# Aircraft carrier rear bumpers?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-carrier-rear-bumpers/639663>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 2, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-carrier-rear-bumpers/639663 "2012-11-02T13:58:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![N1095A](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@N1095A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N1095A)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-carrier-rear-bumpers/639663/1 "2012-11-02T13:58:15Z")

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Anyone know why the US Navy started putting steel I beam assemblies on the stern of aircraft carriers, ibelieve beginning with CVN-72, and retro fitting them to older carriers? What is their purpose? Could it really be that they simply are bumpers?

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**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-carrier-rear-bumpers/639663/2 "2012-11-02T14:01:49Z")

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Could you point out what you are referring to?

[http://www.1000pictures.com/aircraft/carrier/041108-n-0780f-088\_1280x1024.jpg](http://www.1000pictures.com/aircraft/carrier/041108-n-0780f-088_1280x1024.jpg)

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**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-carrier-rear-bumpers/639663/3 "2012-11-02T14:20:00Z")

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Screw Guards?

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**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-carrier-rear-bumpers/639663/4 "2012-11-02T14:45:42Z")

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When a carrier “anchors out” in the harbor during a port visit, they use that fan-tail area to get on and off the ship.

The port authority will tie up a barge or pontoon, with a stair/ladder attached. The crew will use that to get into small chartered ferries to get rides to the port/pier.

Those guards may keep the barge/pontoon from smacking the hull too much (due to wave or wake action).

[photo](http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/baec6d66c02b44619dd3ccf7a5a48058/AS-Philippines-US-Military)