and naval battles. Every edition you can be assured of 100 pages of interesting and informative reading, accompanied by outstanding photography.

WAR AT SEA

CARRIER STRIKE

ALGERIA • The Algeria Navy in July 2011, placed an order with the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for a single example of their improved version of the San Giorgio-class amphibious transport ship. In Algeria, the ship is referred to as Bâtiment de Débarquement et de Soutien Logistique (BDSL) and boasts a 60-bed hospital complete with operating theatres. In Algerian service, the ship can carry three landing craft mechanized and the tank deck can accommodate around 15 armoured vehicles.

AUSTRALIA • Naval Aviation started in Australia on 25 April 1911, when a single Australian born Royal Navy officer Arthur Longmore completed pilot training. Longmore would go down in naval aviation history by achieving the first water landing in Britain and of launching the first torpedo from an aircraft.

BRAZIL • Naval aviation started in Brazil in August 1916, with the creation of the Brazilian naval aviation school and during the First World War, Brazilian naval aviators were incorporated into the 10th Operations Group of the Royal Air Force. When the Brazilian Government decided to create a dedicated Brazilian Air Force on January 20, 1941, the Navy and Army aviation components were amalgamated into the new force.

CHINA • The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has always wanted to own and operate a navy with aircraft carriers at the centre of a full spectrum of capabilities. The aircraft carrier offers any navy that operates one, freedom of movement and operation well beyond the range of surface units and the ability to strike targets and enemies at extreme range and all true-blue water navies such as the United States, Great Britain, France, India, and Russia have at their core a carrier capability.

EGYPT

FRANCE • French Naval Airpower was created in 1910, but it would be another decade until 20 October 1920, when Lieutenant Paul Teste became the first Frenchman to land his aircraft, a Hanriot HD.1 aircraft onto the deck of the first French aircraft carrier FS Béarn. In those early days of naval aviation, the brave pilot took his life in his hands as he lined up on the centreline of the ship and at a height of 50cm cut off the throttle to his single engine and made a perfect landing in less than 30 metres.

INDIA • India gained its independence from Britain in 1947, and from the start the nation set itself the huge challenge of protecting its borders and at 7,517 kilometres, one of the world’s longest coastlines. A strong, powerful, balanced navy was essential and as part of that process representations were made with the former colonial power Great Britain to acquire the incomplete hull of HMS Hercules, a Majestic-class aircraft carrier, whose construction had come to a halt following the end of the Second World War in 1945.

ITALY • Italy’s first qualified naval aviator was Lieutenant Mario Calderara, who in 1905 at La Spezia Naval Shipyards was towed behind the destroyer Lanciere to achieve flight. Then in 1911, the Italian Navy added its first seaplane carrier to the fleet while during the Italy/Turkey War between September 29, 1911, to October 18, 1912, Italy became the first nation to fly airships offensively in warfare putting them to use as reconnaissance and bombing aircraft.

JAPAN • Japan, probably more so than any other nation, has both been a leading light in the development of aircraft carrier strike tactics and has probably suffered the most from the same technology. Naval aviation started in Japan in 1912, with the creation of the Commission on Naval Aeronautical...