Aircraft Carriers: History - Technology - Operations

The aircraft carrier embodies modern naval power, revealing how vast crews sustain towering, precise operations.

The aircraft carrier is the ultimate symbol of modern naval power - a floating airbase able to project force anywhere in the world. Flat Tops - How Super Carriers Work explores the technology, design and daily operations of these giant warships, from nuclear propulsion and arrestor wires to catapults, radar, command centres and flight deck choreography. Packed with cutaways, photography and expert explanation, it reveals how thousands of sailors, engineers and aviators work together to keep the most complex machines ever built fighting fit. From the Cold War to today's super carriers, this is the definitive guide to the flat top.