A person is ready to protect his peace by any means. The expanses of the ocean, for example, contain units of incredible size, designed to serve for the benefit of peace and tranquility. The largest aircraft carriers will be discussed below.
1 place
Enterprise. An incredibly sized aircraft carrier worth $451 million. Equipped with a nuclear installation, it is 342 meters long. The project envisaged the production of five more similar structures, however, the cost of building the Enterprise showed that such plans would be too expensive for the US armed forces. First launched in 1961. The total displacement of the ship is 93,400 tons.
2nd place 
Nimitz. Another brainchild of America, launched in 1975. A dozen more ships were built according to Nimitz’s design, the last of which was commissioned in 2009. The cost of this type of aircraft carrier turned out to be less than the Enterprise, so serial production was launched. The length of the unit is 333 meters. Total displacement – 106 thousand tons.
3rd place 
Lincoln . Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, launched in 1988, the fifth ship in the project. Known for being used during combat in Iraq, it was also featured in several films. The length of the vessel is 332.8 m, the ship's displacement is 97 thousand tons. The ship's aviation group consists of 90 airplanes and helicopters.
4th place 
Kitty Hawk . Once again, the United States leads the list of producers of the world's most powerful aircraft carriers. Kitty Hawk reaches a length of 327 meters and is equipped with modern electronics and sonar systems. The ship does not have nuclear artillery like its successors. Launched in 1955. The ship's displacement is 93 thousand tons.
5th place 
Forrestal . Named after the first US Department of Defense, Forrestal was also the first project after World War II. All the experience gained as a result of combat operations was collected by the best military engineers and embodied in this aircraft carrier. Its length is 325 meters, displacement is 81 thousand tons. Used since 1955. One of the notable incidents associated with this aircraft carrier was a fire that occurred in 1967. The official version says that the fire was the result of an independent launch of a rocket under the influence of a power surge.
6th place 
John Kennedy . The aircraft carrier is 320 meters long and again made in the USA. The fourth follower of Kitty Hawk, named after the 35th President of America. Initially, it was planned to equip it with a nuclear installation, but later the project was revised, deciding in favor of gas turbine generators. In operation since 1968. The vessel's displacement is 82 thousand tons.
7th place 
Midway . The discoverer of heavy American aircraft carriers, 306 meters long. The ship has a rich history, having been actively used during the bombing of Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm. Today it has already been withdrawn from the fleet, but continues to function in a different way - as a museum ship.
8th place 
Admiral Kuznetsov . Built in the USSR, from the Black Sea Shipbuilding Plant. Named in honor of the Admiral of the USSR Fleet, it was intended for attacks against large targets and protection of maritime space. The aircraft carrier houses fighter jets and helicopters during cruises. The length of the ship is 302 meters, released in 1990. Displacement – 59 thousand tons.
9th place 
Lexington . The 271-meter-long aircraft carrier is one of the historical ones in the United States. Launched in 1929, it was equipped with a superstructure and nuclear installations, as well as an armored hull. Total displacement - 47,700 tons.
10th place 
Shinano . The representative of Japan is among the largest aircraft carriers in the world, has a length of 266 m. Launched in 1944. It is noteworthy that by the beginning of the war the ship was only half ready and was built according to the design of a battleship. However, after the defeat of the Japanese army at Midway, it was decided to rebuild the ship into an aircraft carrier. The thickness of the armor of the newly-made aircraft carrier was 178 mm, equipped with tanks for storing aviation fuel with a volume of 718 tons. The total displacement of the ship is 71,890 tons.
America has long been recognized as the country with the most powerful weapons. It is there that the largest aircraft carrier fleet in the world is located.
Today, the United States of America has eleven operational aircraft carriers, ten of which are in naval service and one is under construction. All 10 aircraft carriers were built from Nimitz-class ships, which replaced the previous ones that had failed. Before the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, there were several other types, for example, the Midway class of 1952, the escort aircraft carriers Sangamon of 1942, the Forrestal ships from 1955, the Kitty Hawk, developed back in the 1960s (remarkably , that only four ships of this type were produced), Saipan since the 1940s (there are only two ships). All of the listed models are currently withdrawn from service and are no longer produced.
Registered combat vessels in the American Navy as of today:
- USS Nimit, CVN-68, is the first aircraft carrier currently stationed at Everett;
- “Dwight Eisenhower” number CVN-69;
- “Carl Vinson” number CVN-70, located in San Diego;
- “Theodore Roosevelt” number CVN-71;
- “Abraham Lincoln” with the number CVN-72, until 2015, will be in Norfolk for recharging of the nuclear reactor core;
- "George Washington" number CVN-73, sent to Yokosuka;
- “John C. Stennis” number CVN-74;
- “Harry Truman” number CVN-75;
- “Ronald Reagan” number CVN-76;
- George Bush number CVN-77, the last Nimitz-class ship in operational condition.
The first US aircraft carrier was commissioned in 1975, and the last in 2009.
The eleventh US aircraft carrier, proudly named Gerald Ford and assigned the serial number CVN-78, is being built in the new Ford class. The construction of these nuclear multipurpose ships began in 2009. They are an improved version of the Nimitz class aircraft carriers. The differences between them are a significant increase in size and improvement of weapons. They plan to introduce the latest developments and elements of stealth technology in the Ford class ships. Because of this, the crew of the new ship will decrease by 500-900 people. Construction of the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford is scheduled to be completed in 2015. In addition to it, it is planned to launch two more ships of similar models to replenish the US fleet. Afterwards, according to a special program developed by the Secretary of the American Navy, one ship will be produced every five years until the number of new ships in the fleet is ten.
The Gerald Ford is the first aircraft carrier to be constructed entirely in 3D design. In addition, significant changes were made to the internal contents of the vessel:
- the area intended for aircraft departures has been expanded;
- a nuclear reactor after modernization will be able to operate continuously for up to 50 years without replacing fuel rods;
- ammunition will consist of bombs and air-to-ground missiles.
These aircraft carriers will be able to carry about ninety helicopters and airplanes, as well as other aircraft. In the United States, it is planned that ships of this class will replace older ones that are approaching their final service life of 50 years.
In this review I would like to talk about one of the mandatory attributes of military superpowers - aircraft carriers. Having one in your arsenal is a status task, although not at all cheap.
Currently, there are only 10 countries that have aircraft carriers in their navies. There are a total of 22 operational aircraft carriers (21 if you do not count the unused American Enterprise and the still not transferred to India Vikramaditya).
The undisputed first place in the number of aircraft carriers is occupied by the United States. This country boasts 11 ships in service.
Second place with 2 aircraft carriers each in service is shared by Italy and Spain.
Third place is occupied by a group of countries that currently have 1 aircraft carrier each. These are Russia, China, Brazil, France, Thailand, India (will join the second group with 2 aircraft carriers in the near future) and Great Britain.
Given the relatively small number of operating aircraft carriers, here is a list of them, in order of commissioning:
- Enterprise, USA (out of service since December 2012, due to be decommissioned in March 2013)
- Nimitz, USA
- , USA
- Carl Vinson, USA
- Illustrious, UK
- Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italy
- Theodore Roosevelt, USA
- Viraat, India
- Prince of Asturias, Spain
- Abraham Lincoln, USA
- Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia
- George Washington, USA
- John Stennis, USA
- Harry Truman, USA
- Chakri Narubet, Thailand
- Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Charles de Gaulle, France
- Ronald Reagan, USA
- Count Cavour, Italy
- George Bush, USA
- Juan Carlos, Spain
- Liaoning, China
- Vikramaditya, India (not yet completed)
We begin our series of publications with the US Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the oldest aircraft carrier in operation.
US Navy aircraft carrier Nimitz
Aircraft carrier Nimitz(USS Nimitz (CVN-68)) was laid down back in 1968, launched in 1972 and put into operation in 1975. Named after Chester William Nimitz, Fleet Admiral, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet during World War II, and the man who signed the Japanese Surrender Act on September 2, 1945, on behalf of the United States.
The Nimitz served in Operation Eagle Claw, Operation Desert Storm, and the Iraq War. Provided security for the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers were the largest warships produced in the 20th century.
Name: USS Nimitz (CVN-68)
Nickname: Old Salt (experienced sailor, "sea wolf")
Classification: Nimitz-class supercarrier
Manufacturer: Newport News Shipbuilding
Lifetime: until 2025 (50 years)
Approximate cost:$4.5 billion at entry into service in 1975 prices (approximately $8.3 billion in 2007 prices)
Cost of annual operation:$160 million
Home port: Naval Station Everett, 47° 59′ 33.54″ N, 122° 13′ 5.79″ W
Ship's motto: Teamwork, a Tradition (teamwork is a tradition)
Performance characteristics of the aircraft carrier Nimitz
Displacement: 98425 standard
Length: 317 m at waterline
332.8 m largest
Width: 40.8 m at waterline
76.8 m largest
Draft: 11.3 m normal
12.5 m limit
Booking: secret information (thank you to whoever finds it!)
Engines: 2 Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors
4 steam turbines, 4 propulsors,
Power: 260,000 hp
WITHcrust: up to 31.5 knots (58.3 km/h)
Cruising range: not limited
Autonomy: 20-25 years
Crew: Team: 3200 people
Air wing: 2480 people
Armament
| Radioelectronic |
Air surveillance radar: Fire control radar: Air traffic control radar: Landing control radar: |
| Radioelectronic |
Electronic warfare system Torpedo protection system |
| Rocket | 2x Sea RAM air defense systems 2x Sea Sparrow air defense systems |
| Air group | up to 90 planes and helicopters As of 2010: 55 F/A-18С and F/A-18E/F 4 EA-6B 4 E-2C 4 SH-60F 2 HH-60H |
USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group
The aircraft carrier Nimitz is part of Carrier Strike Group Eleven (CSG-11) and hosts Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11). Nimitz is the flagship of the battle group and the headquarters of the commander of Destroyer Squadron 23 (Destroyer Squadron 23).
Ships of the destroyer squadron DESRON-23
- USS Curts (FFG 38)
- USS Vandegrift (FFG 48)
- USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53)
- USS Pinckney (DDG 91)
- USS Sampson (DDG 102)
- USS William P. Lawrence (DDG-110)
- USS Spruance (DDG-111)
CVW-11 Wing Squadrons
- Strike Fighter Squadron 154 (VFA-154) Black Knights, F/A-18F Super Hornets
- Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 (VMFA-323) Death Rattlers, F/A-18C Hornets
- Strike Fighter Squadron 146 (VFA-146) Blue Diamonds, F/A-18C Hornets
- Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA-147) Argonauts, F/A-18E Super Hornets
- 142nd EW Squadron (Electronic Attack Squadron 142, VAQ-142) "Gray Wolves", EA-6B Prowlers
- Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 117 (VAW-117) Wallbangers, E-2C Hawkeyes
- Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 6 (HSC-6) "Screamin" Indians, MH-60S
- Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 75 (HSM-75) Wolf Pack, MH-60R
- Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30 Detachment 3, VRC-30 "Providers", C-2A Greyhounds
Current events
November 12, 2012 The aircraft carrier Nimitz, the 11th carrier strike group (CSG-11) and the 11th air wing (CVW-11) successfully completed joint exercises (Joint Task Force Exercise, JTFEX), a foreign source reports. The exercise was designed to test the team's ability to operate in a hostile and complex environment alongside other U.S. and coalition forces.
The integrated exercise brings together separate war zones to prepare for the upcoming strike force deployment.
"Nimitz, CSG-11 and CVW-11 demonstrated tremendous resilience and competency in executing training missions as an integrated force during Exercise JTFEX," said Rear Adm. Pete Gumataotao, commander of Carrier Strike Group 11. "Following the integrated exercise, I am confident that we are now fully combat-ready and combat-ready to respond quickly to any maritime operation."
More than 8,000 sailors worked together to improve their operational skills in preparation for the upcoming deployment. At the conclusion of the exercise, US 3rd Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Gerald Beaman confirmed Carrier Strike Group 11's readiness for "critical combat operations" and deployment. According to him, CSG-11 is capable of supporting any maritime strategic mission of the US Navy even before its deployment.
"I am extremely proud of the 11th Battle Group's performance during the past two months of integrated and joint exercises," said Rear Adm. Guamataotao. "We are ready to support U.S. Navy missions anywhere, anytime."
US 3rd Fleet leads maritime forces in the Eastern Pacific from the west coast of North America and is responsible for conducting realistic and meaningful exercises essential to the global effectiveness of the US Navy.
November 23, 2012 another foreign source said the aircraft carrier Nimitz had been diagnosed with technical problems that would keep it offshore for at least two months.
In addition to a thorough review of the aging U.S. Navy, Nimitz's propulsion problem will leave only one aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf for the first time since December 2010.
With an estimated service life of 50 years, Nimitz is more than 10 years away from eventual retirement. This service life is expected with regular maintenance and major overhauls such as those performed on the Nimitz in Bremerton, Washington in 2011.
The carrier spent more than a year in port undergoing maintenance and returned to service in March 2012, and the extent of the propulsion failure after such an extensive overhaul is still subject to confirmation by the US Navy.
Meanwhile, another Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CVN-69, will be weakened and cover the Nimitz rotation in the Persian Gulf. It is already in this part of the world with the US 5th Fleet in Bahrain, but will be returned to its home port in Norfolk to resurface the runway deck before heading back.
Replacement schedules are a part of life in the U.S. Navy, and crew members and their families try their best to keep it in mind as they go with the flow. But this is also a disruption to the life schedule of each participant in these events, the source reports.
Construction of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier
May 25, 2005: The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz CVN-68 leads a group of US Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force ships in the Pacific Ocean
September 6, 2003: USS Nimitz CVN-68 in the Indian Ocean, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom
USS Nimitz CVN-68 in dry dock
2010:USS Nimitz CVN-68 at Naval Station Coronado/San Diego, California32° 41′ 57″ N, 117° 12′ 55″ W . Near -USS Ronald Reagan CVN-76
November 5, 2012: Leisure time for the aircraft carrier crewUSS Nimitz CVN-68, Pie in the Face competition. Impressions of the competition participants (officers):
"I was sent (to the competition) by my department to take care of him and represent him well... We had a good time. I was able to relax and get away from the work environment for a little while, change it."
"The event was a moral stimulant, giving sailors the opportunity to have fun with members of their work centers by smearing whipped cream on their faces... It is a good way to relieve the stress of sailing and is not a form of ridicule. It is entertainment, pure and simple."
The navy is, of course, a source of special pride for any modern maritime power. Today, the most powerful flotilla in the world is unconditionally possessed. It is this country, which is actively laying claim to world domination, that pays the closest attention to the technical development of its ships, performing a wide variety of combat missions in all corners of the planet. This article will examine current US aircraft carriers.
As an introduction
In our modern times, there are only ten states in the world that have aircraft carriers as part of their naval forces. The undisputed leaders of the conditional rating are the Americans, who have 11 aircraft carriers. Second place was shared between Italy and Spain. These countries each have two of these ships. Next come France, Brazil, India, Thailand, and Great Britain. All of these states have one aircraft carrier.
Purpose
Modern aircraft carriers of the United States are, in fact, a vivid symbol of power and strength. US admirals call these ships the “backbone” of their entire country. In principle, this is easily explained, since these sea vessels are capable of staying autonomously for several months on the open sea or ocean, far from their land bases, and also moving at high speed to any point on the planet, taking part in hostilities against absolutely any enemy and at the same time be at a great distance from him, thereby ensuring a high level of personal safety.
Team Core
Despite how many aircraft carriers the United States has now and how many there will be in the future, these ships were, are and will be the backbone of an aircraft carrier strike group. Moreover, any such vessel does not have its own powerful defensive weapons and is not adapted to carry out independent actions. An aircraft carrier moves along the water surface under the cover of other ships. A distinctive feature of the strike group is its ability to cover a distance of almost 1,500 kilometers in a day and at the same time remain unnoticed by a potential enemy.
Wartime tasks
When considering the combat missions of aircraft carriers, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the purpose of the entire aircraft carrier strike group, which was created to:
- Strikes at various targets located both on the coast and on land.
- Air cover and support for landing forces and ground units that conduct their operations in the coastal zone.
- Gaining and maintaining absolute superiority in the airspace in the area of the planned military operation.
- Providing support for other ships, landing forces, convoys while they are moving across the sea.
- Blockades of the enemy's coastal line.
- Conducting tactical aviation reconnaissance.
As a matter of fact, in peacetime, the United States, through the use of air strike groups, shows the whole world its power and strength in key regions of the planet from a political point of view for the country.
American Titans
So, let's take a closer look at how many aircraft carriers there are in the United States. As mentioned above, there are eleven of them. The list of US aircraft carriers is as follows:
- "Nimitz".
- "Dwight Eisenhower."
- "Theodore Roosevelt."
- "Carl Vinson."
- "Abraham Lincoln".
- "George Washington".
- "John C. Stennis."
- "Harry Truman".
- "George Bush".
- "Ronald Reagan."
- "Gerald R. Ford."
Now let's get to know them better.
Sixth ship of the Nimitz class
This is exactly what the aircraft carrier George Washington is. The ship was launched in July 1990. The ship's technical capabilities allow it to carry about 90 aircraft and helicopters, which are lifted directly onto the deck using four freight elevators. The total deck area is 18,000 square meters. The aircraft carrier is capable of accommodating about 6,250 people on board. To stop the ship, it uses two anchors, each weighing 30 tons.
The ship became the first ship with a nuclear power plant for the United States to be permanently stationed at a military base on the territory of a foreign country. This happened in 2008, when the aircraft carrier was sent to Japan. That same year, an emergency occurred on the ship - a severe fire. The crew was able to completely extinguish the fire only after 12 hours, and the amount of damage amounted to about $70 million. 37 people were injured.
Ship of Presidents
"Carl Vinson" is an aircraft carrier that entered service in May 1982. The ship is named after the congressman who served as the head of the House Committee for 29 years. The ship's main duty stations were the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and the ship was also involved in the filming of the film "Top Gun".
After the destruction of Osama bin Laden in the spring of 2011, his body was delivered to this aircraft carrier, after which it was sent to the waters of the Arabian Sea. And six months later, Barack Obama and his wife attended a basketball match between student teams, which was held on the deck of this sea giant.
Ship for women
In fact, there is nothing offensive in this phrase for male sailors. It’s just that the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln became the first ship of its kind on which women were allowed to serve. Unfortunately, there was a tragedy here. In October 1994, officer Kara Hultring died during landing after a training flight.
During the 2003 combat operation in Iraq, the ship flew over 16,500 combat missions.
An aircraft carrier is a place where everything is subject to very clear coordination and order. Since the length of the runway is only 150 meters, fighter jets use a so-called catapult to take off, which, one might say, literally throws the plane into the air.
But the most important element of the runway is the brake cable. During landing, the aircraft pilot must be able to hook the hook onto one of four such locking elements. In this case, the plane lands at full speed. This is due to the fact that in case of failure, he will be obliged to make an emergency takeoff again. By the way, on the ship there is a so-called red room, in which pilots are on duty in full combat readiness around the clock, being ready to take off at any moment to complete a mission.
Interesting fact: twice a day, absolutely every member of the deck crew goes on a march. All these military men walk close to each other and examine the deck in detail in order to find various foreign objects that could cause extremely unwanted mechanical damage to the expensive turbine.
Fighter against ISIS
The aircraft carrier Harry Truman was launched on July 25, 1998, with the participation of the then US President. The construction of the ship cost the country's budget $4.5 billion. It is also worth noting that this American aircraft carrier has classified armor and a service life designed for 20-25 years.
The ship's first combat mission was a swim in the Persian Gulf in November 2000. At the end of December 2015, the aircraft carrier took an active part in the operation against the terrorist organization Islamic State. Aircraft sorties were carried out from the deck of the ship to carry out attacks on militant positions. The ship and its air wing interacted with those who also participated in the operation in Syria.
Ship of the future
The Ford-class aircraft carrier is an American combat ship that replaced the already morally and physically obsolete Nimitz ships. The commissioning of the new aircraft carrier is planned for 2017.
A distinctive feature of the new vessel is the presence on it of an electromagnetic catapult, which operates using a linear electric motor. The catapult makes it possible to accelerate fighters more smoothly and accurately, which reduces the overloads acting on the steel structure of each such expensive airborne aircraft.
In addition, a pair of new reactors built specifically for this aircraft carrier have the ability to produce 25% more electrical energy than previous similar power plants. The resulting power reserve allows the ship to reload the catapult much faster. The number of service personnel has also decreased, which now amounts to 4,660 people. This helps reduce the burden on the budget, since this American aircraft carrier will cost the country 4 billion less to operate than its predecessor.
Fortieth President of the United States
The aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan became a full member of the fleet in July 2003. The ship has a couple of significant differences from its “brothers”. The first is the presence of three (not four) high-strength brake cables. Secondly, the bow of the ship has a bulbous shape, which was done to increase the stability of the entire aircraft carrier.
The Ronald Reagan is capable of carrying about ninety helicopters and airplanes on board. The main striking force of the ship is the F/A-18 Hornet multi-purpose combat aircraft, which have already been tested many times in practice in various US combat operations.
"Dirty" aircraft carrier
It is no coincidence that the ship "George Bush" was given such a nickname, and all because the vacuum flushing system of the toilets on the ship very often fails. That is, to put it simply, all 423 toilets on the ship are clogged. The first problems with them arose back in 2011, when the aircraft carrier was making its voyage to the Persian Gulf to carry out a combat mission.
However, this ship also has positive qualities. Thus, in particular, the electronics and communication system has been modernized. Also, the refueling process has been brought to a semi-automatic level. Gas traps on deck have been updated.
Active participant in special operations
When studying active US aircraft carriers, one cannot ignore the Theodore Roosevelt. This ship was the first existing aircraft carrier to be assembled using a modular design. Each module was built separately from each other, and the installation of all these parts was carried out at a single point by welding. This principle of building the vessel made it possible to significantly reduce the initially stated time frame for completing construction work. As a result, on October 25, 1986, the ship was accepted into military service and became a full member of the US Navy. Beginning on January 16, 1991, the aircraft carrier took part in hostilities in the Persian Gulf. 4,200 missions were flown from its deck, dropping nearly 5 million pounds of ordnance into enemy territory.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the ship went on a combat mission against al-Qaeda, which was then based in Afghanistan. On October 4, 2001, the aircraft carrier launched destructive missile attacks from Arabian waters on militant positions. As a result of the operation, the ship spent 159 days at sea, which set a record for ships on the high seas after World War II.
Regardless of how many aircraft carriers in the United States are in combat duty, each of them is required to regularly undergo a full overhaul. “Theodore Roosevelt” was no exception in this matter. From the summer of 2009 to the summer of 2013, she stayed at the Newport News Shipbuilding shipyard. Thanks to this reconstruction, the ship will be able to remain in the ranks of the US Navy for another 23 years. The final cost of the work was $2.6 billion.
Peace ship
In conclusion, finishing our consideration of the question of how many aircraft carriers there are in the United States, let us pay attention to a ship of this type called the Dwight Eisenhower.
This combat vessel was commissioned in 1977. In the period 1985-1987, the ship was undergoing its first planned reconstruction, and the second occurred in 2001-2005. For almost twenty years, the aircraft carrier was “peaceful” and did not take part in any military operations. However, in 1991 he was drawn to the war zone - the Persian Gulf. In 2000, the ship maintained no-fly zones in Iran during Operation Southern Watch.