Naval Power: Aircraft Carriers by Country

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While the USA spends more on its military than the next 10 countries combined, the aircraft carrier capacity is particularly stark.

The USA controls 61% of the world's total carrier capacity by displacement.

🇹🇭 Thailand	11,486 tons	Chakri Naruebet (911) (Príncipe de Asturias class) 11,486 ton, 183 m Conventional power STOVL Helicopter Carrier Commissioned 1997-08-10
🇧🇷 Brazil	21,500 tons	Atlântico (A140) (Ocean class) 21,500 ton, 203 m Conventional power VTOL LPH Commissioned 2018-06-29
🇪🇸 Spain	26,000 tons	Juan Carlos I (L61) (Juan Carlos I class) 26,000 ton, 231 m Conventional power STOVL LHD Commissioned 2010-09-30
🇹🇷 Turkey	27,079 tons	Anadolu (L-400) (Anadolu class) 27,079 ton, 232 m Conventional power V/STOL LHD Commissioned 2023-04-10
🇸🇰 South Korea	37,600 tons	Marado (LPH-6112) (Dokdo class) 18,800 ton, 199 m Conventional power VTOL LPH Commissioned 2021-06-28 Dokdo (LPH-6111) (Dokdo class) 18,800 ton, 199 m Conventional power VTOL LPH Commissioned 2007-07-03
🇪🇬 Egypt	42,600 tons	Anwar El Sadat (L1020) (Mistral class) 21,300 ton, 199 m Conventional power VTOL LHD Commissioned 2016-09-16 Gamal Abdel Nasser (L1010) (Mistral class) 21,300 ton, 199 m Conventional power VTOL LHD Commissioned 2016-06-02
🇮🇹 Italy	43,850 tons	Cavour (C 550) (Cavour class) 30,000 ton, 244 m Conventional power STOVL Aircraft carrier Commissioned 2008-03-27 Giuseppe Garibaldi (C 551) (Giuseppe Garibaldi class) 13,850 ton, 180 m Conventional power STOVL ASW carrier Commissioned 1985-09-30
🇦🇺 Australia	54,200 tons	Adelaide (L01) (Canberra/Juan Carlos I class) 27,100 ton, 230 m Conventional power STOVL LHD Commissioned 2015-12-04 Canberra (L02) (Canberra/Juan Carlos I class) 27,100 ton, 230 m Conventional power STOVL LHD Commissioned 2014-11-28
🇷🇺 Russia	58,600 tons	Admiral Kuznetsov (063) (Kuznetsov class) 58,600 ton, 306 m Conventional power STOBAR Aircraft cruiser Commissioned 1991-01-21
🇮🇳 India	90,400 tons	Vikrant (R11) (Vikrant class) 45,000 ton, 262 m Conventional power STOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 2022-09-02 Vikramaditya (R33) (Vikramaditya/Kiev class) 45,400 ton, 284 m Conventional power STOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 2013-11-16
🇯🇵 Japan	92,000 tons	Kaga (DDH-184) (Izumo class) 27,000 ton, 248 m Conventional power VTOL Light aircraft carrier Commissioned 2017-03-22 Izumo (DDH-183) (Izumo class) 27,000 ton, 248 m Conventional power VTOL Light aircraft carrier Commissioned 2015-03-25 Ise (DDH-182) (Hyūga class) 19,000 ton, 197 m Conventional power VTOL Helicopter destroyer Commissioned 2011-03-16 Hyūga (DDH-181) (Hyūga class) 19,000 ton, 197 m Conventional power VTOL Helicopter destroyer Commissioned 2009-03-18
🇫🇷 France	105,900 tons	Charles de Gaulle (R91) (Charles de Gaulle class) 42,000 ton, 262 m Nuclear power CATOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 2001-05-18 Dixmude (L9015) (Mistral class) 21,300 ton, 199 m Conventional power VTOL LHD Commissioned 2012-12-27 Tonnerre (L9014) (Mistral class) 21,300 ton, 199 m Conventional power VTOL LHD Commissioned 2006-12-01 Mistral (L9013) (Mistral class) 21,300 ton, 199 m Conventional power VTOL LHD Commissioned 2006-02-01
🇬🇧 United Kingdom	130,000 tons	Prince of Wales (R09) (Queen Elizabeth class) 65,000 ton, 280 m Conventional power STOVL Aircraft carrier Commissioned 2019-12-10 Queen Elizabeth (R08) (Queen Elizabeth class) 65,000 ton, 280 m Conventional power STOVL Aircraft carrier Commissioned 2017-12-07
🇨🇳 China	225,900 tons	Shandong (17) (Type 002/Kuznetsov class) 60,000 ton, 305 m Conventional power STOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 2019-12-17 Liaoning (16) (Type 001/Kuznetsov class) 60,900 ton, 306 m Conventional power STOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 2012-09-25 Anhui (33) (Type 075 class) 35,000 ton, 232 m Conventional power VTOL LHD Commissioned 2022-10-01 Guangxi (32) (Type 075 class) 35,000 ton, 232 m Conventional power VTOL LHD Commissioned 2021-12-26 Hainan (31) (Type 075 class) 35,000 ton, 232 m Conventional power VTOL LHD Commissioned 2021-04-23
🇺🇸 United States	1,519,741 tons	Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) (Ford class) 101,600 ton, 337 m Nuclear power CATOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 2017-07-22 George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) (Nimitz class) 103,600 ton, 333 m Nuclear power CATOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 2009-01-10 Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) (Nimitz class) 103,000 ton, 333 m Nuclear power CATOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 2003-07-12 Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) (Nimitz class) 105,600 ton, 333 m Nuclear power CATOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 1998-07-25 John C. Stennis (CVN-74) (Nimitz class) 105,000 ton, 333 m Nuclear power CATOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 1995-12-09 George Washington (CVN-73) (Nimitz class) 105,900 ton, 333 m Nuclear power CATOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 1992-07-04 Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) (Nimitz class) 106,000 ton, 333 m Nuclear power CATOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 1989-11-11 Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) (Nimitz class) 106,300 ton, 333 m Nuclear power CATOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 1986-10-25 Carl Vinson (CVN-70) (Nimitz class) 102,900 ton, 333 m Nuclear power CATOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 1982-03-13 Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) (Nimitz class) 103,300 ton, 333 m Nuclear power CATOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 1977-10-18 Nimitz (CVN-68) (Nimitz class) 101,600 ton, 333 m Nuclear power CATOBAR Aircraft carrier Commissioned 1975-05-03 Tripoli (LHA-7) (America class) 45,000 ton, 257 m Conventional power STOVL LHA Commissioned 2020-07-15 America (LHA-6) (America class) 45,000 ton, 257 m Conventional power STOVL LHA Commissioned 2014-10-11 Makin Island (LHD-8) (Wasp class) 41,649 ton, 257 m Conventional power STOVL LHD Commissioned 2009-10-24 Iwo Jima (LHD-7) (Wasp class) 40,530 ton, 257 m Conventional power STOVL LHD Commissioned 2001-06-30 Bataan (LHD-5) (Wasp class) 40,358 ton, 257 m Conventional power STOVL LHD Commissioned 1997-09-20 Boxer (LHD-4) (Wasp class) 40,722 ton, 257 m Conventional power STOVL LHD Commissioned 1995-02-11 Kearsarge (LHD-3) (Wasp class) 40,500 ton, 257 m Conventional power STOVL LHD Commissioned 1993-10-16 Essex (LHD-2) (Wasp class) 40,650 ton, 257 m Conventional power STOVL LHD Commissioned 1992-10-17 Wasp (LHD-1) (Wasp class) 40,532 ton, 257 m Conventional power STOVL LHD Commissioned 1989-07-29

Notes

Images are sized in propoprtion to carrier displacement.
Officially two of the Japanese carriers are classified as “helicopter destroyers” and not carriers to get around constitutional restrictions.
While Thailand has a carrier it is almost always in port.

Published: 2023-05-21

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