A Comparison Of Sortie Rates For Land Based And Carrier Based Aircraft In Recent Conflicts

During the 30 day invasion of Iraq in 2003 (Operation Telic/Iraqi Freedom),113 land based aircraft of the Royal Air Force flew 2,481 sorties.

A rate of 0.73 sorties per aircraft per day.

See here:www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/2003/uscentaf_oif_report_30apr2003.pdf

During the same conflict the American aircraft carrier U.S.S. Kitty Hawk,with 70 aircraft aboard,flew 3,000 sorties in 28 days.

A rate of 1.53 sorties per aircraft per day.

See here:www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=7283

During the 78 day bombing campaign against Serbia in 1999 (Operation Allied Force/Noble Anvil),41 land based aircraft of the Royal Air Force flew 1,516 sorties.

A rate of 0.47 sorties per aircraft per day.

See here:www.parliament.the-stationery-office.com/pa/cm199900/cmselect/cmdfence/347/34714.htm

During the same conflict the American aircraft carrier U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt,with 71 aircraft aboard,flew 4,270 sorties in 55 days (she then sailed to The Gulf and flew another 2,600 sorties over Iraq).

A rate of 1.09 sorties per aircraft per day.

See here:www.cvw8.navy.mil/history.htm and here:findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3738/is_199906/ai_n8837835/?tag=content;col1

During the six week long liberation of Kuwait in 1991 (Operation Granby/Desert Storm),158 land based aircraft of the Royal Air Force flew 6,000 sorties.


 A rate of 0.9 sorties per aircraft per day during the 43 day air war.

See here:www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/F21F8E7A_BD8A_55BA_43FA63F04FC5D6B4.pdf.


 During the same conflict the American aircraft carriers in the Gulf were U.S.S.Midway,U.S.S.Ranger and U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt.

See here: www.fas.org/man/gao/nsiad98001/a5.htm. U.S.S.Midway,with 56 aircraft aboard,flew 3,019 sorties.


 A rate of 1.25 sorties per aircraft per day over 43 days or 1.59 sorties per aircraft per day over her 34 operational days. 


 U.S.S.Ranger,with 62 aircraft aboard,flew 3,329 sorties.


 A rate of 1.25 sorties per aircraft per day over 43 days or 1.59 sorties per aircraft per day over her 38 operational days. U.S.S.Theodore Roosevelt,with 78 aircraft aboard,flew 4,149 sorties.


 A rate of 1.24 sorties per aircraft per day over 43 days or 1.36 sorties per aircraft per day over her 39 operational days.

During the 192 day MED 05 deployment of the American aircraft carrier U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt,Carrier Air Wing Eight (C.V.W. 8) flew 16,000 sorties.

A rate of 1.1 sorties per aircraft per day sustained for over six months.

See here:www.cvw8.navy.mil/history.htm