A navalised aircraft typically differs from its land-based equivalent by: •
Marinization of the
airframe,
engine and
avionics against
saltwater corrosion. • Design features for operation from a
flight deck. For
fixed-wing aircraft, this typically means proportionally larger
wings, higher
thrust-to-weight ratio, specialized
hardpoints for
catapult attachment (typically on the
nose gear), a
tailhook for engaging
arresting gears, and strengthened
undercarriage.
Naval helicopters usually have
wheels rather than
skids, and may have attachment mechanisms for safe fixation onto the deck. • Compact profiles to occupy minimum
hangar or deck space, such as
folding/
swing wings and folding
tail boom. • Enhanced protection against water ingress (including that from hosing down with
fresh water to rinse off salt water). • Equipment such as sensors and weapons are optimised for naval roles. • The avionics is compatible with the complex electronic equipment of a
warship, and that there is no
electromagnetic interference between the two. • There is provision for
ditching at sea in case of emergency. • Helicopters may have provision for
refuelling while hovering adjacent to a ship. For safety reasons, the
aviation fuel provided by ships may be different (e.g.
AVCAT) from that provided by
airfields and
tanker aircraft. ==Examples==