Poll: Super carrier vs. Battleship

[mcpop9]

A Nimetz class super carrier going against an Iowa class battleship.
Each were about a mile apart from each other, each commanded by equally capable admirals and both ships go into battle stations as soon as the battle starts. Discuss
Edit: the Iowa is up to date with the last war she served in

 

[Thaluikhain]

The Iowa class was built in the 30s. Even if it wasn't, nobody uses battleships anymore, for good reasons.

By contrast, the Nimitz is a modern, nuclear powererd (and capable) ship.

Also, why would Admirals be commanding individual ships?

 

[caffineking]

Battleships require the protection and support of other ships and in particular Air Support to be able to function safely, otherwise they're dead in the water. Bismark is a perfect example of this! That said, only a mile apart in the scenario you give and those guns from the Battleship will get a few salvos off before the ship is sunk by Aircraft. I'd therefore call your scenario a draw. Any further and I'm afraid your battleship is sunk....

 

[JSF16]

Since a Nimitz class carrier has a full complement of aircraft, including bombers and missile-armed fighters, I'd say the Nimitz. What the hell are some 16 cm shell going to do against modern armor?

 

[obi2012]

I'd say the Iowa, the carrier would take too long to get aircraft up, and those are it's primary offensive systems, the Iowa would open up with the 16 inch guns, and the carrier would be practically useless, if the flight deck is targeted, no craft can get up, and the carrier's systems are made to defend against missiles and aircraft, not cannon fire

 

[Macgyvercas]

He who controls the skies controls the war.

The aircraft carrier would win.

 

[caffineking]

Main armament is 16 inch, not 16cm. Reckon that will make a pretty big hole in most modern armors, and in the '1 mile' scenario they're unlikely to miss...

 

[obi2012]

boots on the ground control the war, not the air

 

[DefunctTheory]

Since a Nimitz class carrier has a full complement of aircraft, including bombers and missile-armed fighters, I'd say the Nimitz. What the hell are some 16 cm shell going to do against modern armor?

16 INCH. About 2.5 times larger cannon then what your thinking.

As for the question... you are aware that a Nimtz class air craft carrier actually has BETTER close range armament then the Iowa? Better damage control? The ability to shoot down cannon fire.

The Nimtz outclasses an Iowa in EVERY regard. Even without aircraft, its no contest.

 

[Savber]

Read about the Battle of Midway and you know your answer.

 

[SouthpawFencer]

Too many variables in this scenario:

Does the carrier have fully loaded, fueled and manned fighters on the launch deck at the beginning?

Does the battleship have it's main guns and/or secondary guns loaded?

Does the battleship have up-to-date antiaircraft defenses? I'm guessing that, at only a mile out, modern antiaircraft weapons might be able to hit the fighters while they're on the deck of an aircraft carrier. According to Wikipedia, the affective range of the Phalanx defense system is over twice this, which means that any fighters that take off are probably getting taken out before they can successfully target the battleship, although they might not be able to hit the fighters that haven't launched yet.

Are the crews at their battle stations while they wait for the starting bell, or does the alert only sound once the fight begins?

If the carrier is allowed to have fueled/loaded/manned planes in the catapults before the fight starts, it'll probably win, although this might be a tie where both ships sink (the battleship sinks the carrier, and the fighters that got into the air take out the battleship). If both sides start cold, and a mile away from each other, I'm betting on the battleship. It probably takes less time to load, aim and fire the main guns from a battleship than to get fighters onto the flight deck, arm them, fuel, them, and launch them.

Generally speaking though, I'm betting on the battleship if the carrier has been spotted AND is within range of the battleship's guns, and both sides are made aware of each other at the same time. And the battleship's 5-inch guns alone are probably more than enough to devastate the carrier at a mile out.

 

[JSF16]

Whoops, I was thinking in the wrong units of measurement.

As Accursed says, Nimitz is better in every aspect. It has MISSILES designed for destroying ships, and they have much further range and accuracy, plus damage, than a cannon shell. That's kinda why out navy barely uses cannons anymore.

And since it's an Iowa class Battleship, I think we can safely say it does not have modern weapons systems.

 

[Tiger Sora]

Guys, they're only a mile apart. You need to remember that. By the time the carrier could scramble it's fighters the flight deck would already be gone.
If the carrier could get more time i'd win, but at only a miles distance it wouldn't stand a chance.
Battleship at a 1 mile range wins every time in this scenario.

 

[JSF16]

You are missing the fact the carrier is using MISSILES.ANTI-SHIP MISSILES.

 

[caffineking]

Fleets of Yamamoto and Chester-Nimitz were about 200 miles away from each other when the battle started, not 1 mile as in this scenario. (Great film though!!!)

 

[mcpop9]

Updated the OP

 

[JB1528]

NIMITZ Carrier wins no contest. As someone said before Battleships are fast becoming obsolete, anyone who thinks different should do more research on modern warfare.

Though many analyst also believe that the carrier will soon become obsolete too so the face of war is still constantly changing.

 

[SckizoBoy]

As for the question... you are aware that a Nimtz class air craft carrier actually has BETTER close range armament then the Iowa? Better damage control? The ability to shoot down cannon fire.

The Nimtz outclasses an Iowa in EVERY regard. Even without aircraft, its no contest.

I'ma say this guy's got it...

Sure 16in broadside's going to tell, but when the Nimitz is kitted out with 2x21 SeaRAM, it takes a very lucky shot for the Iowa to score a hit.

Also, one mile is relatively fuck all in range terms (the extreme range of Iowa-class primary armament is about 40000m), so as far as trajectory is concerned, she'll never be able to score a clean hit on the flight deck. Nimitz has ample hangar capacity and only the tower is unprotected. At range of less than 1500m, they may as well just use SeaSparrows to take Iowa down and the flight crew can just sit there drinking coffee and admiring the spectacle.

 

[JSF16]

Fleets of Yamamoto and Chester-Nimitz were about 200 miles away from each other when the battle started, not 1 mile as in this scenario. (Great film though!!!)

Well at that range they sure as hell wouldn't have being shooting. The aircraft carriers were the primary weapons in the Pacific War.

 

[caffineking]

You are missing the fact the carrier is using MISSILES.ANTI-SHIP MISSILES.

Iowa class feature Phalanx system anti aircraft missiles... Still think this ones a draw at one mile though. And what were the Captains drinking the night before to let the ships get only 1 mile away before they start a war with each other...?