United States aircraft carriers are some of the world's largest & most powerful warships. They project American military might worldwide.But can they pass through the Panama canal?
The Panama Canal is a waterway that connects the Atlantic & Pacific Ocean, allowing ships to travel between the two oceans without having to go around South America.
Most aircraft carriers are too large to pass through the Panama Canal, as the canal's locks are not wide or deep enough to accommodate them.
The largest aircraft carrier in the world, USS Gerald Ford is 1,092 feet long and 256 feet wide, while the Panama Canal is able to handle vessels with width of 161 feet wide.
While aircraft carriers are unable to pass through the Panama Canal, other US Navy ships such as destroyers, cruisers & submarines are able to do so due to their smaller size.
The US Navy has other alternative routes to move its ships between the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans such as going around the tip of South America or through the Magellan Strait
The US has military bases in both the Atlantic and Pacific regions, allowing ships to operate in either ocean without trans-oceanic voyages.
There are several other canals around the world that connect different bodies of water, such as the Suez Canal and the Kiel Canal.
Panama Canal is an important global trade route used by ships from many countries including the US but due to the huge size of aircraft carriers, they are unable to use this route