# Do "Invincible"-class aircraft carriers use an Optical Landing System? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 14, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-invincible-class-aircraft-carriers-use-an-optical-landing-system/532408 "2010-03-14T00:13:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-invincible-class-aircraft-carriers-use-an-optical-landing-system/532408/1 "2010-03-14T00:13:12Z")
The Royal Navy’s current [_Invincible_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invincible_class_aircraft_carrier) class, that is. An [Optical Landing System](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_Landing_System) is nicknamed “the ball” on US carriers. I haven’t been able to find any indication that they do, and it would even make technical sense if they _didn’t_, but I needed to check to make sure. Can anyone help? ---
**Author:** ![busterpickle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@busterpickle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/busterpickle)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-invincible-class-aircraft-carriers-use-an-optical-landing-system/532408/2 "2010-03-14T09:19:40Z")
Probably not as those carriers use Harriers which taxi in like a helicopter so an optical landing system would not be necessary. Probably would not do much anyways as the Harrier will land vertically on the ship. When you say US carrier I assume you mean a CVN like this: > **[USS Enterprise (CVN-65)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_(CVN-65))** > > USS Enterprise (CVN-65), formerly CVA(N)-65, is a decommissioned United States Navy aircraft carrier. In 1958, she was the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth United States naval vessel to bear the name. Like her predecessor of World War II fame, she is nicknamed "Big E". At 1,123 feet (342 m), she is the longest naval vessel ever built and the only ship of a class that was originally planned to have five other ships. Her 93,284-long-ton (94,781 t) displacement ran Enterpris... These do have an optical and infrared landing system to guide the aircraft in. The US really does not have an “aircraft” carrier like the UK Invincible class. But, we do have LHD and other amphib’s which, in regards to aircraft, would be the closest: > **[USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LHD_7)** > > USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy. The ship was named for the Battle of Iwo Jima of World War II. The ship was commissioned in 2001 and is in service. > Fabrication work for Iwo Jima began at Ingalls shipyard on 3 September 1996, and the ship's keel was laid on 12 December 1997. At the keel laying ceremony, United States Army Captain Jacklyn H. Lucas, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during while serving as a Marine at the Ba... Which, was my old ship about three years ago. I saw quite a few Harriers land. It’s pretty neat actually. You see the Harrier taxi in at like 30 MPH 160’ above the ocean, slide over, and then touch down. An airman comes out and indicates with hand signals how far the Harrier is above the deck and when the Harrier is low enough he signal the pilot to drop the engine speed. Hopefully, the airmen plots the descent right and the Harrier doesn’t drop.