10 Largest Warships in the World Prowling the Seas

When it comes to naval hardware, the largest warships in the world are among the best of their kind. Size simply does matter when it comes to weaponry, defense systems, and other military capabilities, especially when surrounded by water. Since being able to possess a great deal of independent fire power is very desirable, countries had great incentive to build some of the largest warships in the world and make their naval fleet a force to be reckoned with.

This change was partly induced by the fact that the nature of naval war changed considerably over the past few decades, thanks to the successful proliferation of airforce. Since naval battles are less frequent in the modern world, warships have taken on a considerably different role. Acting as support units for aircraft, launching laser guided missiles, or other attack weaponry from a distance, warships are no longer expected to be extremely agile. Being able to fend off attackers, provide support, and wreak havoc from a distance, are more desirable features in modern warfare, where warships rarely face each other in battle. Either way, nobody is gonna go looking for a fight with any of the ten largest warships in the world, that’s for sure!

In a recent article, we presented the 10 most militarily powerful countries in the world and learned that most of these nations also have powerful navies. The largest defense budgets in the world, are certainly the ones responsible for the largest warships on the planet, so don’t be surprised if you find one or two similarities between the lists. The US Navy for example, surely contributed one of two ships, as did the Russians, the French, and the Chinese. Let’s see what other nations managed to create huge warships, and who has the largest of them all.

10. Izumo Class – 813 feet

This Japanese helicopter carrier is not only meant for support, but was actually designed to hunt down and destroy submarines. Nevertheless, it has enough room for 400 troops, 14 choppers, and more than 20 vehicles on board!

The warships only get bigger and meaner from here, as our list of the largest warships in the world continues on the next page.