航空母舰的出现是本世纪海军发展的最重要的里程碑,它把海战场由平面转为立体,开辟了海战场的新纪元。尽管发射导弹的潜艇和其它所谓的原子时代的武器系统已经登场,但航空母舰仍然是海军中最具战术威力的武器系统,尤其美国海军仍然以航空母舰为核心兵力。现代航空母舰的概念是从19世纪初发展起来的,而第一艘 The emergence of an aircraft carrier is the most important milestone in the development of the Navy in this century. It has transformed the sea battlefield from plane to three dimensions and opened up a new era in maritime battlefields. Although missile-launched submarines and other so-called atomic-age weapon systems are on the scene, the aircraft carrier remains the most tactical weapon system in the Navy. In particular, the U.S. Navy still holds the aircraft carrier as its core force. The concept of a modern aircraft carrier developed from the early 19th century, while the first one