In this article, we look at the 5 biggest aircraft carriers in the world. You can read about the surge in demand for these giant warships by heading over to the 15 Biggest Aircraft Carriers in the World, where we have also shed light on some of the leading manufacturers of aircraft carriers in the defense industry.
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5. Shandong
Country: China
Displacement: 70,000 tonnes
We begin our list with Shandong, which is China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier. Commissioned in 2019, it was manufactured by the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry. The warship uses the Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) system to facilitate the launch and landing of military aircraft. It is considered as China’s lead aircraft carrier due to its advanced technology and combat operation capabilities. Shandong is 305 meters in length, has a beam of 75 meters, and a displacement of 70,000 tonnes. China is also currently developing Fujian, its third aircraft carrier, set to be commissioned in 2025. That warship is likely to have a displacement of 80,000 tonnes.
4. HMS Prince of Wales
Country: United Kingdom
Displacement: 72,000 tonnes
The HMS Prince of Wales is one of the two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers operated by the Royal Navy. The warship’s flight deck is 280 meters long and 70 meters wide, which is equivalent to the size of more than three football pitches. According to the Royal Navy, the aircraft carrier has the ability to move 500 miles per day. The ship has an expected life of 50 years.
3. HMS Queen Elizabeth
Country: United Kingdom
Displacement: 72,000 tonnes
The HMS Queen Elizabeth is the most powerful warship ever constructed for the Royal Navy, that is typically equipped with 20-24 fighter jets, with the capacity to hold up to 40 aircraft. The enormous aircraft carrier has a flight deck spanning four acres, and according to the Royal Navy, it only takes a minute for four fighter jets to move from the hangar to the deck. The carrier has a displacement of 72,000 tonnes.
2. Nimitz Class
Country: United States
Displacement: 97,000 tonnes
While only a handful of countries have aircraft carriers, and of them, most have only one or two, the United States has eleven – the most in the world. Ten of these belong to the Nimitz class of carriers, named after Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz from World War II. The first of these warships were launched in 1975, with the last one being commissioned in 2009. The Nimitz class nuclear-powered carriers have a displacement of 97,000 tonnes and a 4.5 acre flight deck allowing the ship to carry up to 60 aircraft. The giant warship can travel at a maximum speed of 30 knots.
1. Gerald R. Ford Class
Country: United States
Displacement: 100,000 tonnes
The Gerald R. Ford is the largest aircraft carrier in the world, having a displacement of 100,000 tonnes, which enables the warship to carry over 75 military aircraft. The Ford class is an improved version of the Nimitz class of carriers, and the US plans on having at least four of these battleships. The first of these, the CVN-78, was procured for a whopping $13.3 billion in 2008 and became operational in December 2021. The carrier is fuelled with two nuclear reactors, and comes with higher electrical power of ship systems. The other three carriers – CVN-79, CVN-80, and CVN-81, are scheduled to enter service in 2025, 2028, and 2032 respectively.
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