CATOBAR - This stands for Catapault Assisted Take-Off, Barrier Assisted Recovery. Using "trap lines" to stop an aircaft while landing, and a catapault to help it launch, means that much heavier, larger aircraft loaded with more weapons can operate off of the carrier. These are the iconic, most easily recognized and considered aircraft carriers, with the most flexability and capability. When one thinks of carriers they invision these types of vessels...and they generally envision the United States and their nuclear powered, super-carriers. These type of carrier are also the most expensive. In the US case, the new,Gerald Ford Class super carrier can costs 7 billion dollars or more to build, and hundreds of millions per year to operate. These types of carriers not only can carry aircraft with more fuel and weapons...they also can operate large AEW aircraft. All of these increase the capability of the carrier and its ability to project power and defend itself. Within this type of aircraft carriercategory you also find both nuclear powered and convetnional powered carriers. There are only three nations who either have, or are currently building thirteen such aircraft carriers. The United States (11), France (1), and Brazil (1).

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STOBAR - This stands for Short Take-Off, Barrier Assisted Recovery. All of these carriers have a "ski-jump" ramp to assist in the take off of conventional fixed-wing aircraft, and use "trap wies" to help aircraft land. This requires aircraft with a high thrust to weight ratio for take=off. Although the ski-lift does not allow for as heavy an aircraft to launch, or as big a one, it is more effective than a vertical, or purely short take-off configuration, and much less expensive and easier to operate than a CATOBAR configuration. Still, the limitation on weight is a major one, reducing the weight, weaponry and size of the aircraft. For exampe, until a VSTOL AEW version of an aircraft like the V-22 Osprey comes out, these vessels are limited to helicopters providing their AEW role, and they have a far reduced capability over a fixed wing AEW aircraft, thereby reducing the ability of the carrier to most effectively defend itself. All of the vessels in this category are conventionally powered...meanining non-nuclear. Four countries are currently operating or building four of these type of carriers. Great Britain (2), Russia (1), China (1), and India (2). (Though the two Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers for Great Britian will not have a true arrestor system and could also be classified as STOL carriers. But with the ski-jump, and the special rolling landing procedure they will implemnt with their F-35Bs, we are classifying them as STOBAR.)

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