How many aircraft carriers does the UK have per year. The largest aircraft carriers. A more detailed description of the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers

A person is ready to protect his peace by any means. The expanses of the ocean, for example, store aggregates of incredible size, designed to serve for the benefit of peace and tranquility. The largest aircraft carriers will be discussed below.

1st place

Enterprise. The incredible size of the aircraft carrier, worth 451 million dollars. Equipped with a nuclear installation, it is 342 meters long. The project involved the release of five more such structures, however, the cost of building the Enterprise showed that such plans would cost the US military too dearly. First launched in 1961. The total displacement of the ship is 93,400 tons.

2nd place

Nimitz. Another brainchild of America, launched in 1975. According to the Nimitz project, a dozen more ships were built, the last of which was put into operation 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. Full displacement - 106 thousand tons.

3rd place

Lincoln . The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, launched in 1988, is the fifth ship in the project. Known for being used during the fighting in Iraq, and has also been featured in several films. The length of the ship is 332.8 m, the displacement of the ship is 97 thousand tons. The aviation group of the ship is 90 aircraft and helicopters.

4th place

kitty hawk . And again, the United States leads the list of manufacturers of the most powerful aircraft carriers in the world. Kitty Hawk reaches a length of 327 meters, equipped with modern electronics and sonar systems. The ship does not have atomic artillery like its followers. Launched in 1955. The displacement of the ship 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 - 81 thousand tons. Used since 1955. One of the notable cases associated with this aircraft carrier is 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 . Aircraft carrier 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. Operated since 1968. The ship's displacement is 82 thousand tons.

7th place

midway . The pioneer of heavy American aircraft carriers, 306 meters long. The ship has a rich history, as it was 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, a native of the Black Sea Shipbuilding Plant. Named in honor of the Admiral of the Fleet of the USSR, it was intended for attacks against large targets and the protection of maritime space. Fighters and helicopters are located on the aircraft carrier during campaigns. The length of the ship is 302 meters, released in 1990. Displacement - 59 thousand tons.

9th place

Lexington . The aircraft carrier, 271 meters long, is one of the historical ones in the United States. Launched in 1929, it was equipped with a superstructure and nuclear power plants, as well as an armored hull. Full 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 the 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 jet fuel storage tanks with a volume of 718 tons. The total displacement of the ship is 71,890 tons.

January 20, 2015

An aircraft carrier is a combat and strategic ship. The main striking power lies in the aviation located on the deck. These giants have everything for repair, maintenance, as well as temporary storage of helicopters and aircraft. To date, all operating aircraft carriers in the world are large in size, as well as the most modern equipment. Let's talk about this topic in more detail and take a closer look at some of the largest ships. Among them will be both legends and aircraft carriers still in service.

general information

For the first time, the largest aircraft carriers in the world began to be used by the British during the 1st World War. Over time, the British government realized that it was much easier to defend the borders using mobile ships. By the Second World War, the British were in the lead in the number of cruisers, but over time they lost the lead to the United States. As for the current situation, then, of course, aircraft carriers are not only combat units carrying a small aviation army, but also a means of communication that allows you to quickly exchange information. The main requirement that is placed on the armed forces is mobility, so highly maneuverable combat units play a key role in many battles. However, if a nuclear exchange happens, then the largest aircraft carriers in the world will become the primary target. Powerful power plants allow you to stay on the high seas for decades.

Modern aircraft carriers

To date, the US Navy is the most actively using such ships. The country is armed with about 11 aircraft carriers and 10 are being designed, while the Russian Federation has only one operating and two under construction. The US uses cruisers to resolve conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and so on.

The first US aircraft carrier, which had a nuclear propulsion system on board, was built in 1961 and was called the Enterprise. Today it is one of the largest ships in the world. Its length is 342 meters.

In the USSR, Admiral Kuznetsov believed that aircraft carriers were the future. Therefore, under his command, the construction of several cruisers was launched, but after the departure of Kuznetsov, the new Admiral Gorshkov closed the projects. However, in the 67th year, it was decided to build "Minsk", "Kyiv" and "Novorossiysk".

The largest aircraft carriers in the world

First of all, you need to talk about warships with aircraft on board the Nimitz class. These giants are considered the largest and most powerful not only in the United States, but throughout the world. In total, about ten ships were built. Each of them cost the government about $4.5-5.0 billion. The latest aircraft carrier is considered the most powerful and is named after the 41st President of the United States, George W. Bush. On its board, "George Bush" can carry about 90 pieces of military equipment. Here and fighters of various brands, and combat helicopters. It is assumed that each Nimitz-class aircraft carrier will be operated for 50 years, and only after that it will be decommissioned. But the US has already started building next-generation ships. Presumably, these will be aircraft carriers of the Gerald Ford type, the combat power of which will be slightly increased, as well as the amount of aircraft transported.

The most powerful and largest aircraft carrier of the Russian Federation

The Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet of the Soviet Union, Admiral Kuznetsov, was a truly outstanding personality. A heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser of the same name was built in his memory. Its length is 305 meters and 10 centimeters. It is worth paying your attention to the fact that, unlike Western-style aircraft carriers, the designs of Soviet shipbuilders are very different. What is only the armament of the cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov". Dozens of large-caliber anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank installations, anti-torpedo weapons and much more. In fact, there is a heavy defensive offensive weapon. All this, along with the aircraft on board, makes the ship deadly and effective in combat operations. At the same time, 40 units of aircraft can be on board the ship. Approximately 30 aircraft (fixed wing) and 10 helicopters.

Modified "Admiral Kuznetsov" or "Liaoning"

This ship was the first aircraft carrier that China put into service. Initially, the Liaoning was built at the Nikolaev shipyard in Ukraine for operation in the Soviet Union. However, after the collapse of the USSR, the aircraft carrier went to Ukraine, which, after several years of operation so normally and without completing the ship, sold it to China for only $20 million. The Chinese brought the cruiser to mind and put it into their arsenal. If you list all the most powerful aircraft carriers in the world, then the Liaoning will be in one of the first places. This is due to the fact that it was designed following the example of the cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" with some modifications. That is why, on board the ship, there is not only a large ammunition supply, which is enough for several hours of intense battle, but also a large number of aircraft. In China, the Liaoning is used for pilot training.

"Krechet" from India

Currently, the Indian Navy has 2 aircraft carriers. One of them is called "Vikramaditya", its length is about 283-284 meters. The original name of the ship is "Baku" or "Modified Kyiv". It was built back in the Soviet Union, but after its collapse, Russia decided to decommission the vessel, which was due to the high cost of maintaining the working condition of the equipment. In 2004, the aircraft carrier was sold for $2.5 billion to India. At the same time, the ship was equipped with Russian fighter jets and weapons. If you call all modern aircraft carriers in the world, then Vikramaditya is one of them. In 2013, this ship was put into service. An aircraft-carrying cruiser of this class can carry about 36 aircraft, mostly Russian-made fighters.

Aircraft carrier Sao Paulo

Aircraft-carrying cruisers of the Clemenceau type were in service with France for 39 years. There were two such ships in total. One was decommissioned in 2000, and the second was sold to Brazil for only $12 million. Since the purchase, Brazilian engineers, with the support of French colleagues, began to modernize the ship. Changes were made not only to the armament, which was almost completely updated, but also to the flight deck, which was somewhat expanded. In the end, engines, all kinds of sensors, etc. were changed. However, it is difficult to say that the “Sao Paulo” has always been good. For example, in 2005 and 2012, fires broke out there, as a result of which several sailors died. "Sao Paulo" can carry on board 39 units of military equipment. The offensive potential is realized by the Skyhawk, an American light attack aircraft. The length of the ship is 264 meters 80 centimeters.

"Charles de Gaulle"

Currently, the French Navy is armed with several aircraft carriers. One of them is Charles de Gaulle. In fact, this ship is the only nuclear aircraft carrier that is not in service with the US Navy. The construction of the ship cost the state about $4 billion. The aircraft carrier was launched in 2000, although it was planned to do this a little earlier, but due to the crisis, construction was frozen. Since the reactor is nuclear, the ship can sail without refueling for about 20 years and carry about 40 pieces of aircraft on board. It was repeatedly said that in 1993 Mi-6 spies got on board the Charles de Gaulle, who, although they managed to inspect the ship, did not manage to get off it, as they were captured. Currently, many aircraft carriers of the countries of the world are taking part in combat operations, and Charles de Gaulle is one of them.

Conclusion

As you can see, the fleet of every country needs aircraft carriers. Of course, today the dominance in the sea belongs to the United States, since there are more of their ships there, they have modern equipment. Nevertheless, Russia also has potential, as well as a number of other countries, such as Japan and Great Britain. Currently, there are a large number of promising projects. For example, Japan plans to launch its own aircraft carrier Izumo this year. True, since Japan does not have permission to build aircraft-carrying cruisers, it is declared as a helicopter carrier. In the same year, the Indian "Viktrant" should also go on the water, and in 2020 - "Queen Elizabeth" (Great Britain). That's all that can be told about what they are, the best aircraft carriers in the world, and what is remarkable about each of these giants.

The navy is, of course, a matter of special pride for any modern maritime power. Today, the world's most powerful flotilla is unconditionally possessed. It is this country, actively claiming world domination, that pays close attention to the technical development of its ships, performing a variety of combat missions in all corners of the planet. This article will consider the current US aircraft carriers.

As an introduction

In our modern time, 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 precisely the Americans, who have 11 aircraft carriers. Second place was shared between Italy and Spain. These countries have two such ships. France, Brazil, India, Thailand, Great Britain follow. All these states have one aircraft carrier each.

Purpose

Modern aircraft carriers of the United States are, in fact, a vivid symbol of power and strength. US admirals refer to these ships as the "backbones" of their entire country. In principle, this is easily explained, since these ships are capable of staying offline for several months in the open sea or ocean, far from their land bases, and also move at high speed to any point on the planet, take part in hostilities against absolutely any enemy and at the same time be at a great distance from him, thereby providing himself with a high level of his own security.

Team Core

Despite how many aircraft carriers there are in the United States now and how many there will be in the future, these ships were, are and will be the basis of an aircraft carrier strike group. At the same time, any such vessel does not have its own powerful defensive weapons and is not adapted for independent operations. An aircraft carrier moves across the water surface under the cover of other ships. A distinctive feature of the strike group is its ability to travel a distance of almost 1,500 kilometers in a day and, at the same time, go unnoticed by a potential enemy.

Wartime tasks

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:

Attacking various objects, which are located both on the coast and on land.
Air cover and support for the landing 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 for other ships, landing, convoys during their movement by sea.
Blockade of the coastal line of the enemy.
Conducting tactical air 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 the 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 US. 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 Nimitz-class ship

That is exactly what the aircraft carrier "George Washington" is. The ship was launched in July 1990. The technical capabilities of the ship allow it to carry about 90 aircraft and helicopters, which are lifted directly to 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 its board. To stop the ship uses two anchors, each weighing 30 tons.

The ship was the first ship for the United States with a nuclear power plant, which was permanently stationed at a military base on the territory of a foreign state. It happened in 2008, when the aircraft carrier was seconded to Japan. In the same year, an emergency occurred on the ship - a strong fire. The crew was able to completely extinguish the fire only after 12 hours, and the amount of damage amounted to about $ 70 million. In this case, 37 people were injured.

Ship of the Presidents

The Carl Vinson is an aircraft carrier commissioned in May 1982. The ship is named after a congressman who for 29 years was the head of the Affairs Committee. The ship's main location was the Indian and Pacific Ocean, 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 particular 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 game between student teams, which was held on the deck of this marine 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 was the first ship of its kind to allow women to serve on it. Unfortunately, there has not been without tragedy. In October 1994, officer Kara Haltring died during a landing approach after a training flight.

During the military operation in Iraq in 2003, over 16,500 sorties were made from the ship.

An aircraft carrier is a place where everything is subject to very precise coordination and order. Since the length of the runway is only 150 meters, fighters use the 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 pilot of the aircraft must be able to hook onto one of the four such locking elements. In this case, the aircraft lands at full speed. This is due to the fact that in case of failure, he will be obliged to go on an emergency takeoff again. By the way, there is a so-called red room on the ship, in which the pilots are on duty in full combat readiness around the clock, being ready to take off at any moment to complete the task.

An interesting fact: absolutely every member of the deck team goes on the march twice a day. All these military men go close to each other and examine the deck in detail in order to find various foreign objects that can cause extremely undesirable mechanical damage to an 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 a classified armor and a service life of 20-25 years.

The first combat campaign for the ship 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 Islamic State terrorist organization. Combat sorties were made from the deck of the ship to carry out strikes on the positions of militants. The ship and its aviation wing interacted with which also participated in the operation in Syria.

Ship of the future

The Ford-class aircraft carrier is an American warship that replaced the already morally and physically obsolete Nimitz ships. Commissioning of the new aircraft carrier is scheduled for 2017.

A distinctive feature of the new vessel is the presence of an electromagnetic catapult on it, which operates using a linear electric motor. The catapult makes it possible to carry out the acceleration of fighters more smoothly and accurately, which makes it possible to reduce the overloads acting on the steel structure of each of these expensive aircraft.

In addition, a pair of new reactors designed 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 been reduced, which now stands at 4,660 people. This reduces the burden on the budget, since this American aircraft carrier will cost the country 4 billion less to operate than its predecessor.

40th President of the United States

The USS Ronald Reagan became a full member of the Navy in July 2003. The ship has a couple of significant differences from its "brothers". The first is the presence of three (rather than four) high-strength brake cables. Secondly, the bow of the ship has a bulbous shape, which is done to increase the stability of the entire aircraft carrier.

Ronald Reagan is capable of carrying about ninety helicopters and planes on its board. The main strike force of the ship is the F / A-18 Hornet combat aircraft, which have already been repeatedly tested in practice in various US combat operations.

"Dirty" aircraft carrier

It is no coincidence that the ship "George Bush" was given such a nickname, but all because the vacuum system for draining toilets very often fails on the ship. That is, to put it simply, all 423 toilet bowls of the ship are clogged. The first problems with them arose back in 2011, when the aircraft carrier made its trip to the Persian Gulf to complete a combat mission.

However, this ship also has positive qualities. So, in particular, the system of electronics and communication has been modernized. Also, the process of refueling is brought to a semi-automatic level. The gas breakers on the deck have been updated.

Active participant in special operations

Studying the current US aircraft carriers, one cannot ignore the Theodore Roosevelt. This ship was the first of the current aircraft carriers, which was assembled using a modular design. Each module was built separately from each other, and the installation of all these parts was already carried out at a single point by welding. This principle of ship construction allowed to significantly reduce the originally announced construction time. As a result, on October 25, 1986, the ship was accepted into military service and became a full member of the US Navy. Starting from January 16, 1991, the aircraft carrier took part in the hostilities in the Persian Gulf. 4,200 sorties were made from its deck, which made it possible to drop almost 5 million pounds of ammunition into enemy territory.

After the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, the ship went on a military campaign against Al-Qaeda, based at that time in Afghanistan. On October 4, 2001, devastating missile strikes from the Arabian waters on militant positions were delivered from an aircraft carrier. As a result of the operation, the ship spent 159 days at sea, setting the record for ships on the high seas since World War II.

Regardless of how many aircraft carriers in the United States are on duty, each of them is required to regularly undergo a full overhaul. The Theodore Roosevelt was no exception in this matter. From the summer of 2009 to the summer of 2013, he stayed at the Newport News Shipbuilding shipyard. Thanks to this reconstruction, the ship will be able to stay in the ranks of the US Navy for another 23 years. The total cost of the work amounted to 2.6 billion dollars.

peace ship

In conclusion, finishing considering the question of how many aircraft carriers there are in the United States, let's 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 on its first planned reconstruction, and the second one took place 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 attracted to the war zone - the Persian Gulf. In 2000, the ship provided no-fly zones in Iran during Operation Southern Watch.

The naval forces are one of the main components of the army of any power that has access to the seas and oceans. Many empires, such as Great Britain, built their power on a strong fleet capable of responding to any threat many thousands of kilometers from their native land.

Of course, modern warships are very different from their ancestors. The flagship of any flotilla today is an aircraft carrier group, which allows attacking and defending not only with the help of installed guns, but also with air groups placed on the decks.

The presence of aircraft imposes requirements on the size of ships. All aircraft carriers boast impressive volumes, but some of them stand out even against this background. In this article, we will talk about just such ships, and also answer the question: “What is the largest aircraft carrier in the world?”.

First Place - Enterprise (United States of America)

This ship is the first representative of the aircraft carriers with a nuclear-powered engine. It was launched back in 1961, but still remains the largest ship in the world in its class. The cost of building the Enterprise cost the state $450 million. The high price was one of the reasons why this series of ships is limited to just one aircraft carrier, although several more such ships were originally planned.

The length of the ship is as much as 342 meters. It accommodates about 80 aircraft. The total crew of the aircraft carrier is more than three thousand people. Enterprise has 4 steam catapults. Half is located in front of the ship, and the other half - on the landing strips. With the help of catapults, the Enterprise is able to lift one plane into the air in a quarter of a minute.

On the contrary, the landing of air groups is carried out with the help of an arrester, which consists of four cables that are stretched in the underdeck and help the operation of special brake cylinders. In addition, the aircraft carrier has a nylon net that is capable of catching an aircraft if, due to unforeseen circumstances, it flies over the arresting position.

Runners-up - Nimitz (United States of America)

A more modern American aircraft carrier that also has a powerful nuclear engine. The first ship was launched in 1975. Production continued until 2009 when the last vessel entered service. In total, 10 such ships were created during this time. The length of the ship is 330 meters. These ships were actively used during several military conflicts, including in Yugoslavia and Iraq.

The cost of one ship is four and a half billion US dollars. The aircraft carrier carries 66 ships for various purposes (48 of them are multirole fighters). The nuclear reactor, which is installed in the ship, allows it to operate for about 25 years without replacement. The state spends about 160 million US dollars per year on the maintenance of one aircraft carrier.

Nimitz can be operated for more than 50 years. To date, all 10 ships are in combat service.

Third place - Kitty Hawk (United States of America)

The aircraft carrier was launched in 1955. Its length is 325 meters. These are the first ships of their class that do not have a rich arsenal of artillery, instead of which missile systems are installed. In addition, these are the last American aircraft carriers that were not equipped with nuclear reactors. The aircraft carrier at the time of launching had all the modern electronics and sonar. The last ship of this line (there were four in total) was decommissioned in 2007.

Fourth place - Forrestal (United States of America)

Another American aircraft carrier, one of the largest. Its length is 320 meters. Forrestal was created for the needs of jet aircraft after the end of World War II, whose experience was taken into account when creating the ship. The first ship of the line was launched in 1955. Interestingly, this aircraft carrier was considered unlucky among American sailors and received many derisive nicknames due to the greater number of accidents associated with fires on the ship. As a result of one of them, about 135 people died.
The last ship in the line was decommissioned in 1993. It was sold at auction for one center, since there was no one willing to buy it, except for one single company.

Fifth place - John F. Kennedy (United States of America)

Named after the famous American President, this ship was launched in 1968. Its length is 320 meters. This ship belongs to the Kitty Hawk class. Just like other ships, it did not have a nuclear engine (although the installation was originally planned). Instead, gas turbine equipment was used.

Most of the time, the aircraft carrier was in the Mediterranean Sea, performing various tasks there during the Cold War. The ship served for about 40 years and during this time has undergone several major repairs. In the fleet, the ship was not known as the most successful, as it experienced several collisions during its operation.

The largest accident occurred in 1975 as a result of a collision between a ship and a cruiser, which was almost completely destroyed by the impact.
John F. Kennedy was removed from service in 2007, a whole ceremony was organized to send him off.
The aircraft carrier also became a movie star. It is he who is depicted in the 2012 film falling on the White House.

6th place - Midway (United States of America)

This is not only a large aircraft carrier produced in the year of the end of World War II, but also the first heavy aircraft carrier in the US Navy. The ship was in operation for 50 years. During this time, he took part in several military operations of the country, including the Vietnamese and Iraqi.

He left the Midway service in 1992, and five years later a huge fleet museum was created on its basis. The length of the ship is 305 meters.

In addition, the ship participated in the famous rescue operation at the end of the Vietnam War, when the Viet Cong captured the capital of the southerners. In order to land a plane loaded with refugees fleeing the imminent massacre and the totalitarian regime, the crew of the aircraft carrier dropped helicopters on board into the water, with a total cost of over 10 million dollars. This operation entered the pages of US military glory.

Seventh place - Admiral Kuznetsov (USSR, Russian Federation)

The most powerful aircraft carrier in the USSR and in Russia. The ship was created in Nikolaev and received the name of the famous Soviet admiral. After the collapse of the USSR, he became part of the Russian Navy. Today he serves in the Northern Fleet. It houses fighter jets and anti-submarine helicopters.

The ship was laid down in 1982, and it was launched in 1985. It is interesting that at the time of the laying it was given the name "Riga", and at the time of the first descent - "Leonid Brezhnev". After the descent, work continued on the construction of the ship on the water. In 1989, the ship, still unfinished, went to sea for tests with aircraft. In 1990, construction was completed and the ship was renamed again.

It is currently undergoing a major renovation. Already in the summer of this year, the ship is planned to sail to the Mediterranean Sea, most likely to the shores of the Syrian Arab Republic. The length of the ship is 300 meters.

Eighth place - Lexington (United States of America)

The oldest aircraft carrier on this list. In total, two ships of this type were produced, both took an active part in the beginning (for the USA) of World War II. One of the aircraft carriers was destroyed in the spring of 1942 during heavy fighting with the Japanese. The second ship, despite numerous damages, survived the wars and was sunk after participating in a nuclear test in 1946.

Lexington was able to accommodate 63 aircraft. Most of them were fighters, as well as reconnaissance aircraft. The aircraft carriers of this series appeared as a result of heated debates between American military experts. At that time there was a conflict between two opinions about the future of naval battles. One part of the specialists advocated the creation of coastal airfields and powerful battleships, as they believed that aircraft were not good enough at destroying ships. The other part insisted on the creation of powerful aircraft carrier groups, giving them a decisive role in future battles. As a result of the tests carried out with the help of captured German ships, the second point of view won, and, as the Second World War confirmed, it is quite justified.

Ninth place - Varyag (USSR, Ukraine, China)

Another long aircraft carrier belonging to the Soviet Union. The history of the Varyag is indeed of interest. Its construction began in Nikolaev in 1986. Two years later, he was already launched, after which work continued on him already on the water. After the USSR ceased to exist, the ship went to the Ukrainian Navy, but since then it has not been used, cash injections into it have ceased, and the necessary repairs have not been carried out, so the ship has slowly degraded.

As a result, the Varyag was sold to a Chinese company for US$20 million, far below its actual value. The buyers said they planned to create an entertainment center at its base. However, later the ship was completed as a warship. It was renamed "Liaoning" and is now successfully performing combat missions as part of the Chinese Navy.

Tenth place - Shinano (Japan)

The longest Japanese aircraft carrier during World War II. Initially, it was built as a battleship, but after the first serious defeat against the American fleet in 1941, the Japanese command decided to rely on aircraft carrier groups, seeing the advantage American aircraft carriers had on the water.

The ship was completed after one year. At that time it was the most protected aircraft carrier. Particularly well protected were containers for storing aviation fuel, which, if hit by an enemy projectile, could destroy the entire ship.

Modern armed forces must be mobile - months-long campaigns on war elephants and half-year military galley expeditions are a thing of the past. Now, when the bill goes not even for days, but for hours, there is nothing more effective for armies than aircraft carriers. And the only thing better than an aircraft carrier is a large, very large aircraft carrier. In this material, "RG" will talk about ships that cause envy even among blue whales.

"Shinano"

The Japanese giant can hardly be attributed to the modern one, because in 1944 he sank safely during his first assignment. But what you should not doubt is its colossal, especially for that time, size. Its length was 266 meters, and its displacement was 68,060 tons. In order for you to realize the size of this hulk, imagine the Titanic. So this legendary liner was only three meters longer than the Sinano, and in terms of displacement it lost 10 thousand tons.

Initially, the Japanese was supposed to be the fourth in a series of Yamato-class battleships, but the designers' plans were redrawn by the Battle of Midway, where the Imperial Japanese Navy lost four brand new aircraft carriers and a whole group of smaller ships. The half-finished "Sinano" was decided to be converted as soon as possible into a vessel capable of carrying aircraft.

Haste made itself felt during the first and last battle of the giant. In November 1944, she was torpedoed by an American submarine. The watertight bulkheads had been installed incorrectly and were leaking, and the crew was inexperienced.

"Sinano" sank 7 hours after the attack and 17 hours after leaving the port.

"Varyag" or "Liaoning"

A giant with a very interesting and slightly sad fate was laid down at a shipyard in Nikolaev in 1985, and launched already in 1988. Most of the technical devices on the ship were absent, and the overall readiness of the combat ship could be estimated no higher than 60 percent. After the collapse of the USSR, it went to Ukraine, which until 1998 invested in it exactly as much money as was necessary to keep it afloat, no more.

In 1998, a giant with a length of 304.5 meters and a displacement of 59,500 tons was sold by official Kiev for a ridiculous amount of $ 20 million. The buyer was a private Chinese firm that announced its intention to turn the unfinished aircraft carrier into an amusement park and casino. But if there were such plans, then they were abandoned almost immediately: 20 million for the crown of the creation of Soviet designers is an insignificant price, so the PRC government nationalized the ship and completed it. Thus, by 2011, the People's Republic of China entered the pool of countries that have aircraft carriers in service.

"Admiral Kuznetsov"

The largest and most powerful aircraft-carrying cruiser in Europe and Asia began to be built in the same Nikolaev in 1982. Named after Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov, Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union.

In all its characteristics, the aircraft carrier was advanced: the deck was lengthened to allow the takeoff and landing of the Su-25, Su-27 and MiG-29, and the hull was built in a unique way from blocks weighing up to 1400 tons. Aerofinishers, the optical landing system "Luna" and the side lifts of the aircraft first appeared on it. The length of the "Admiral" is more than three football fields, it is like the Eiffel Tower without a spire - 306 meters. At the same time, a whole small air army can be on such a colossus - 25 aircraft and 25 helicopters.

Unlike most standard aircraft carriers, the armament of the Admiral Kuznetsov is far from modest: 12 launchers 4K80 SCRC "Granit", 8 launchers "Kortik" with an arsenal of 256 missiles, 6 six-barreled 30-mm artillery mounts AK-630M for 48 thousand shells and 4 six-barrel launchers of the Kinzhal air defense system. Radar is also on top - the Beysur complex, Buran-2 and the Rezistor flight control radar station, and the Kuznetsov crew is almost 2000 sailors and officers. "Kuznetsov" is a real beauty and pride of Russia.

By 2015, the ship will replace all carrier-based Su-33 fighters with multifunctional MiG-29K. Until 2017, the ship will undergo a major overhaul.

"Nimitz"

This American Gulliver is named after Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet during World War II. The aircraft carrier "Nimitz" was laid down back in 1968 and became one of the first ships of this type with a nuclear power plant. Participated in the infamous failed special operation "Eagle's Claw" in 1980. In May 1981, an incident occurred on board: a landing Prowler fighter crashed, killing 14 people, and about 50 were injured.

The aircraft carrier has gigantic dimensions - 332 meters in length and a displacement of almost 100,000 tons. But these figures did not bring him success in 2008, when two Russian Tu-95MS teased the "floating fortress" as part of a training flight. One of them flew at an altitude of only 600 meters above the Nimitz, and even the F / A-18 fighters raised up in alarm did not embarrass our pilots.

"Enterprise"

More than half a century ago, in 1960, the CVN-65 Enterprise was launched, which still remains the longest warship of all time - 342 meters! Also, "Big E" became the world's first nuclear aircraft carrier, and the crew of this big man was a little less than 5,000 people. In total, it was planned to create 6 such ships, but the release of the first Enterprise, which cost $ 451 million, shook the US economy, so the rest of the ships in the project were abandoned.

The aircraft carrier has always been positioned as the pinnacle of the country's naval development and took part in all conflicts and wars of the Stars and Stripes. From the Caribbean crisis to the Vietnam War, from the confrontation between North and South Korea to Yugoslavia and Iraq. Unpleasant incidents did not bypass him either, on January 14, 1969, due to the negligence of the crew, a rocket spontaneously exploded on one of the Phantom aircraft. The ensuing fire destroyed 15 more fighters, killing 27 people and injuring 349. In total, more than 100,000 people served on the aircraft carrier in 52 years.

The ship was decommissioned in 2012 and will be scrapped by 2015, despite numerous protests from former sailors who urged the government to turn the legendary ship into a floating museum.

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