Why A US Aircraft Carrier Is A Dominant Force, In 41 Pictures

Aircraft carriers are the heart of the U.S. Navy. The deck of a carrier is literally a few acres of American territory floating around the world, projecting massive air and seagoing military might.

Carriers are expensive, with new Ford-class ships running about $13 billion, but they last about 50 years.

We visited the USS Eisenhower during a massive mine clearing effort in the Persian Gulf not too long ago.

The Ike, which is currently undergoing repairs, is the second oldest U.S. carrier still in service; but as you'll see, her age takes nothing from her powerful presence near foreign soil.