The Americans are the undisputed leaders in terms of 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 has compiled a rating of aircraft carriers in service with different countries.
ADMIRAL KUZNETSOV (Russia)
Main advantage admiral- his 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 planes on board seem to hint that 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)
INCREDIBLE (Invincible, UK)
Until 2005 - a class of light British aircraft carriers, which proved to be excellent during the war with Argentina over the Falklands in 1982. In the 90s Indomitable supported the raids on Iraq. Since 2005, it has been replaced by Queen Elizabeth-class ships, more sophisticated but less legendary.
- Entered combat duty - 1980
- Displacement - 20 600 tons
- Length - 209 meters
- Endurance - 7000 miles
- Crew - 875 people
- Aviation - 22 aircraft and helicopters
CHARLES DE GAULLE (France)
The only aircraft carrier in France, but very serious, since nuclear. The journey can take a very long time. Carries 40 aircraft, which is a powerful strike force. In '93 on board de Gaulle an emergency happened: employees of the British Mi-6 entered the aircraft carrier under the guise of an inspection. Cunning spies managed to inspect the ship, but they 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 arrange a bullfight on its deck - 196 meters in length allow 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 aircraft (Harrier-2)
GEORGE BUSH (USS George H.W. Bush, USA).
Nimitz-class heavy nuclear aircraft carrier. There is no doubt that this toy is the best in the world. And besides, the newest: 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 like Nimitz are completely invulnerable. However, Russian aviation has proven that this is far from being the case. The incident occurred during a US-Japanese exercise: Russian aircraft imperceptibly flew up to the aircraft carrier of the US Navy kitty hawk and photographed him in all poses. The Americans did not even have time to raise carrier-based aircraft or at least fire a rocket after them. In military language, this means "conditional destruction of an aircraft carrier."
The Navy is one of the main constituent parts armies of any power that has access to the seas and oceans. Many empires, such as Great Britain, for example, have built their power thanks to a strong fleet capable of responding to any threat many thousands of kilometers from their native land.
Of course, modern warships are very different from their ancestors. The flagship of any flotilla today is an aircraft carrier group, which allows attacking and defending not only with the help of installed guns, but also with air groups placed on the decks.
The presence of aircraft imposes requirements 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 representative of the aircraft carriers with a nuclear-powered engine. 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 state $450 million. The high price was one of the reasons why this series of ships is limited to just one aircraft carrier, although several more such ships were originally planned.
The length of the ship is as much as 342 meters. It accommodates about 80 aircraft. The total crew of the aircraft carrier is more than three thousand people. Enterprise has 4 steam catapults. Half is located in front of the ship, and the other half - on the landing strips. With the help of catapults, the Enterprise is able to lift one plane into the air in a quarter of a minute.
On the contrary, the landing of air groups is carried out with the help of an arrester, which consists of four cables that are stretched in the underdeck and help the operation of special brake cylinders. In addition, the aircraft carrier has a nylon net that is capable of catching an aircraft if, due to unforeseen circumstances, it flies over the arresting position.
Runners-up - Nimitz (United States of America)
A more modern American aircraft carrier that 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, which is installed in the ship, allows it to operate for about 25 years without replacement. The state spends about 160 million US dollars per year on the maintenance of one aircraft carrier.
Nimitz can be operated for more than 50 years. To date, 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 missile systems are installed. In addition, these are the last American aircraft carriers that were not equipped with nuclear reactors. The aircraft carrier at the time of launching had all the modern electronics and sonar. The last ship of this line (there were four in total) was decommissioned 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 aircraft after the end of World War II, whose experience was taken into account when creating the ship. The first ship of the line was launched in 1955. Interestingly, this aircraft carrier was considered unlucky among American sailors and received many derisive nicknames due to the greater number of accidents associated with fires on the ship. As a result of one of them, about 135 people died.
The last ship in 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 F. Kennedy (United States of America)
Named after the famous American President, this ship was launched in 1968. Its length is 320 meters. This ship belongs to the Kitty Hawk class. Just like other ships, it did not have a nuclear engine (although the installation was originally planned). Instead, gas turbine equipment was used.
Most of the time, the aircraft carrier was in the Mediterranean Sea, performing various tasks there during the Cold War. The ship served for about 40 years and during this time has undergone several major repairs. In the fleet, the ship was not known as the most successful, as it experienced 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 F. Kennedy was removed from service in 2007, a whole ceremony was organized to send 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.
6th place - Midway (United States of America)
It's not only large aircraft carrier, produced in the year of the end of World War II, but also the first heavy aircraft carrier in the US Navy. The ship was in operation for 50 years. During this time, he took part in several military operations of the country, including the Vietnamese and Iraqi.
He left the Midway service in 1992, and five years later a huge fleet museum was created on its basis. The length of the ship is 305 meters.
In addition, the ship participated 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 the imminent massacre and the totalitarian regime, the crew of the aircraft carrier dropped helicopters on board into the water, with a total cost of over 10 million dollars. This operation entered the pages of US military glory.
Seventh place - Admiral Kuznetsov (USSR, Russian Federation)
The most powerful aircraft carrier in the USSR and in Russia. The ship was created in Nikolaev and received the name of the famous Soviet admiral. After the collapse of the USSR, he became part of the Russian Navy. Today he serves in 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 the laying it was given the name "Riga", and at the time of the first descent - "Leonid Brezhnev". After the descent, work continued on the construction of the ship on the water. In 1989, the ship, still unfinished, went to sea for tests with aircraft. In 1990, construction was completed and the ship was renamed again.
It is currently undergoing a major renovation. Already in the summer of this year, the ship is planned 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. In total, two ships of this type were produced, both 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 wars and was scuttled after taking part in the test. nuclear weapons in 1946.
Lexington was able to accommodate 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 specialists advocated the creation of coastal airfields and powerful battleships, as they believed that aircraft were not good enough at destroying ships. The other part insisted on the creation of powerful aircraft carrier groups, giving them a decisive role in future battles. As a result of the tests carried out with the help of captured German ships, the second point of view won, and, as the Second World War confirmed, it is quite justified.
Ninth place - Varyag (USSR, Ukraine, China)
Another long aircraft carrier belonging to the Soviet Union. The history of the Varyag is indeed of interest. Its construction began in Nikolaev in 1986. Two years later, he was already launched, after which work continued on him already 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 have ceased, and the necessary repairs have not been carried out, so the ship has slowly degraded.
As a result, the Varyag was sold to a Chinese company for US$20 million, far below its actual value. The buyers said they planned to create on its basis Entertainment Center. However, later the ship was 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 during World War II. Initially, it was built as a battleship, but after the first serious defeat against US Navy In 1941, the Japanese command decided to rely on aircraft carrier groups, seeing the advantage American aircraft carriers had on the water.
The ship was completed after one year. At that time it was the most protected aircraft carrier. Particularly well protected were containers for storing aviation fuel, which, if hit by an enemy projectile, could destroy the entire ship.
Updated: 21.10.2019 13:35:05
Judge: Lev Kaufman
*Overview of the best in the opinion of the editors of the site. About selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
An aircraft carrier is a warship serving as a mobile base for carrier-based aircraft. It can host different kinds aircraft and helicopters: combat (including aviation carrying nuclear weapons), reconnaissance, transport, rescue, and so on. Today, aircraft carriers are the largest of all warships in operation. Some of them are equipped with a nuclear power plant, which allows you to make long voyages without the need for refueling. The cost of one such ship can reach six billion dollars. But they are the most powerful tool for protecting the borders of the state from the sea or gaining local superiority in the zone of military conflicts.
Rating of the largest aircraft carriers in the world in service
| Nomination | place | Aircraft carrier | Length, m |
| Rating of the largest aircraft carriers in the world in service | 10 | 183 | |
| 9 | 244 | ||
| 8 | 261 | ||
| 7 | 265 | ||
| 6 | 283 | ||
| 5 | 284 | ||
| 4 | 304 | ||
| 3 | 305 | ||
| 2 | 332 | ||
| 1 | 337 |
This light aircraft carrier is in service with the Royal Thai navy. It was built by a Spanish shipbuilding firm in 1997. "Chakri Narubet" has a length of 183 meters and can accommodate up to 600 crew members. The ship's maximum speed is 26 sea knots. An air group is located on its deck, including AV-8S Matador attack aircraft and S-70B multi-purpose helicopters. The ship's defense system is represented by Mistral short-range homing missiles. The aircraft carrier has a relatively low combat capability, and most of the time it serves either as a base for rescue operations or as a tourist attraction. It is also often used by the ruler of Thailand, for which he was nicknamed the world's largest royal yacht.
The Italian aircraft carrier Cavour has been in operation since 2008 and is 244 meters long. It was named after Count Cavour, famous for his services in the unification of Italy. The ship can serve as a base for more than 20 aircraft and helicopters, as well as a couple dozen tanks or 50 heavy combat vehicles. The crew of the vessel exceeds 500 people. Attack aircraft are currently based on the deck vertical takeoff and landing AV-8B Harrier II, which are subsequently planned to be replaced by Lockheed Martin F-35 multifunctional fighters. The aircraft carrier is equipped with modern radar equipment, for protection it has artillery installations and missile weapons. Potentially, "Cavour" can be used both as a landing ship and as a command center. The maximum speed developed by the aircraft carrier is 28 knots.
The largest aircraft carrier of the French Navy, was launched in 2001. The ship, 261 meters long, can carry on its decks (flight and hangar) up to 40 combat aircraft and helicopters, as well as more than a thousand crew members. The main aviation weapons are Dassault Rafale fighters, in addition to this, there are Super Étendard attack aircraft, radar warfare aircraft and several types of helicopters. The flagship of the French fleet is equipped with a nuclear installation, which significantly expands the radius of its autonomous action. It is capable of moving at a speed of 27 knots. The flight deck with steam catapults allows the release of two aircraft per minute. Own ship's armament consists of missile system and a huge set of target detection tools. The aircraft carrier has a unique SATRAP automatic stabilization system, which allows it to take off and land in seas up to six points.
The Brazilian aircraft carrier used to be called "Foch" and belonged to France. He took part in a number of military operations. Since 2000 after overhaul the ship was transferred to service with the Brazilian Navy. On board a 265-meter vessel can accommodate more than 30 aircraft and almost two thousand people. Its main strike units are A-4 Skyhawk light attack aircraft and Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King anti-submarine helicopters. In addition, there is a transport and search and rescue aviation technology. Defense complex The aircraft carrier is represented by two launchers of an anti-aircraft missile system, a pair of artillery mounts and five machine guns.
The Indian aircraft carrier has a length of 283 meters, it can transport up to 40 aircraft on its deck, the ship's crew exceeds 1,500 people. Previously, she was a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, part of the Russian Navy and was called "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov". After a deep modernization, the ship was handed over to the Indian Navy. Carrier-based aviation is represented by planes and helicopters Russian production: MIG-29, Ka-28, Ka-31.
The aircraft carrier was built to replace obsolete Invisible-class ships. The ship, 284 meters long, is capable of placing a maximum of 70 aviation units on its deck if necessary. Thanks to the highest level of automation, the number of crew is less than 700 people, but the total capacity of the vessel exceeds one and a half thousand people. The Quinn Elizabeth Air Group consists of F-35B VTOL fighters, AW101 Merlin, AW159 Wildcat anti-submarine helicopters and CH-47 Chinook heavy transports. The flight deck does not have catapults, instead it is equipped with a springboard for aircraft, it is possible to simultaneously take off and land aircraft on it. Power point ship allows you to develop a speed of 26 knots. The aircraft carrier's own armament consists of the Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS anti-aircraft artillery system.
The aircraft carrier of the Chinese naval forces "Liaoning", formerly called "Varyag", was built at the Nikolaev shipyard and put into operation since 1988. Ten years later, it was sold to China for $20 million, where the ship underwent a major refit. The aircraft carrier has a length of 304 meters and can accommodate up to 50 units of aviation combat equipment, as well as more than two thousand people. Especially for him, the Chinese created a carrier-based version of the J-11 fighter, which is an almost exact copy of the Soviet Su-27 aircraft. In addition to fighters, anti-submarine and search and rescue helicopters are based on the ship. After the modernization, the aircraft carrier lost its offensive weapons and, in this moment equipped with only three short-range artillery systems and three FL-3000N anti-aircraft missile systems, which allow hitting targets at a distance of up to 6 kilometers.
The heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser is one of a kind. It has a huge flight deck with total area 14 thousand square meters and is designed to base 40 aircraft. The basis of its naval aviation is the MiG-29 and Su-33 fighter-bombers. In addition, on board are attack helicopters Ka-52 and anti-submarine Ka-27. The maximum crew capacity is two thousand people. The power plant is capable of accelerating a massive 305-meter vessel to a speed of 29 knots. The Admiral Kuznetsov is equipped with an advanced radar system and a large number of anti-aircraft missile launchers. In addition, there are six AK-630M rapid-fire artillery mounts. But the most formidable armament of the ship is twelve installations with Granit cruise missiles, the range of which exceeds 500 kilometers.
The American aircraft carrier Nimitz is capable of accommodating up to 90 units of combat aircraft, as well as about 5,000 crew members. The vessel is 332 meters long, equipped with two nuclear reactors and can travel at speeds up to 31 knots. It is based on F / A-18 fighter jets, EA-6 Prowler electronic warfare aircraft and Seahawk multi-purpose helicopters. Automated defense systems control two RIM-116 missile launchers and two RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile launchers with guided missiles. The aircraft carrier has already managed to establish itself by taking part in several real combat operations.
The largest of modern aircraft carriers (and warships in general) reaches a length of 337 meters. Its size exceeds three football fields, and its height is approximately equal to a 35-story building. The ship was named after the 38th President of the United States. The construction of the aircraft carrier cost the US government $3.3 billion. It is equipped with a powerful power plant, which includes two nuclear reactors, providing complete autonomy and not requiring replacement of fuel rods until the very end of the ship's expected 50-year life. The ship replaced the aircraft carrier Enterprise, it is not only modern, but also more economical due to the introduction of automation systems, which made it possible to reduce the number of crew to 2,700 people. The maximum speed that the ship can develop reaches more than 30 knots. The core of the air group consists of the latest F-35C Lightning II fighters, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter-bombers, electronic warfare and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as multi-role aircraft and transport helicopters. The complex of anti-aircraft missile weapons allows intercepting targets at a distance of up to 50 kilometers.
Attention! This rating is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
The US Navy strike aircraft carrier Enterprise (operational code CVN-65) was in many ways the first: the first nuclear-powered ship of this type, the first, however, and the only representative of the Enterprise class aircraft carriers, the first, i.e. largest warship ever built...
The construction of the ship began on February 4, 1958 at the shipyard in Newport, launched in September 1960, included in the fleet on November 25, 1961. The first combat mission in which Enterprise participated was the blockade of Cuba in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The Enterprise-class aircraft carrier project was a development of the previous KittyHawk class. The cost of construction was very high - 451 million dollars, this was the reason that no more ships of this class were built.
The hull is smooth-deck, with a one-sided corner deck. The armored flight deck is integrated into the power structure of the ship, providing longitudinal rigidity of the hull. The length of the flight deck is 331 m, the maximum width is 78 m. 4 lifts are designed to deliver aircraft from the hangar. Up to 43 aircraft can be on deck at the same time. Ammunition is delivered by 3 lifts.
4 steam catapults are designed to launch aircraft; in pairs in the bow on the corner deck. Gas shields rising behind the catapults protect the deck from hot gases jet engines. The catapult is capable of accelerating SuperHornets to a speed of 200 km / h in 2 seconds along a hundred-meter runway, while overloads reach 4g. Using all 4 catapults, an aircraft carrier can launch planes every 15-20 seconds.
Aircraft braking after landing is provided by 4 arresters. If they fail to completely stop the aircraft, then an emergency barrier is provided to prevent it from falling into the water, which is a rising net.
The power plant of the ship consists of 8 nuclear reactors. To increase survivability, each 2 reactors operate on a separate propeller shaft with a five-blade 32-ton propeller with a diameter of almost 6.5 m. To increase maneuverability and reduce the ship's circulation radius, each propeller is equipped with its own rudder. One refill nuclear fuel can last more than 10 years of service.
The use of a nuclear plant had several advantages. First, the absence of the need to store a large volume of fuel for engines has increased the stock of aviation fuel to more than 9 million liters. Secondly, due to the absence of chimneys and large air shafts, it was possible to reduce the size of the deck superstructure (“island”) and increase the area of the flight deck by 400 square meters. m, to exclude its smoke. Thirdly, the cellars for ammunition increased to 2500 tons.
But there were also disadvantages. A large number of reactors, their size, radiation protection and some other reasons made it necessary to increase the width of the ship's hull, which, in turn, led to an increase in its length to ensure the specified speed characteristics.
Aircraft carrier characteristics:
- Maximum displacement 93284 tons
- Length 342 meters
- Width at the waterline 40.5 meters
- Width maximum 78.4 meters
- Draft 12 meters
- Flight deck area 18,211.5 m2
- SSU power 280,000 hp
- Maximum speed 33.6 knots (62.2 km/h)
- Maximum capacity 5828 people
- Crew 3000 people (2700 privates, 150 senior officers, 150 middle officers)
- Flight personnel 1800 people (250 pilots and 1550 technical personnel).
- Armament: 3 x Mk 29 NATO Sea Sparrow launchers, 3 x 20mm Phalanx CIWS Mk 15
- Home port: Norfolk (Norfolk, Va)
Aviation Group
The main weapon system of the largest aircraft carrier is an aviation group that performs various tasks from ship protection to air support for ground forces and strikes against enemy targets.The ship has 8 squadrons:
- Long Range Air Reconnaissance Squadron using E2C-Hawkeys.
- The squadron, using Vikings aircraft, is designed to destroy enemy submarines and refuel in the air.
- Radar Defense Squadron. It includes Prowlers aircraft.
- 3 squadrons of F-18 Hornets fighter-bombers.
- A squadron of F-18 SuperHornets multirole fighter-bombers and ground attack aircraft. Despite the similarity to conventional F-18 Hornets, this is a completely new aircraft, featuring a longer range, new weapons, new avionics, etc.
- Seahawk Helicopter Squadron. Their main tasks are the search for enemy submarines, search and rescue operations, the transportation of cargo and personnel between the ships of the squadron.
Aircraft carrier accident
On January 14, 1969, while 140 km from Hawaii and heading for the war zone in Vietnam, one of the missiles exploded on the takeoff deck of the ship, causing a large fire and the detonation of bombs of nearby aircraft. The ship was severely damaged, killing 27 and injuring more than 300 people. Repair took 51 days.
Escort ships
Considering the huge firepower, the aircraft carrier is one of the main targets for enemy attacks. A small squadron of support vessels accompanies the Enterprise at all times to protect it. Among them:
- Cruiser - equipped with an early detection system, capable of destroying any air target.
- Frigate - protects the aircraft carrier from enemy missiles
- Anti-missile boat - protects against homing missiles, air raids and submarines
- Supply ship - ensures the functioning of this group, supplies everything necessary, from food to ammunition.
- Submarine
End of service.
For the entire period of service, the aircraft carrier made 25 campaigns, took part in many hostilities and operations. Decommissioned on December 1, 2012 and is being prepared for disposal. His name will be transferred to the new ship CVN-80 (Ford type).
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