Aircraft carrier (Red Alert 3)

"Aircraft Carrier leaving port!"

- Aircraft Carrier captain

The Aircraft Carrier was the Allied heavy bombardment ship first seen during the Third World War.

Background
One of the most sophisticated naval vessels ever created, the aircraft carrier was the result of a joint 10-year military design effort between American, German, British, and French engineers and scientists. To helm an aircraft carrier is one of the most prestigious posts in the entire Allied military hierarchy.

Thanks to a German breakthrough in drone technology, the aircraft carrier is equipped with network of automated drone manufacturing-and-launch bays, which can be maintained and operated by a modestly-sized crew. Every carrier contains a full complement of Sky Knight-class UCAVs, each of which is armed with a powerful 500 lb. armor-piercing bomb similar to Jethro gravity bombs commonly used by the Century bombers, effective in long-range engagements against fortifications and installations.

In addition to the Sky Knight UCAVs, the carrier also possesses a firing mechanism for the Blackout Missile, a tactical warhead whose blast overloads all known electrical systems in its area of effect.

In-game
Like all heavy bombardment ships, the aircraft carrier is defenseless against enemy ships that have closed in and aircraft. Losing an aircraft carrier is very costly, so it needs to be escorted by other ships, such as Riptide ACVs and Hydrofoils, at all times.

Its drones are too slow to be useful against most moving targets. So they are best used against enemy structures and base defenses. Though it should be noted that the drones can be shot down, and that all drones self-destruct once the carrier that launched them is destroyed.

Its Blackout Missile can temporarily disable all vehicles and structures in a large area, which can be used to paralyze large groups of enemy vehicles or shutdown an enemy base, making them easy pickings. However, this also affects friendly units in the area. The EMP duration can be increased with the High Technology upgrade.

Changelog

 * Red Alert 3 beta patch 1.5: fixed armour set
 * Red Alert 3 patch 1.08: Sky Knight health doubled
 * Red Alert 3 patch 1.11:
 * Sky Knight speed increased to 225 from 150
 * Sky Knights no longer give large amounts of XP when killed
 * reload time reduced to 10 from 15 seconds

When created

 * Aircraft carrier leaving port!

When selected

 * Pride of the Allied fleet!
 * Allied air fleet!
 * Captain here!
 * Carrier at sea!
 * All inspections complete!
 * Flight deck cleared!
 * Prepared for war!
 * Tall and proud!

When moving

 * Engines at full!
 * Charting course!
 * Heading set!
 * Understood!
 * Everyone, take note!
 * Very well!
 * Set a course!
 * Slow and steady!

When ordered to attack

 * Engage!
 * Advance to bombing range!
 * Prepare the jets!
 * Standby for bombing run!
 * The order has been made!
 * We will end this quickly!

When attacking

 * Send another wave!
 * To the Skies!
 * There's the target, go!
 * Destroy it!
 * Do not let it stand!
 * Now, descend upon them!
 * Commence attack run!

When ordered to use Blackout Missile

 * Fire the EMP!
 * EMP missiles!
 * Launch the Blackout Missile!
 * Shut them down!
 * Put a stop to them!

In combat

 * Ready the next offensive!
 * Keep the decks clear!
 * Bombardment underway!
 * Air fleet engaged!
 * Fly with glory!

Under fire

 * Have they breached the hull?
 * Where are we hit?
 * All hands! All hands!
 * They're trying to sink her!
 * They will pay for this!

When ordered to retreat

 * Send her back home!
 * She'll need repairs!
 * Flee these rough waters!
 * We can still save her!

Trivia

 * Aircraft Carrier only has one runway opposite to most of modern carriers which have two. And the runway is never used for UCAV squadron is completely VTOL, thus directly launches and lands from hangar.
 * UCAVs assigned to an Aircraft Carrier self-destruct if mothership is destroyed, seems they're controlled directly from the ship instead from the commander.
 * Blackout Missiles are fired from UCAV's hangar.
 * Many of its quotes are similar or identical to the Red Alert 2 aircraft carrier's quotes.