Top warships in the world. Weapon of the century
The Russian Navy has 203 surface ships and 71 submarines, including 23 nuclear submarines equipped with ballistic and cruise missiles. The defense capability of Russia at sea is provided by modern and powerful ships.
"Peter the Great"
The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Peter the Great is the world's largest non-aircraft-carrying strike ship. Capable of destroying groups of enemy aircraft carriers. The only afloat cruiser of the famous Soviet project 1144 "Orlan". Built at the Baltic Shipyard and launched in 1989. Commissioned after 9 years.
For 16 years, the cruiser has traveled 140,000 miles. Flagship Northern Fleet Russian Navy, port of registry - Severomorsk.
With a width of 28.5 meters, it has a length of 251 meters. Full displacement 25860 tons.
Two nuclear reactors with a capacity of 300 megawatts, two boilers, turbines and gas turbine generators are capable of providing energy to a city with a population of 200,000. Can reach speeds up to 32 knots, cruising range is not limited. The crew of 727 people can be in autonomous navigation for 60 days.
Armament: 20 SM-233 launchers with P-700 Granit cruise missiles, firing range - 700 km. Anti-aircraft complex "Rif" S-300F (96 vertical launch missiles). Anti-aircraft system "Kortik" with a stock of 128 missiles. Gun mount AK-130. Two anti-submarine missile and torpedo systems "Waterfall", anti-torpedo complex "Udav-1M". Rocket bombing installations RBU-12000 and RBU-1000 "Smerch-3". Three Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopters can be based on board.
"Admiral of the Fleet Soviet Union Kuznetsov"
Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" (project 11435). Built at the Black Sea Shipyard, launched in 1985. He bore the names "Riga", "Leonid Brezhnev", "Tbilisi". Since 1991, he became part of the Northern Fleet. Carried out combat service in the Mediterranean, participated in the rescue operation during the death of the Kursk. Three years later, according to the plan, it will go for modernization.
The length of the cruiser is 302.3 meters, the total displacement is 55,000 tons. Maximum speed - 29 knots. A crew of 1960 can stay at sea for a month and a half.
Armament: 12 Granit anti-ship missiles, 60 Udav-1 missiles, 24 Blade (192 missiles) and Kashtan (256 missiles) air defense systems. It can carry 24 Ka-27 helicopters, 16 Yak-41M supersonic VTOL aircraft and up to 12 Su-27K fighter jets.
"Moscow"
"Moskva", guards missile cruiser. Multipurpose ship. Built at the shipyards of the plant named after 61 Communards in Nikolaev. It was originally called "Glory". Commissioned in 1983. Flagship Black Sea Fleet Russia.
Participated in the military conflict with Georgia, in 2014 carried out the blockade of the Ukrainian Navy.
With a width of 20.8 meters, it has a length of 186.4 meters and a displacement of 11,490 tons. Maximum speed 32 knots. Cruising range up to 6000 nautical miles. The crew of 510 people can be in the "autonomy" for a month.
Armament: 16 P-500 Bazalt mounts, two AK-130 gun mounts, six AK-630 6-barrel gun mounts, B-204 S-300F Rif air defense systems (64 missiles), Osa-MA air defense missile launchers (48 missiles), torpedo tubes, RBU-6000 rocket launchers, Ka-27 helicopter.
A copy of the "Moscow" - the cruiser "Varyag" is the flagship of the Pacific Fleet.
"Dagestan"
Patrol ship "Dagestan" was commissioned in 2012. Built at the Zelenodolsk shipyard. In 2014, it was transferred to the Caspian Flotilla. This is the second ship of project 11661K, the first - "Tatarstan" is the flagship of the Caspian Fleet.
"Dagestan" has more powerful and modern weapons: the universal RK "Caliber-NK", which can use several types of high-precision missiles (firing range is more than 300 km), "Palma" ZRAK, AU AK-176M. Equipped with stealth technology.
With a width of 13.1 meters, "Dagestan" has a length of 102.2 meters, a displacement of 1900 tons. Can reach speeds up to 28 knots. The crew of 120 people can be in autonomous navigation for 15 days.
Four more such ships have been laid down at the shipyards.
"Persistent"
Flagship Baltic Fleet The destroyer "Persistent" was built at the Zhdanov Leningrad Shipbuilding Plant and launched in 1991. Designed to destroy ground targets, anti-aircraft and anti-ship defense formations.
With a width of 17.2 meters, it has a length of 156.5 meters and a displacement of 7940 tons. The crew of 296 people can stay at sea without calling at the port for up to 30 days.
The destroyer carries a KA-27 helicopter. It is equipped with twin AK-130/54 gun mounts, AK-630 six-barrel gun mounts, P-270 Moskit mounts, six-barrel rocket launchers, two Shtil air defense systems and torpedo tubes.
"Yury Dolgoruky"
The nuclear submarine "Yuri Dolgoruky" (the first submarine of project 955 "Borey") was laid down in 1996 in Severodvinsk. Commissioned in 2013. Port of registry - Gadzhiyevo. Part of the Northern Fleet.
The length of the boat is 170 meters, the underwater displacement is 24,000 tons. Maximum surface speed - 15 knots, underwater - 29 knots. Crew 107 people. It can carry out combat duty for three months without entering the port.
Yuri Dolgoruky carries 16 Bulava ballistic missiles, is equipped with a PHR 9R38 Igla, 533-millimeter torpedo tubes, and six REPS-324 Shlagbaum acoustic countermeasures. In the coming years, six more submarines of the same class will be built at Russian shipyards.
"Severodvinsk"
Multi-purpose nuclear submarine "Severodvinsk" became the first submarine of the new Russian project 855 Ash. The most "quiet" submarine in the world. Built in Severodvinsk. In 2014, it became part of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy. Port of registry - Zapadnaya Litsa.
With a width of 13.5 meters, it has a length of 119 meters, an underwater displacement of 13,800 tons,
Surface speed "Severodvinsk" is 16 knots, underwater - 31 knots. Endurance of navigation - 100 days, crew - 90 people.
Has a modern silent atomic reactor new generation. The submarine is equipped with ten torpedo tubes, P-100 Oniks, Kh-35, ZM-54E, ZM-54E1, ZM-14E cruise missiles. Carries X-101 strategic cruise missiles and can hit targets within a radius of up to 3,000 kilometers. Until 2020, Russia plans to build six more Yasen-class submarines.
For many centuries, in the field of military affairs, one can see the desire of a person to make the most durable, fast and powerful thing. Warships are no exception, because cruisers represent power and amazing capabilities in terms of combat. The nature of competition is observed not only between big giants, like the US and Russia, but also between smaller countries. A vivid confirmation will be the rating, which contains the largest warships in the world. Proceeding from the list, you see that not only large states have achieved good results in the field of the armed industry ... And so, getting acquainted.
TOP 10 largest warships in history!
10
Length: 266 m
The aircraft carrier Shinano is a unique cruiser built by the Japanese during World War II. The ship was made for the imperial fleet. Initially, one of the largest warships was introduced as the third battleship. But after the loss of a large number of aircraft carriers, the ship was modernized. After the transformation, the ship was completed as an aircraft carrier. At that time, Shinano was the largest on the planet. It is worth noting that this cruiser is attractive not only for its dimensions (266 meters in length), but also for its history. 10 days after commissioning, she was sunk by American torpedoes from a submarine called USS Archerfish (SS-311).
The Iowa-class battleship should also be attributed to the largest warships in history. The length of the vessel is 270.5 meters. Included in the US armament. They began to design ships as high-speed battleships. Later, the government decided to equip water vehicles good weapons and protection against shock groups. During the Second World War, America already had 4 Iowa ships in service. But their length at that time was much smaller. After the end of the war, engineers equipped the ships with 32 Tomahawk missiles and increased the area. Currently, there is enough space on the deck to accommodate 2,800 military sailors.
It's about about very powerful and large cruisers, built in the 20s. The first full-fledged aircraft carriers of the Lexington series were built in 1922. Modernizations were carried out in 1927. It is worth noting that the aircraft carriers of the Lexington series played a significant role in the development of World War II. At that time, the states were armed with 3 ships, but one of them was sunk in pacific ocean. After the end of the war in 1942, the ships were sent for reconstruction. Thus, the platform was enlarged. Later, aircraft carriers took part in the battles on the Coral Sea.
Length: 295.05 m
The aircraft carrier Midway, which is 295 meters long, should be added to the largest military vessels. A series of heavy attack ships were first designed in 1941. Later, British ships were modified by adding armored frames to accommodate air groups. In 1947, three modified aircraft carriers were built, which were used in almost all armed conflicts in Britain. For almost half a century, they plowed around the world. Currently, 2 out of 3 ships are in service with Britain.
Length: 305.1 m
Unlike the United States, Russian ships have always been equipped with powerful defensive and offensive solutions. The specified cruiser includes a mass of heavy anti-ship missiles, which are distinguished by their long range. It is deservedly considered the heaviest in the world, because the other was sold to China and lightened. The vessel was commissioned in 1990. Now it is the only ship in Russia for the transportation of air transport. Can carry up to 30 aircraft.
Length: 325 m
An American aircraft carrier named after America's first minister. This is the first US-designed warship after the war. When creating this cruiser, experts took into account all the experience gained as a result of battles. As a result, it was possible to create a unique military vessel, taking into account the requirements of jet aviation. The contract for the manufacture of ships was signed with Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in 1951. The first aircraft carrier, Forrestal, was launched into the ocean in 1955. It is currently in the US Navy.
Length: 326 m
The largest aircraft carriers in the world include a series of American ships Kitty Hawk. In total, 4 ships were created, released in the 60s. In fact, these cruisers are a continuation of the Forrestal project. However, the new vessels received a longer base length and a different arrangement of elevators. For the manufacture of Kitty Hawk used the most durable metal alloys. It should be noted that after cold war only 2 ships from the Nimitz series remained in the American armed forces. Despite the modernization of the Constellation and John F. Kennedy, they were written off.
Length: 332.8 m
The largest warships in history include a ship named after John C. Stennis. From 1969 to 1981, the ship was administered by a Senate Committee. In 1993, it underwent a major modification. As a result of the modernization, the ship received 4 catapults, 2000 telephones, 4 elevators for aircraft. The platform also included 5617 seats, 2 anchors, 2700 cabins. In total, 55,000 tons of the best steel were used. Unfortunately, the ship was written off for unknown reasons.
Humans have long sought to create something great by raising the bar over and over again and engaging in an ongoing display of superiority and power. Each new creation, structure or mechanism had to be stronger, faster, higher, wider, larger and more durable than the previous ones. The military industry is no exception. Since ancient times, the strength of the navy largely determined the winner of the battle and clearly demonstrated the alignment of forces. Civilizations constantly fought for fertile land and influence in strategically advantageous sea basins. As a result, thousands of magnificent and amazing ships have been built over the past centuries, designed to testify military power of their country. In this compilation, 25 of the largest warships ever launched are waiting for you.
25. America-class amphibious assault ships
America is a huge assault ship and one of the largest ships in the US Navy. So far, only one ship of this configuration exists, and that is USS America, built in 2014. The length of the vessel is 257 meters, and its displacement is about 45,000 tons!
24. Shokaku-class warship
Photo: wikimedia.org
Both Shokaku-class aircraft carriers were built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late 1930s. The construction of the ships was completed shortly before the outbreak of World War II in 1941, and these ships were at one time considered in fact "undoubtedly the best aircraft carriers in the world." Vessel Shokaku class reached 257.5 meters in length. Both giants were sunk by the enemy in 1944.
23. Audacious-class ships
Photo: anonymous, 09 HMS Eagle Mediterranean Jan1970
The Audacious-class aircraft carriers were designed by military engineers for the British government in the 1930s and 1940s. Show in action while fighting Nazi Germany they never succeeded, since the construction of these ships was completed after the end of the Second World War. The Audacious warships participated in exercises and strategic operations from 1951 to 1979. The length of such a vessel was 257.6 meters.
22. Taiho-class aircraft carrier
Photo: wikimedia.org
Taiho was first launched in 1941, and it was an aircraft carrier of the Empire of Japan, built to participate in the battles of World War II. The total length of the ship was 260.6 meters, and its design assumed invulnerability even in the face of massive bombardment, torpedoing and other hull attacks. The aircraft carrier Taiho was supposed to be able to continue the battle in any conditions, but in 1944 she managed to sink everything. The ship sank after a direct hit by a torpedo fired by the American submarine USS Albacore during a fierce battle in the Philippine Sea.
21. Warship Akagi
Photo: wikimedia.org
There were many glorious ships in the Japanese navy, and Akagi is another famous aircraft carrier of this Asian empire, which served it from 1927 to 1942. The ship distinguished itself first in the Second Sino-Japanese War of the 1930s, and then during World War II in the legendary attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Last fight aircraft carrier was the battle of Midway Atoll in June 1942. Akagi was seriously injured in the battle, and his captain decided to sink the ship himself, which was a common practice among the captains of the Japanese Navy in those years. The length of the ship was 261.2 meters.
20. Charles de Gaulle-class warship
Photo: wikimedia.org
Let's go straight to the numbers - the length of the French flagship Charles de Gaulle is 261.5 meters, and its displacement is 42,500 tons. To date, this warship is considered the largest warship in the entire Western Europe, still launched to participate in exercises and strategic operations. The flagship Charles de Gaulle was commissioned for the first time in 1994, and today this nuclear-powered vessel remains the leading aircraft carrier of the French Navy.
19. Ship INS Vikrant
Photo: Indian Navy
Here is the first aircraft carrier built in India. The length of this warship is 262 meters, and it is about 40,000 tons. Vikrant is still in the process of fitting out and is scheduled for completion in 2023. The name of the aircraft carrier from the Indian language is translated as "courageous" or "daring".
18. English warship HMS Hood
Photo: wikipedia.org
And this is one of the oldest warships on our list of the largest naval ships in the world. HMS Hood was the last battlecruiser built for the British Royal Navy. Launched in August 1918, HMS Hood was 262.3 meters long and boasted a displacement of 46,680 tons. The impressive cruiser was sunk by the Germans during World War II in the Battle of Denmark Strait in 1941.
17. Graf Zeppelin-class warship
Photo: wikipedia.org
The four Graf Zeppelin-class ships were to become Kriegsmarine ships (Kriegsmarine, the German navy of the Third Reich era), and their construction was planned as early as the 1930s. However, due to political disagreements between the German Navy and the Luftwaffe (Luftwaffe, the air force in the Reichswehr, Wehrmacht and Bundeswehr), due to disagreements among the highest ranks of the Kriegsmarine itself, and because Adolf Hitler lost interest in this project, none of these impressive aircraft carriers was never launched. As planned by the engineers, the length of such a ship was to be 262.5 meters.
16. Yamato-class warships 
Photo: wikimedia.org
The Yamato-class ships were Imperial Japanese Navy warships built and launched during World War II. The maximum displacement of these giants was 72,000 tons, for which they are still considered one of the heaviest warships in the history of the navy of the whole world. The total length of the Yamato-class vessel was 263 meters, and although 5 of these warships were originally planned, only 3 were eventually completed.
15. Clemenceau-class vessel
Photo: wikimedia.org
The Clemenceau-class aircraft carriers were a pair of warships that served with the French Navy from 1961 to 2000. In 2000, one of these aircraft carriers, Clemenceau, was disarmed and dismantled, and the second, Foch, was transferred to the Brazilian Navy. The aircraft carrier Foch remains in the port of Sao Paolo to this day. Its total length is 265 meters.
14 Essex Aircraft Carriers 
Photo: wikimedia.org
Here is the foremost power of the US Navy during World War II, the Essex-class aircraft carrier. In the 20th century, this type of warship was the most common type of large warship. There were 24 of them in total, and 4 of these aircraft carriers are now open to the public as floating museums of the history of the American Navy. So if you happen to go to the states and want to get on board a real battle cruiser, the ships Yorktown, Intrepid, Hornet and Lexington will gladly open the veil of military secrets of the mid-20th century for you.
13. Combat aircraft carrier Shinano
Photo: wikimedia.org
Shinano was a huge aircraft carrier that served in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. The ship was 266.1 meters long and weighed 65,800 tons. However, the Japanese rushed to launch it, because at that time Shinano still needed design work. Probably for this reason, the giant aircraft carrier lasted only 10 days in the war and was sunk at the end of 1944.
12. Iowa-class warship
Photo: wikipedia.org
Fast battleships Iowa class were built by order of the US Navy in 1939 and 1940 in the amount of 6 combat units. As a result, only 4 ships out of 6 were launched, but all of them took part in a number of important confrontations for America, including World War II, Korean and Vietnam War. The length of these artillery armored ships was 270 meters, and the displacement was 45,000 tons.
11. Lexington-class aircraft carrier
Photo: wikipedia.org
In total, 2 such aircraft carriers were built, and both ships were designed by order of the US Navy in the 1920s. This class of ships performed very well and was seen in many battles. One of these warships was the aircraft carrier Lexington, which was sunk by the enemy during the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942. The second ship, Saratoga, was blown up during testing. atomic bomb in 1946.
10. Kiev-class warship
Photo: wikimedia.org
Also known as Project 1143 or the aircraft carrier Krechet, the Kyiv-class ship was the first Soviet aircraft carrier to transport fixed-wing aircraft. To date, of the 4 ships built, one has been dismantled, 2 are out of order, and the last, Admiral Gorshkov, was sold to the Indian Navy, where it is still in service.
9. Queen Elizabeth class warship
Photo: UK Department of Defense, flickr
She is one of two Queen Elizabeth class ships and both are still in the process of fitting out for the Royal Navy. The first ship is HMS Queen Elizabeth, and all work on its construction will be completed in 2017, the second - HMS Prince of Wales, which is scheduled to be launched in 2020. The length of the hull of HMS aircraft carriers is 284 meters each, and the maximum displacement is 70,600 tons.
8. Ship type Admiral Kuznetsov
Photo: Mil.ru
The Admiral Kuznetsov-class aircraft carriers were the last warships of their kind built for the Soviet Navy. In total, 2 ships of this class are known, and this is the Admiral Kuznetsov board (launched in 1990, still in the ranks of the Russian Navy), as well as Liaoning (sold to China, construction was completed in 2012). The hull length of aircraft carriers of this class is 302 meters.
7. Midway class aircraft carrier
Photo: wikimedia.org
The Midway-class aircraft-carrying cruiser project proved to be one of the most reliable and enduring design solutions in the history of the Navy. The first flagship of this type, launched in 1945, was the USS Midway, and it served american army until 1992. The last task of the vessel was participation in the operation "in the desert" in 1991. Another ship of this class is the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt and was retired from service in 1977. A third aircraft carrier, USS Coral Sea, was placed on standby in 1990.
6. USS John F. Kennedy
Photo: wikipedia.org
Secondly nicknamed Big John, the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy is one of a kind and the last non-nuclear US Navy ship. The vessel reaches 320 meters in length, and once it was even capable of conducting combat operations against submarines.
5. Forrestal-class warship
Photo: wikipedia.org
Here is one of 4 Forrestal-class aircraft carriers, designed and built specifically for the US Army in the 1950s. The ships Forrestal, Saratoga, Ranger and Independence were the first supercarriers to combine significant displacement, elevators and a corner deck. Their length is 325 meters, and the maximum weight is 60,000 tons.
4. Combat ship Kitty Hawk
Photo: wikipedia.org
The Kitty Hawk class was the next generation of US Navy supercarriers after the Forrestal class. 3 ships were built in this line (Kitty Hawk, Constellation, America), all of them were ready for launching in the 1960s, and today they have already been decommissioned. The hull length is 327 meters.
3. Nimitz-class aircraft carrier
Photo: wikimedia.org
The Nimitz ships are 10 nuclear-powered supercarriers owned by navy America. With an overall length of 333 meters and a maximum displacement of over 100,000 tons, these vessels are considered the world's largest warships underway. They have taken part in many battles around the world, including Operation Eagle Claw in Iran, the Gulf War, and the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
2. Warship Gerald R. Ford
Photo: wikimedia.org
This type of ship is planned to replace some of the still operational Nimitz-class supercarriers. The hull of the new ships will be very similar to the Nimitz cruisers, but, as for technical equipment, the Gerald R. Ford class will be much more modern. In particular, such innovations as an electromagnetic catapult for launching aircraft and many other technological solutions are already planned to increase the efficiency of the ship and reduce the cost of its operation. The Gerald R. Ford aircraft carriers will be slightly longer than the Nimitz class, at 337 meters.
1. Combat vessel USS Enterprise
Photo: wikimedia.org
Here is the leader of our list and the first supercarrier with a nuclear power plant. USS Enterprise is the longest (342 meters) and most famous warship in the world. It has served the US Army for 51 years and is therefore also considered one of the longest lasting US aircraft carriers. The USS Enterprise saw action in many battles including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, and the Korean War. In addition, this cruiser took part in the filming feature films. For example, some scenes from Star Trek and Top Gun (Star Trek) were filmed on the deck of the USS Enterprise, which is rightfully considered the largest American aircraft carrier and one of the 10 most dangerous warships on the planet.
AT different time these giants terrified the enemy. But the world will remember them not only as a formidable weapon of war. The names of the largest warships of their time are forever inscribed in golden letters in world history.
7. nuclear cruiser project 1144 "Orlan"
Country Russia
length: 250 m
width: 28.5 m
displacement: 25,860 tons (full)
crew: 1035 people
"Peter the Great" - this is the proud name of the only heavy nuclear missile cruiser of project 1144 "Orlan" to date (four such ships were built in total). Project 1144 is iconic in every sense. Now "Peter the Great" is the largest warship in the world, not counting aircraft carriers. But the cruiser is famous not only for its size. In open combat, it outperforms any non-aircraft carrier. P-700 Granit cruise missiles with a range of up to 625 km pose a threat even to aircraft carriers (although, to be honest, the ship itself is a convenient target due to its size). Soon, Peter the Great may receive new Zircon hypersonic missiles, thus becoming even more dangerous.
6. Universal landing ships of the type "America"
Country: USA
length: 257.3 m
width: 32.3 m
displacement: 45,700 tons (gross)
crew: 1059 crew members + troops
Universal landing ships, as you might guess, were created for landing operations. But the Americans have thoroughly expanded this definition. The new UDC of the "America" type is, in fact, a mini-aircraft carrier that is capable of carrying a solid aviation group of 22 fifth-generation F-35B fighters. These aircraft will take off from the deck using a short takeoff run and land vertically. But there are other configurations: the UDC can carry many V-22 convertiplanes, which can deliver troops by air much faster than conventional helicopters. The lead ship of the USS America (LHA 6) series was commissioned into the US fleet in 2014, and in total the Americans want to get twelve such ships. In the future, they will replace the UDC of the Wasp type.
5. Wasp-class amphibious assault ships
Country: USA
length: 257.30 m
width: 42.67 m
displacement: 40,532 tons (gross)
crew: 1147 crew members + troops
Until the advent of "America", ships of the "Wasp" type had no competitors in size among the UDC. They were created specifically to ensure transportation by sea and landing on an unequipped coast of an expeditionary battalion. marines, whose number can reach almost 1900 people. Support for the paratroopers can be provided by AV-8B Harrier II vertical takeoff and landing combat aircraft (their number can reach 20). The Marines also have AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters at their disposal. In the aft part of the Wasp there is a large room where the equipment used for landing operations. In total, the US Navy received eight such ships.
4. Clemenceau-class aircraft carriers
Country: Brazil
length: 265.0 m
width: 51.2 m
displacement: 32,780 tons (full)
crew: 1338 people
In fact, aircraft carriers of the Clemenceau type were created not in Brazil, but in France, and back in the 50s. After the advent of the much more modern Charles de Gaulle, they were removed from service, and one of the ships was transferred to the Brazilian Navy, where it continues to serve to this day. In Brazil, the ship was named "São Paulo". Even today, it remains a fairly formidable combat unit that can carry up to 40 aircraft, including fifteen French Super Étendard carrier-based attack aircraft.
3. Aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle"
Country: France
length: 261.5 m
width: 64.36 m
displacement: 42,000 tons (gross)
crew: 1200 people
This is the only nuclear aircraft carrier of the French Navy: the authorities wanted to lay down another one, but this idea was abandoned, given the huge cost of a warship. In any case, we have before us the largest European aircraft carrier. The basis of the power of this ship is the 4++ Rafale M generation fighters. In total, it can carry up to 40 aircraft. In terms of its combat potential, Charles de Gaulle loses to American aircraft carriers (they are larger in size and can carry more winged vehicles). However, the "Charles de Gaulle" also proved its combat capability more than once, in particular during the operation in Syria. British aircraft carriers of the Queen Elizabeth class will soon replace the Charles de Gaulle: when they are put into operation, they will become the largest warships in Europe.
2. Aircraft-carrying cruisers of project 1143
(characteristics correspond to TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov")
country Russia
length: 306.45 m
width: 71.96 m
displacement: 59,100 tons (full)
crew: 1980 people
Let's clarify: under the definition of "project 1143" there are several subtypes of aircraft carriers. Four of them ("Kyiv", "Minsk", "Novorossiysk", "Baku") could use Yak-38 vertical takeoff and landing attack aircraft. Later, on the basis of project 1143, the ship of project 1143.5 "Admiral Kuznetsov" was built, as well as two more aircraft-carrying cruisers ("Varyag" and "Ulyanovsk"), which received an expanded take-off deck and the ability to use aircraft with conventional takeoff and landing, such as the Su- 33. The fate of all these ships was different. "Admiral Kuznetsov" became the only Russian aircraft carrier. But the Varyag turned into the Chinese Liaoning. The ship "Baku" was modernized and joined the ranks of the Indian Navy under the name "Vikramaditya". "Ulyanovsk" was never completed, although conceptually it was the most advanced of the entire series: it had a steam catapult and, in theory, could use AWACS aircraft.
1. Nimitz-class aircraft carriers
Country: USA
length: 332.8 m
width: 78.4 m
displacement: 106,300 tons
crew: 5680 people
Finally, the well-deserved first place in our ranking went to the American giant Nimitz, the largest and most powerful warship of all that are currently in operation. It can accommodate almost 90 aircraft on board! For comparison, "Admiral Kuznetsov" can carry no more than 50 aircraft. The Nimitz air group includes F / A-18 fighters, EA-6B electronic warfare aircraft, E-2C early warning aircraft and other aircraft. The Americans commissioned ten such ships: they were actively used, in particular, during the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the Nimitz is not eternal, and soon this type of ship will be replaced by other aircraft carriers of the Gerald R. Ford type. They will be just as huge, and in addition, they will be able to carry fifth-generation F-35C fighters. In general, Ford will become more economical than its "big brother" while maintaining high combat capabilities.