The story of the USS America (CV-66) is a narrative of resisting, giving up, and experiencing the challenging ways of learning when testing limits. The carrier was designed to represent American naval power and was brought into service in 1965 when the Cold War was at its peak. The ship was initially something nuclear-powered and of the Enterprise-class, but sensible decisions and priorities changed the ship’s class to Kitty Hawk, and with this, a significant part of her working time was defined.
For over 30 years, America was a sea-going citadel that traveled extensively worldwide. She operated in any place from Vietnam to the Persian Gulf where she was called upon, and obtained eight battle stars as well as a reputation for being resilient. Without a doubt, more than 13,000 combat sorties were launched from her flight deck, and none were lost to enemy fire—such a feat very few aircraft carriers can boast of.
Despite retiring in 1996, some of her crew members expressed that it would have been better if she had been converted to a museum ship, giving her a chance to be displayed as a tribute to her long career. Instead, the Navy had plans for her ultimate voyage that were entirely different. The USS America was selected in 2005 for an outstanding live-fire demonstration named SinkEx (Sinking Exercise). The purpose was to gain knowledge rather than obliteration. The Navy looked to understand precisely how much damage a modern supercarrier could endure without losing function. To quote Admiral John Nathman at the time, “America will make one last and most important contribution—her sacrifice will help create the carriers of tomorrow.”
The test was very different from any other before. The giant carrier was towed to a location in the Atlantic Ocean far from land, emptied of weapons and fuel, and put through an ordeal that lasted several days. Missiles, torpedoes, and bombs were thrown against her. The purpose here was not to find out how fast she could sink but rather to witness how she battled to stay afloat.
The outcome surprised even the Navy’s engineers a lot. The USS America underwent the same pattern of attacks, but she did not give up. The ship had been constructed with multiple layers of the hull—metal sections of different thicknesses alternating with empty spaces—which contributed to distributing and absorbing the energy from the detonations. The size and design of the vessel also made it very resilient. Later reports indicated that she took in more blows and shocks than many battleships from World War II would be able to handle.
Even so, the strongest steel has its point of failure. After several weeks of trials, America stubbornly remained afloat. The Navy teams had to board the ship that was already heavily damaged and put demolition charges deep in her hull until she finally went down. Today, she is lying almost 17,000 feet down the seabed—the still only U.S. supercarrier deliberately sunk as such a test. Most learned things are still classified, but what has been disclosed has greatly affected the Navy’s understanding of carrier survivability.
The knowledge obtained through the sacrifice of America was the direct effect on the following generation of carrier designs, including those of the Ford-class. These present-day behemoths went through their own shock trials to certify that they would be capable of fighting even after suffering a devastating attack. As the later Captain Brian Metcalf put it, “We built these carriers so that they could survive the worst,” he acknowledged the combined contribution of engineering, modeling, and real-world testing.
However, the fact that they are strong does not automatically guarantee their survival. The USS America taught the Navy that it is not just about armor; protection is about layers of defense and teamwork. A carrier is never on its own while sailing; it is the main part of a strike group that also comprises destroyers, cruisers, submarines, and aircraft.
At present, the modern carriers may also be protected by technology, in addition to steel, such as radar networks, electronic warfare systems, interceptors, and even directed energy weapons that prolong their defensive range far beyond the visual range.
Nevertheless, the last mission of the USS America had a different impact on the Navy’s perception of the endurance that it experienced. The story proved that supercarriers, which might appear enormous and indestructible, are not invulnerable. It was a powerful instance reiterating that survival is never certain and only possible through innovation, ceaseless watchfulness, and respect for the ocean’s merciless power.
As one veteran summarized it best: given enough time and armaments, any ship can be sunk. The thing that counts most is learning how to stay afloat as long as possible. The USS America showed that survival is not a condition—it is a quest, one that really never comes to an end.