I HAVE ANSWERS. But really; let's look at the 3 various potential types: Avengers-style powered VTOL carriers: These are practically impossible; aircraft carriers weigh about 100,000 metric tons. The most powerful jet engine in the world produces 63 tons of thrust - you'd need at least 1600 of these engines to keep the ship flying. The combined amount of air these beasts would suck in would make it far too turbulent for an aircraft to land safely, or get too close. Furthermore, you would have to prevent aircraft from getting sucked in, or having small bits and pieces sucked in - it's not uncommon for military aircraft to lose small panels, etc in flight. Having such a thing happen on-deck would be catastrophic. Besides, without fuel to burn, those engines won't produce anywhere as much thrust as normal (realistically, you simply wouldn't have those engines), meaning that it'd require more engines and more power output and more weight. Blimp-style aircraft carriers: Slightly more realistic, but they would have to be enormous, and they'd only carry a small load of aircraft - they built some Zeppelin aircraft carriers in WW2, but they were dangerous for numerous reasons; one of those blimps could only carry 3 of today's F/A-18F naval fighters. They'd also be vulnerable without advanced defences. Flying aircraft aircraft carriers: Already exist - in WW2, they experimented with a B-29's and B-36's - small custom-built planes would be extended out of the plane, rev up their engines, and be launched. To return, they would fly under the mother-plane, with a hook extended, and catch onto a bar, which would then haul them back into the plane. With a specially designed mother-aircraft, this could be a viable method, as it doesn't create as much of a target, and it doesn't have to be as vulnerable (it can manoeuvre, hold it's own weapons, accelerate out of areas, etc). A well built aircraft with enough wing area could carry a couple of F/A-18F's. ----------------------------------- However, in the end, it's just far cheaper and easier to launch from land and sea.