Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Acknowledgements Foreword Introduction Naval Aviation 101 Hand on the Helm: An Interview with Admiral Jay Johnson Wings of Gold : A Naval Aviator’s Life Building the Boats Tools of the Trade: Birds and Bombs Carrier Battle Group: Putting It All Together Final Examination: JTFEX 97-3 Aircraft Carriers in the Real World Conclusion Glossary Bibliography NOVELS BY TOM CLANCY The Hunt for Red October Red Storm Rising Patriot Games The Cardinal of the Kremlin Clear and Present Danger The Sum of All Fears Without Remorse Debt of Honor Executive Orders Rainbow Six The Bear and the Dragon Red Rabbit The Teeth of the Tiger SSN: Strategies of Submarine Warfare NONFICTION Submarine: A Guided Tour Inside a Nuclear Warship Armored Cav: A Guided Tour of an Armored Cavalry Regiment Fighter Wing: A Guided Tour of an Air Force Combat Wing Marine: A Guided Tour of a Marine Expeditionary Unit Airborne: A Guided Tour of an Airborne Task Force Carrier: A Guided Tour of an Aircraft Carrier Special Forces: A Guided Tour of U.S. Army Special Forces Into the Storm: A Study in Command (written with General Fred Franks, Jr., Ret., and Tony Koltz) Every Man a Tiger (written with General Charles Homer, Ret., and Tony Koltz) Shadow Warriors: Inside the Special Forces (written with General Carl Stiner, Ret., and Tony Koltz) Battle Ready (written with General Tony Zinni, Ret., and Tony Koltz) THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Group (USA) Inc. 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England The views and opinions expressed in this book are entirely those of the author, and do not necessarily correspond with those of any corporation, military service, or government organization of any country. CARRIER A Berkley Book / published by arrangement with Rubicon, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Rubicon, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions. BERKLEY® is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. The “B” design is a trademark belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc. PRINTING HISTORY Berkley trade paperback edition / February 1999 eISBN : 978-1-10100225-4 Most Berkley Books are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. Special books, or book excerpts, can also be created to fit specific needs. For details, write: Special Markets, The Berkley Publishing Group, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. http://us.penguingroup.com