A mother ship, mothership or mother-ship is a large vehicle that leads, serves, or carries other smaller vehicles. A mother ship may be a maritime ship, aircraft, or spacecraft.
Examples include bombers converted to carry experimental aircraft to altitudes where they can conduct their research (such as the B-52 carrying the X-15), or ships that carry small submarines to an area of ocean to be explored (such as the Atlantis II carrying the Alvin).
A mother ship may also be used to recover smaller craft, or go its own way after releasing them.
A smaller vessel serving or caring for larger craft is usually called a tender.
In many languages, such as Chinese, Finnish and Japanese, the word mother ship refers to an aircraft carrier; see 母艦 (literally "mother" + "warship").
During World War II, the German Type XIV submarine or Milchkuh (Milk cow) was a type of large submarine used to resupply the U-boats.
Mother ships can carry small submersibles and submarines to an area of ocean to be explored (such as the Atlantis II carrying the Alvin).
Somalian pirates use mother ships to extend the reach of their attacking speed boats into the Indian Ocean.
In aviation, motherships have been used in the airborne aircraft carrier, air launch and captive carry roles. Some large long-range aircraft act as motherships to parasite aircraft. A mothership may also form the larger component of a composite aircraft.
During the age of the great airships, the United States built two rigid airships, USS Akron (ZRS-4) and USS Macon (ZRS-5), with onboard hangars able to house a number of Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk biplane fighters. These airborne aircraft carriers operated successfully for several years. These airships utilized an internal hangar bay using a "trapeze" to hold the aircraft.
In the air launch role, a large carrier aircraft or mother ship carries a smaller payload aircraft to a launch point and then releases it.
During World War II the Japanese Mitsubishi G4M bomber was used to carry the rocket-powered Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka aircraft, used for kamikaze attacks, within range of a target ship. Germany also planned a jet-carrying bomber, called the Daimler-Benz Project C.
In the US, NASA has used converted bombers as launch platforms for experimental aircraft. Notable among these was the use during the 1960s of a modified Boeing B-52 Stratofortress for the repeated launching of the North American X-15.
In a captive carry arrangement the payload craft, such as a rocket, missile, aeroplane or spaceplane, does not separate from the carrier aircraft.
Captive carry is typically used to conduct initial testing on a new airframe or system, before it is ready for free flight
Captive carry is sometimes also used to transport an aircraft or spacecraft on a ferry flight. Notable examples include:
Some large long-range aircraft have been modified as motherships in order to carry parasite aircraft which support the mothership by extending its role, for example for reconnaissance, or acting in a support role such as fighter defence.
The first experiments with rigid airships to launch and recover fighters were carried out during World War I.
The British experimented with the 23-class airships from that time. Then in the 1920s, as part of the "Airship Development Programme", they used the R33 for experiments. A de Havilland Humming Bird light aeroplane with a hook fitted was slung beneath it. In October 1925 Squadron Leader Rollo Haig, was released from the R33, and then reattached. Later that year, the attempt was repeated and the Humming Bird remained attached until the airship landed.In 1926, it carried two Gloster Grebe fighters releasing them at the Pulham and Cardington airship stations.
In America, USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), used for prototype testing for the Akron and Macon airborne aircraft carriers.
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