The navy is one of the main components armies of any power with access to the seas and oceans. Many empires, such as Great Britain, built their power thanks to a strong fleet capable of responding to any threat many thousands of kilometers from their homeland.
Of course, modern warships are very different from their ancestors. The flagship of any flotilla today is an aircraft carrier group, which allows attack and defense not only with the help of installed guns, but also with air groups located on the decks.
The presence of aircraft places demands on the size of ships. All aircraft carriers boast impressive volumes, but some of them stand out even against this background. In this article we will talk about just such ships, and also answer the question: “What is the most large aircraft carrier in the world?".
First place - Enterprise (United States of America)
This ship is the first of the aircraft carriers to have an engine running on nuclear fuel. It was launched back in 1961, but still remains the largest ship in the world in its class. The cost of building the Enterprise cost the government $450 million. The high price was one of the reasons why this series of ships is limited to just one aircraft carrier, although it was initially planned to create several more such ships.
The length of the ship is as much as 342 meters. It can accommodate about 80 aircraft. The aircraft carrier's full crew is more than three thousand people. Enterprise has 4 steam catapults. Half is located at the front of the ship, and the other half is located on the landing strips. With the help of catapults, the Enterprise is capable of lifting one aircraft into the air in a quarter of a minute.
On the contrary, landing of air groups is carried out with the help of an aerofinisher, which consists of four cables that are tensioned below deck and help the operation of special brake cylinders. In addition, the aircraft carrier has a nylon mesh that can catch the aircraft if, due to unforeseen circumstances, it overshoots the arresting position.
Second place - Nimitz (United States of America)
A more modern American aircraft carrier, which also has a powerful nuclear engine. The first ship was launched in 1975. Production continued until 2009, when the last vessel entered service. In total, 10 such ships were created during this time. The length of the ship is 330 meters. These ships were actively used during several military conflicts, including in Yugoslavia and Iraq.
The cost of one ship is four and a half billion US dollars. The aircraft carrier carries 66 ships for various purposes (48 of them are multirole fighters). The nuclear reactor installed in the ship allows it to operate for about 25 years without replacement. The state spends about $160 million annually on maintaining one aircraft carrier.
The Nimitz can be operated for more than 50 years. Today, all 10 ships are in combat service.
Third place - Kitty Hawk (United States of America)
The aircraft carrier was launched in 1955. Its length is 325 meters. These are the first ships of their class that do not have a rich arsenal of artillery, instead of which they are installed missile systems. In addition, these are the last American aircraft carriers that were not equipped with nuclear reactors. At the time of launching, the aircraft carrier had all modern electronics and a sonar station. The last ship of this line (there were four in total) was taken out of service in 2007.
Fourth place - Forrestal (United States of America)
Another American aircraft carrier, one of the largest. Its length is 320 meters. Forrestal was created for the needs of jet aviation after the end of World War II, the experience of which was taken into account when creating the ship. The first vessel of the line was launched in 1955. Interestingly, this aircraft carrier was considered unlucky among American sailors and received many mocking nicknames due to the large number of accidents associated with fires on the ship. One of them killed about 135 people.
The last ship of the line was decommissioned in 1993. It was sold at auction for one center, since there was no one willing to buy it, except for one single company.
Fifth place - John Kennedy (United States of America)
Having received its name in honor of the famous American president, this ship was launched in 1968. Its length is 320 meters. This ship is a Kitty Hawk class ship. Just like other ships, it did not have a nuclear engine (although installation was initially planned). Instead, gas turbine equipment was used.
The carrier spent most of its time in the Mediterranean, performing various missions there during the Cold War. The ship served for about 40 years and during this time underwent several major repairs. The ship was not considered the most successful in the navy, as it suffered several collisions during its operation.
The largest accident occurred in 1975 as a result of a collision between a ship and a cruiser, which was almost completely destroyed by the impact.
John Kennedy was removed from service in 2007, and a whole ceremony was organized to see him off.
The aircraft carrier also became a movie star. It is he who is depicted in the 2012 film falling on the White House.
Sixth place - Midway (United States of America)
It's not only large aircraft carrier, produced in the year the Second World War ended, but also the first heavy aircraft carrier in the American Navy. The ship was in operation for 50 years. During this time, he took part in several military operations in the country, including Vietnam and Iraq.
Midway left service in 1992, and five years later a huge fleet museum was created on its base. The length of the ship is 305 meters.
In addition, the ship took part in the famous rescue operation at the end of the Vietnam War, when the Viet Cong captured the capital of the southerners. In order to land a plane loaded with refugees fleeing imminent reprisals and a totalitarian regime, the crew of the aircraft carrier dropped the helicopters on board, worth a total of over 10 million dollars, into the water. This operation entered the pages of US military glory.
Seventh place - Admiral Kuznetsov (USSR, Russian Federation)
The most powerful aircraft-carrying ship in the USSR and Russia. The ship was created in Nikolaev and received the name of the famous Soviet admiral. After the collapse of the USSR, it became part of the Russian Navy. Today he serves as part of the northern fleet. It houses fighter jets and anti-submarine helicopters.
The ship was laid down in 1982, and it was launched in 1985. It is interesting that at the time of laying it was given the name “Riga”, and at the time of the first launch - “Leonid Brezhnev”. After the launch, work continued on building the ship on the water. In 1989, the ship, still unfinished, went to sea to conduct tests with aircraft. In 1990, construction was completed and the ship was renamed again.
It is currently undergoing major renovation. Already this summer, the ship is planning to sail to the Mediterranean Sea, most likely to the shores of the Syrian Arab Republic. The length of the ship is 300 meters.
Eighth place - Lexington (United States of America)
The oldest aircraft carrier on this list. A total of two ships of this type were produced, both of which took an active part in the beginning (for the USA) of World War II. One of the aircraft carriers was destroyed in the spring of 1942 during heavy fighting with the Japanese. The second ship, despite numerous damages, survived the war and was scuttled after participating in the test nuclear weapons in 1946.
Lexington was capable of accommodating 63 aircraft. Most of them were fighters, as well as reconnaissance aircraft. The aircraft carriers of this series appeared as a result of heated debates between American military experts. At that time there was a conflict between two opinions about the future of naval battles. One part of the experts advocated the creation of coastal airfields and powerful battleships, since they believed that airplanes were not good enough at destroying ships. The other part insisted on creating powerful aircraft carrier groups, giving them a decisive role in future battles. As a result of tests carried out using captured German ships, the second point of view won, and, as the Second World War confirmed, it was quite justified.
Ninth place - Varyag (USSR, Ukraine, China)
Another long aircraft carrier belonging to the Soviet Union. The history of "Varyag" is indeed interesting. Its construction began in Nikolaev in 1986. Two years later it was already launched, after which work on it continued on the water. After the USSR ceased to exist, the ship went to the Ukrainian Navy, but since then it has not been used, cash injections into it stopped, and the necessary repair work was not carried out, so the ship slowly degraded.
As a result, Varyag was sold to a Chinese company for $20 million, which is much lower than its actual cost. The buyers stated that they planned to create on its basis Entertainment Center. However, the ship was subsequently completed as a warship. It was renamed Liaoning and is now successfully performing combat missions as part of the Chinese Navy.
Tenth place - Shinano (Japan)
The longest Japanese aircraft carrier of World War II. Initially, she was built as a battleship, but after the first serious defeat against American Navy in 1941, the Japanese command decided to rely on aircraft carrier groups, seeing the advantage American aircraft carriers enjoyed on the water.
The ship was completed after one year. At that time it was the most protected aircraft carrier. Containers for storing aviation fuel were especially well protected, which, if hit by an enemy shell, could destroy the entire ship.
The Americans are the undisputed leaders in aircraft carriers, but other powers also have something to brag about. For example, the cunning Chinese recently announced the laying of their own floating airfield. In honor of this event, M PORT compiled a rating of aircraft-carrying ships in service with different countries.
ADMIRAL KUZNETSOV (Russia)
Main advantage Admiral- its speed. He does 35 mph with ease, so don't get in his way! It is lighter than any US aircraft carrier, but the formidable Su aircraft on board seem to hint: Comrade Kuznetsov is not to be trifled with.
- Entered combat duty - 1991
- Displacement - 55,200 tons
- Length - 305 meters
- Autonomy - 45 days
- Crew - 1609 people
- Aviation - 12 helicopters (Ka-27), 33 aircraft (Su-33 and Su-25)
INVINCIBLE (UK)
Until 2005, it was a class of light British aircraft carriers that performed well during the war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands in 1982. In the 90s Indomitable supported the raids on Iraq. Since 2005, it has been replaced by ships of the Queen Elizabeth class, more sophisticated, but less legendary.
- Entered combat duty - 1980
- Displacement - 20,600 tons
- Length - 209 meters
- Autonomy - 7000 miles
- Crew - 875 people
- Aviation - 22 airplanes and helicopters
CHARLES DE GAULE (France)
The only aircraft carrier in France, but a very serious one, since it is nuclear powered. It can take a very long time to travel. Carries 40 aircraft, which is a powerful strike force. On board in '93 de Gaulle An emergency occurred: British Mi-6 employees entered the aircraft carrier under the guise of an inspection. The cunning spies managed to inspect the ship, but were quickly captured.
- Entered combat duty - 1994
- Displacement - 42,000 tons
- Length - 261 meters
- Autonomy - 45 days
- Crew - 1900 people
- Aviation - up to 40 planes and helicopters
PRINCE OF ASTURIAN (Spain)
This aircraft carrier is so long that you can safely hold a bullfight on its deck - 196 meters in length allows this. The pride of the Spanish fleet, and what else to do - there are no others!
- Entered combat duty - 1989
- Displacement - 16,700 tons
- Length - 196 meters
- Crew - 763 people
- Aviation - 14 helicopters, 8 airplanes (Harrier-2)
GEORGE BUSH (USS George H.W. Bush, USA).
Nimitz-class nuclear-powered heavy aircraft carrier. There is no doubt that this toy is the best in the world. And, moreover, the newest one: the ship was launched in 2006. For comparison, the above aircraft carriers were built in the last century.
- Entered combat duty - 2009
- Displacement - 97,000 tons
- Length - 332 meters
- Crew - 5680 people
- Aviation - 90 planes and helicopters
For reference: who shot down the first Nimitz?
The US military claims that aircraft carriers of the type Nimitz are completely invulnerable. However, Russian aviation has proven that this is far from the case. The incident occurred during a US-Japanese exercise: Russian planes quietly flew up to a US Navy aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk and photographed him in all poses. The Americans did not even have time to raise carrier-based aircraft or even fire a missile after them. In military parlance, this means “conditional destruction of an aircraft carrier.”
Modern shipbuilding is constantly developing in different directions. One of the main ones is the creation of powerful, fast and maneuverable warships that will be equipped with weapons latest generation. The size of aircraft carriers and cruisers is amazing. The largest of them are the property of the country's army, and some have even become relics of history.
At the end of the article we have prepared a surprise 🎁 - an exciting test to test your attentiveness 😃
The United States planned to build five such ships, but due to high costs ($450 million for each) the large-scale project had to be abandoned. In 1961, only one nuclear-powered strike aircraft carrier in its class was launched. power plant.
Crew – 3325 people. Thanks to nuclear fuel, the ship has the ability to serve for 13 years without refueling and sail up to one million miles during this time. This “monster” is driven by a power plant consisting of eight A2W type reactors with four turbines. With a scale of 342 meters in length and 78.5 in width, weapons with a total weight of more than 2,500 tons are placed on board. An aviation fuel reserve of 10 million liters ensures intensive aircraft flights for 12 days. 
Along the perimeter, the hull has a double bottom with compartments separated by transverse bulkheads. Flights are carried out on a deck of 18,211 m2, which is equipped with four take-off steam catapults. Thanks to them, every 15-20 seconds aircrafts can instantly rise into the air. To stop aircraft, an arresting device is provided in the form of tensioned cables, but if for some reason it does not work, then a special rising emergency net at the end of the platform is capable of stopping the aircraft.
The number of aircraft on board is up to 90 units with a personnel of 1800 people. During her service in the US Navy, Enterprise participated in more than a dozen operations, including combat operations in Cuba, Vietnam, Iraq and during the Cuban Missile Crisis. 
In the early 90s, the ship was modernized in accordance with modern requirements. In 2002, the power plant and hull plating were repaired.
The aircraft carrier is a US development. Construction began in 1968. The ship turned out to be large (length 333 meters, maximum width 78), reliable and, most importantly, not as expensive as its predecessor, the Enterprise. The manufacturing cost, according to various sources, was about several hundred million dollars. Therefore, it was decided to put the project into production and produce a total of ten such aircraft carriers. Each is assigned an individual number and name: No. 68 Nimitz 1968, No. 69 Eisenhower 1970, No. 70 Vinson 1975, No. 71 Roosevelt 1981, No. 72 Lincoln 1984, No. 77 Bush 2003 and others.
The Nimitz is not only a large ship, but also a heavy ship. There are 1,954 tons of ammunition on board alone. Nuclear power plant - two nuclear reactor A4W (total power 260 thousand horsepower) and four diesel engines with 10,720 hp. With. Thus, an aircraft carrier can easily reach speeds of up to 30 knots, and can sail for ten years without refueling. To protect against enemy shells, the body is sewn with 64 mm special Kevlar fabric.
The site for the air group is divided into several zones: runway and landing strip, parking. Accordingly, each of them is equipped with special equipment. Thus, four steam catapults are installed on the runway to launch aircraft.
To protect the ship's hull from aircraft jet exhaust, a barrier is provided, ventilated by supplying cold water directly from the ship. There are special rope brakes installed on the landing strip and, most importantly, there is an electronic device that helps land the plane on board in poor visibility conditions without the participation of a pilot. The automatic landing system is called ACLS. The parking area can simultaneously accommodate 86 combat aircraft.
If you need to repel an attack on an aircraft carrier or strike directly from standard guns, powerful weapons are located on board. These are four Vulcan Phalanx 20 mm anti-aircraft artillery systems and three Sea Sparrow missile launchers. During the modernization process, a three-tube 324 mm torpedo tube was placed on the Nimitz.
The ship is controlled and maintained in combat condition by a crew of 3,200 people and an air group of 2,480. For the life of people, the hold is equipped with cabins, a dining room, and a freezer room for long-term storage of food.
Shark
The largest military submarines are in Russian service. These are nuclear vessels of Project No. 941 “Akula”. Since it was planned to equip the new vessel with solid-fuel three-stage long-range R-39 missiles, which have impressive dimensions, the dimensions of the submarine must match. The developers were LPMB "Rubin" Leningrad. After several years of construction, it was put into operation in 1980.
In front of the side there was a shark depicted, which personified power and maneuverability. Later it became a symbol of the ship's crew and appeared on chevrons. Of the planned 12 submarines, half were completed.
Interesting!
In order to reload ammunition on the Akula submarine, it was necessary to build a special electric-diesel transport vessel, Alexander Brykin, with a displacement of 16 thousand tons.
The aircraft carrier, manufactured in the USSR, has an interesting history of construction. Initially, in 1979, the engineering bureau prepared sketches for the construction of the cruiser, they were approved by S. Gorshkov (commander of the navy at that time), but subsequently a decision was made to radically change the project. Thus, due to all the delays in the design, the ship was launched only in 1987.
Maximum displacement 61,390 tons, length 306 m, width 72 m, height 64.5 m. Like most warships that serve for years and take part in combat operations, the hull must be additionally protected. Thus, the Admiral Kuznetsov is equipped with armor made of high-strength steel, with three-layer anti-torpedo protection of 4.5 m, which is able to withstand a direct hit from a four hundred kilogram TNT projectile. 
The powerful ship was equipped with the Beysur navigation complex, the Mars Passat, Fregat MA, Podkat, Vaygach and Resistor radar systems. For communication, the BIUS “Lesorub”, “Buran 2”, SAC “Polinom”, SAC “Zvezda M1” and the electronic warfare complex “Sozvezdie” were installed. As you can see, the ship is stuffed to the teeth with electronics, but as for weapons, things are still more serious here. On board were anti-aircraft artillery with 48 thousand shells and an anti-submarine combat installation with 60 bombs. Missiles "Granit" 256 pcs., "Dagger" 192 pcs. Since the ship is an aircraft carrier, it can simultaneously carry 50 planes and helicopters. 
This military “monster” is driven by a power plant consisting of four steam turbines with a total capacity of 200 thousand horsepower and nine turbogenerators of 1500 kW each. Wherein maximum speed the vessel reaches a speed of up to 54 km/h, and has a navigation autonomy of 45 days.
During her service in the Navy, the aircraft carrier made six voyages in the Mediterranean Sea, and once visited the North Atlantic. In 2000, he was involved in the operation to rescue the Kursk submarine. In 2016, he had to take part in hostilities against the military terrorist groups “Islamic State” and “Jabhat al-Nusra” in Syria. During the voyage, 420 combat aircraft sorties were carried out from the ship, and 1,252 terrorist targets were hit.
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Battleship Missouri
The idea of combining the navy and aviation was born among the great minds of mankind back in the 19th century. This is how a real technical miracle called aircraft carriers was born. They bring death and destruction, but even despite this, they evoke admiration for their greatness. It's about them, oh the largest aircraft carriers in the world, and will be discussed in our article.
The giant, named after one of the heroes of ancient Greek myths, went down in history as the first classic aircraft carrier to have a runway deck for aircraft on board. It was in service with the British navy. The first launch of the vessel took place in the fall of 2018. The Argus was damaged in battle during World War II, so it was decommissioned and has since been used as a training ship.
Lexington (USA)
The American aircraft carrier, which in the 20s of the last century bore the proud title of the largest ship of its class, first went afloat in the fall of 1925. With a total length of 270.6 meters, the width of the aircraft carrier was 39.6 meters. Despite such large dimensions, the Lexington could reach speeds of up to 34 knots. There was enough space on its deck to accommodate 70 aircraft.
The ship took part in the battle for Pearl Harbor and sank after receiving serious damage in May 1942.
This is the largest aircraft carrier in the history of World War II. The ship was launched in November 1944. Its deck could accommodate 42 aircraft, as well as numerous artillery pieces and 12 unguided anti-aircraft guns. The size of the ship's deck at that time seemed fantastic - 40 by 256 m.
The fate of the Shinano turned out to be tragic: it sank 17 hours after going to sea as a result of a direct hit on board by 6 American torpedoes.
Not exactly an aircraft carrier, because the Iowa, like 3 other ships designed according to this project, belongs to the class of high-speed ships for surface and underwater battles. The length of the giant was 270 m, on board there were 3 aircraft, catapults for launching them and standard artillery pieces. The first launch of the ship took place in the summer of 1943.
This American ship was designed in the 40s of the last century; it set off on its first voyage in September 1945. The length of the vessel was 295 meters, but the width of the aircraft take-off area was more than 41 meters. "Midway" was equipped with 4 turbines and 12 engines, which could accelerate it to 33 knots. The ship was decommissioned in the spring of 1992, and now there is a museum on board.
The aircraft carrier “Admiral Kuznetsov” was the only one in the history of our country that was in service with the Russian army. It was built at a shipyard in Nikolaev in Soviet times. The ship was launched unfinished; its first tests took place between 1988 and 1989. Due to numerous deficiencies, the ship was repeatedly returned to the dock, repaired and rebuilt.
Despite a number of flaws, the Admiral Kuznetsov went down in history as one of the largest aircraft carriers. Its length was 302 m, and its width was almost 72 m.
The ship was the last American history aircraft carrier created as part of the Kitty Hawk project. It was launched in 1968, and decommissioned and transferred to reserve in 2007.
The ship could accommodate 80 aircraft, which is not at all surprising given the ship’s width of 76.8 m and length of 320.6 m. An interesting fact is that “John Kennedy” participated in the filming of the science fiction blockbuster “2012”.
The first such vessel created to meet the requirements of jet aviation. The ship set off on its maiden voyage in 1955. At that time, it became the largest ship of this type, with a length of 325 m and a length of 72.5 m. 90 aircraft could fit on board the Forrestal.
Unfortunately, the aircraft carrier was unlucky. Fires broke out on it every now and then, missiles refused to launch and often missed the target. The ship was decommissioned in 1993 and scrapped in 2015.
The last turbocharged aircraft carrier in American history entered service in 1961. There was practically no artillery on board; 80 aircraft could fit on a deck measuring 326x86 m.
The ship repeatedly participated in battles; it was removed from service with the American army in 2009.
Modern armed forces must be mobile - months-long campaigns on war elephants and six-month military expeditions in galleys are a thing of the past. Now, when the count is not even days, but hours, there is nothing more effective for armies than aircraft carriers. And the only thing better than an aircraft carrier is a large, very large aircraft carrier. In this material, RG will talk about ships that make even blue whales jealous.
"Shinano"
The Japanese giant can hardly be considered modern, because in 1944 it sank safely while performing its first mission. But what there is no doubt about is its colossal size, especially for that time. Its length was 266 meters and its displacement was 68,060 tons. In order for you to understand the size of this hulk, imagine the Titanic. So this legendary liner was only three meters longer than the Shinano, and in terms of displacement it was even inferior to 10 thousand tons.
Initially, the Japanese was supposed to become the fourth in a series of Yamato-class battleships, but the designers' plans were redrawn by the Battle of Midway, where the Imperial Japanese Navy lost four brand new aircraft carriers and a whole group of smaller ships. The Shinano, half completed, was decided to be converted as soon as possible into a vessel capable of carrying aircraft.
Haste made itself felt during the giant's first and last battle. In November 1944, it was torpedoed by an American submarine. The watertight bulkheads were installed incorrectly, so they were leaky, and the crew was inexperienced.
"Shinano" sank 7 hours after the attack and 17 hours after leaving the port.
"Varyag" or "Liaoning"
A giant with a very interesting and slightly sad fate was laid down at a shipyard in Nikolaev in 1985, and launched already in 1988. Most of the technical devices on the ship were missing, and the overall readiness of the combat vessel could be estimated at no more than 60 percent. After the collapse of the USSR, it went to Ukraine, which until 1998 invested in it exactly as much money as was necessary to keep it afloat, no more.
In 1998, a giant with a length of 304.5 meters and a displacement of 59,500 tons was sold by official Kiev for the ridiculous amount of $20 million. The buyer was a private Chinese company, which announced its intention to turn the unfinished aircraft carrier into an amusement park and casino. But if there were such plans, they were abandoned almost immediately: 20 million for the crown of creation of Soviet designers is an insignificant price, so the PRC government nationalized the ship and completed its construction. Thus, by 2011, the People's Republic of China entered the pool of countries that have aircraft carriers in their arsenal.
"Admiral Kuznetsov"
The largest and most powerful aircraft-carrying cruiser in Europe and Asia began to be built in Nikolaev in 1982. Named in honor of Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov, admiral of the Soviet Union.
In all its characteristics, the aircraft carrier was advanced: the deck was lengthened to allow the Su-25, Su-27 and MiG-29 to take off and land, and the hull was built in a unique way from blocks weighing up to 1,400 tons. Aerofinishers, the Luna optical landing system and aircraft side lifts first appeared on it. The length of "Admiral" is more than three football fields, it is like the Eiffel Tower without a spire - 306 meters. At the same time, such a colossus can carry a whole small air army - 25 planes and 25 helicopters.
Unlike most standard aircraft carriers, the Admiral Kuznetsov's armament is far from modest: 12 4K80 Granit anti-ship missile launchers, 8 Kortik launchers with an arsenal of 256 missiles, 6 six-barreled 30-mm AK-630M artillery mounts with 48 thousand shells and 4 six-barrel launchers of the Kinzhal air defense system. The radar is also at its best - the Beysur complex, Buran-2 and the Resistor flight control radar station, and the Kuznetsov crew is almost 2,000 sailors and officers. "Kuznetsov" is the real beauty and pride of Russia.
By 2015, all Su-33 carrier-based fighters on the ship will be replaced with multifunctional MiG-29K. The ship will undergo a major overhaul by 2017.
"Nimitz"
This American Gulliver is named after Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet during World War II. The Nimitz aircraft carrier was laid down back in 1968 and became one of the first ships of its type with a nuclear power plant. Participated in the infamous failed special operation "Eagle Claw" in 1980. In May 1981, an incident occurred on board: a landing Prowler fighter crashed, killing 14 people and injuring about 50.
The aircraft carrier has gigantic dimensions - 332 meters in length and a displacement of almost 100,000 tons. But these numbers did not bring him success in 2008, when two Russian Tu-95MS teased a “floating fortress” as part of a training flight. One of them flew at an altitude of only 600 meters above the Nimitz, and even the F/A-18 fighters raised on alert did not confuse our pilots.
"Enterprise"
More than half a century ago, in 1960, the CVN-65 Enterprise was launched, which still remains the longest warship of all time - 342 meters! The Big E also became the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, and this big guy had a crew of just under 5,000 people. In total, it was planned to create 6 such ships, but the release of the first Enterprise, which cost $451 million, shook the US economy, so the remaining ships in the project were abandoned.
The aircraft carrier has always been positioned as the pinnacle of the country's naval development and took part in all conflicts and wars of the Stars and Stripes. From the Cuban Missile Crisis to the Vietnam War, from the confrontation between North and South Korea to Yugoslavia and Iraq. He was not spared from unpleasant incidents either; on January 14, 1969, due to the negligence of the crew, a rocket spontaneously exploded on one of the Phantom planes. The subsequent fire destroyed another 15 fighters, killing 27 people and injuring 349. In total, over 52 years, more than 100,000 people served on the aircraft carrier.
The ship was decommissioned in 2012, and by 2015 it will be dismantled for scrap, despite numerous protests from former sailors who persuaded the government to turn the legendary ship into a floating museum.
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