Essex-Class: The Navy Almost Built 32 of These Aircraft Carriers

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Key Points and Summary: The Essex-class aircraft carriers symbolize American ingenuity and naval dominance during World War II. Built in unprecedented numbers—32 planned and 24 completed—they featured advanced flight decks, robust armor, and formidable air power.

-None were lost to enemy fire, showcasing their resilience and effectiveness.

-Today’s U.S. Navy faces challenges in maintaining aircraft carrier superiority due to the high costs and long construction timelines of modern, nuclear-powered carriers.

-Reviving the Essex-class spirit of rapid production and strategic vision could help the U.S. build a fleet capable of countering threats in the Indo-Pacific. Lessons from history remain vital for future maritime strategy.

The U.S. Navy Should Replicate the Spirit Behind the Essex-class Aircraft Carrier 

If only the United States could build aircraft carriers like it did during World War II. 

You may have heard of the “Arsenal of Democracy.” This helped grant the Americans and their allies with more military equipment than the Axis powers could ever imagine, especially ships and in this case, carriers. Look toward the Essex-class of flat-tops as an example. 

The Americans built a whopping 24 Essex-class carriers during World War II. Imagine if the Americans had just two-thirds of that number prowling around the Indo-Pacific in 2025 to overawe the Chinese.

The Essex-class vessels were the best of the best. There were more aircraft, a bigger flight deck, advanced air defenses and weapons, and even an early form of maritime radar that gave the U.S. Navy a pivotal edge.

Sailing with the Elite Aviators

The enemy could badly damage an Essex-class, but none sank during the war. This is a testament to the designers and engineers who brought the ships to fruition and the officers and sailors who manned the carriers. 

These aviators and crewmen were the best America had to offer. They loved being assigned to carriers. With so many personnel, there was strength in numbers. 

The enlisted men had much faith in their superior officers and executed their duties with flair. 

Even when the Japanese used Kamikaze tactics, the Essex-class emerged victorious.

Bring Back Those World War II Shipyards

Wartime shipyards were also impressive, and these workers were second to none. The U.S. Navy ordered 32 Essex-class carriers. 

They didn’t need them all because the Japanese were defeated before the entire fleet was built, but what a marvel of American ingenuity and manufacturing prowess.

The technology of carriers is much different in the 21st century compared to the 1940s. These modern innovations take a long time to build out and integrate. 

Plus, nuclear-powered carriers must endure long refueling and maintenance periods that keep them out of action for years. 

And they are hugely expensive. So, the U.S. Navy will probably never have more than a dozen carriers in various stages of operational capacity.

Can You Believe Thirty-Two Essex-class Carriers Were Planned?

But imagine having thirty-two. Half could sail in the Atlantic and the Middle East and the other half could patrol the East and South China Seas with a vengeance. 

This would make naval strategic sage Alfred Thayer Mahan proud. Mahan always called for a dominant navy, that every country should try to achieve.

Aspects of the Essex-class That Made Them Great

The Essex-class had a longer and broader flight deck and an elevator at the edge of the deck that quickly sent airplanes to the topside for launching rapidly. 

The ship’s overall armor was better, which helped during the end of the war when Japan tried all the suicide attacks. Plus, the armor helped protect against enemy submarines and torpedo bombers.   

The Essex-class carriers, leading off with the USS Essex, were 30,000 tons. They were 870 feet long. They even had a series of long-range offensive guns with all that air power plus anti-aircraft weapons. There were more than 90 airplanes on board.

Learning from Naval History

The Essex-class can teach us much about naval warfare. We can also point to Mahan to learn the lessons about maritime dominance. You can read Mahan’s best book here. Mahan believed that sea power was the essence of a country’s military might.

For World War Two, this meant aircraft carriers and many of them. Another key player in U.S. Naval strategy was Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

Few know that in his thirties, Roosevelt served as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy and worked to ensure that naval aviation was a separate branch. 

Roosevelt was influenced by Mahan and responsible for a naval buildup that made the fledgling United States a power on the high seas.

Unfortunately, Mahan is not taught as much anymore, except at the Naval War College and other U.S. Navy schools and training centers. 

Still, more people should become familiar with his ideas. 

Policymakers should also know that the U.S. Navy planned to have 32 Essex-class carriers at one point. Hopefully, more people can learn from naval history and apply the lessons to the 21st century. 

The advent of the aircraft carrier in World War II, especially the Essex-class, would be the cornerstone of this instruction that can inform politicians today about the need for a new naval build-up.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood 

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.