The largest aircraft carriers in the world. The largest aircraft carriers in the world in service The coolest aircraft carrier

The Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carriers are the successor to the Nimitz class aircraft carriers. It is expected that a total of 9-10 new aircraft carriers of this class will be built. These will be the largest and most powerful warships ever built. These aircraft carriers will be the main striking force of the US Navy throughout the 21st century.

The Ford class hull design is similar to the Nimitz class. The new aircraft carriers will have a smaller, redesigned island, be equipped with more automated and efficient systems supervision and control. It will be able to carry an air group of 85 aircraft, helicopters or unmanned aerial vehicles. It will include the F-35 JSF and F/A-18E/F, EA-18g, E-2D Advanced electronic warfare aircraft, MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters.

2. Nimitz (USA)

A total of 10 aircraft carriers of this class were built, including 3 according to the original design and 7 according to the improved one. These were the largest warships of their time. Nuclear-powered, they can carry 80 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, mainly F/A-18E/F, EA-6B Prowlers, E-2C Hawkeye aircraft early warning and MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters.

The Nimitz class has automated systems self-defense against anti-ship cruise missiles through the integration and coordination of weapons and electronic warfare systems.

3. Admiral Kuznetsov (Russia)

The Admiral Kuznetsov entered service with the Russian Navy in 1991 and is smaller than American aircraft carriers but carries more powerful offensive weapons.

The absence of a catapult precludes the launch of aircraft with heavy strike weapons. This warship carries about 40 aircraft and helicopters, including Su-33 and MiG-29K, various versions of the ship's Ka-27 helicopters.

Admiral Kuznetsov is a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, and not just an aircraft carrier. It carries a number of offensive weapons, it is worth noting the 12 × Granit anti-ship missile launchers.

4. Liaoning (China)

"Varyag" was the second ship of the Kuznetsov class to leave the stocks in the city of Nikolaev, which is now located in Ukraine. It was laid down in 1985 and launched in 1988, after the collapse of Soviet Union Financing for the construction of the ship stopped. The unfinished hull was eventually sold to China, where it was restored and refitted.

This aircraft carrier was commissioned by the Chinese Navy in 2012 under the name Liaoning. Liaoning can carry up to 50 aircraft and helicopters. After repairs, the Chinese ship lost all offensive heavy weapons of the Admiral Kuznetsov class. It now carries only short-range defensive weapons.

5. Queen Elizabeth (UK)

Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers in the amount of 2 ships should be included in the Royal Navy of Great Britain by 2020. The first aircraft carrier was laid down in 2009 and is now being completed afloat.

The Prince of Wales sistership is planned to be commissioned by 2020. These new aircraft carriers will be the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy. They will be able to carry more than 40 aircraft and helicopters. Their main armament will be F-35B STOVL aircraft and CH-47 Chinook, Merlin and Lynx Wildcat helicopters.

6. Charles de Gaulle (France)

This is a relatively modern nuclear ship. It entered service with the French Navy in 2001. Currently the flagship of the French fleet. It is the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier built outside the United States.

Charles de Gaulle can carry more than 40 aircraft and helicopters. The air group consists of 30 Rafales multi-role fighters, there are also E-2C Hawkeye radar warning aircraft, helicopters are represented by the SA 365F Dauphin or AS 322 Cougar.

A second ship was planned, but due to lack of funding its construction never began.

7. Vikramaditya (India)

The Indian Navy is represented in our Top 10 Aircraft Carriers of the World by the ship named Vikramaditya, this light aircraft carrier is a modified and refitted former Kyiv class aircraft carrier. One of the ships of this class, after conversion at Sevmash, was sold to India.

"Vikramaditya" can carry about 30 aircraft and helicopters, including MiG-29KU and MiG-29KUB, Ka-31 helicopters. The maximum air group consists of 30 aircraft and 6 helicopters.

8. Sao Paulo (Brazil)

The São Paulo is a Clemenceau-class aircraft carrier. It was originally commissioned into service by the French Navy in 1963, under the name Foch. The ship was sold to Brazil in 2000, where she became the new flagship of the Brazilian fleet.

Sao Paulo can carry up to 40 aircraft and helicopters. However, this aircraft carrier currently serves mainly for pilot training. His offensive capabilities are limited.

9. Cavour, Italy

"Cavour" is a light aircraft carrier, it was commissioned in 2008. It is currently the new flagship of the Italian Navy. This modern warship is designed to operate V/STOL F-35 aircraft and helicopters and can serve as a command center.

"Cavour" carries more than 20 aircraft and helicopters. Currently, V-8B Harrier IIs take off from it. In the future they will be replaced by the Lockheed Martin F-35B, the helicopters being represented by the O-101, NH-90 and SH-3D.

It can transport main battle tanks and landing craft vehicles in an airplane hangar. It also accommodates a regiment of 325 Marines.

10. Chakri Narubet (Thailand)

The aircraft carrier Chakri Narubet was built in Spain. It was commissioned by the Royal Thai navy in 1997.

It can carry about 30 aircraft and helicopters. The air force includes AV-8S Matador aircraft and S-70B Seahawk, Sea King or CH-47 Chinook helicopters.

However, Chakri Naruebet lacks defensive weapons. The planned primary anti-aircraft weapons including an 8-element VLS launcher for Sea Sparrow missiles and four Vulcan Phalanx CIWS mounts have not been installed. This vessel is protected simply by Mistral short-range infrared homing missiles.

Aircraft carriers can easily be called the largest warships. Already from the name it is clear why such a ship is needed - along with a large number of stationary weapons and military equipment it contains various types combat aircraft and helicopters. Airplanes need a large acceleration area - a runway, which is why all powerful aircraft carriers are huge. Every strong power strives to have at least one such ship in its inventory to ensure independence on the world stage and respect from other countries. Today, only ten countries operate such vessels.

History of the creation and development of aircraft carriers

In 1910, an American pilot was able to fly a plane from a cruiser for the first time. This year is considered the beginning of the birth of aircraft carriers. On the ship Birmingham, a special wooden platform was installed, from which it was possible to carry out acceleration and takeoff. One year later, the same pilot managed to land the plane on a ship, again equipped with a temporary enlarged platform. IN next years The British became involved in the development of such ships and began experimenting with takeoff from a moving ship. Initially naval aviation was to be used only on reconnaissance expeditions.

The main difficulty for the engineers was creating a sufficiently long runway. In 1915, American officers developed a special steam catapult for launching aircraft from a ship. Thanks to this, it became possible to launch aircraft equipped with military equipment. Later, electromagnetic ones were created, which made it possible to increase the size of aircraft and the volume of weapons. In addition to takeoff, there was a problem with landing, and this was not only due to the skills of the pilots, but also to the length of the landing strip. During World War I, Britain began converting its merchant ships into ships with larger decks. To brake the aircraft, they began to use special devices that have remained almost unchanged to this day. This is on the ship that the plane clung to when it landed.

In 1922, Japan launched for the first time the first ship that was originally designed as an aircraft-carrying cruiser, rather than a conversion of another ship into an analogue. 5 years later, the United States was included in the list of countries with new warships with aircraft on board. During the same period, floating stations for seaplanes were actively used. Aviation took off and landed from the water, and with the help of special devices the planes were lifted or lowered onto the side of the ship.

Period of the Great Patriotic War

During the Second World War, Great Britain had 7 aircraft carriers, France had 1 aircraft carrier, the USA had 8 and Japan had 6 units. This war is rightfully considered a war of naval battles. Japan and America already had full-fledged combat aircraft carriers at that time. These countries determined that the key to victory over the enemy would be not ordinary warships, but aviation. There was no point in sending a plane across the entire Pacific Ocean. The cruisers described above provided an excellent solution. In February 1942, Japan was the first in the world to sink an American aircraft carrier. During the same period, in response to aggression, the US military, during Operation Doolittle's Raid, launched planes from Hornet and attacked Tokyo. This story formed the basis of the plot of the popular film Pearl Harbor.

For the first time in the world, in naval battles, ships were located on long distances from each other and did not even see the enemy. Military operations were carried out using aircraft from an aircraft carrier. It was truly a war between two sea titans. After the end of the battles, the military power of the victorious countries did not stop the development of naval weapons. Thus, in 1945, Great Britain first landed a jet aircraft on board a ship. This led to a new push for aircraft carrier construction, with a new angled deck and a more powerful steam catapult for launch. The leading countries in the field of shipbuilding at that moment were considered to be the USA, England and France. In the post-war period, they began to design ships for naval battles, where they were based combat aircraft and helicopters necessary for rescue operations.

Submarine aircraft carriers

During World War II, Japan used submarines with the plane inside, located there in a disassembled state. It was a rather inconvenient weapon that required lengthy assembly and disassembly. However, in the third year of the war, the plane took off from underwater and dropped two incendiary bombs in the Oregon region in America, hoping to start massive fires in the forested area. The tragedy was avoided, but the very appearance of the aggressor was sudden and seriously frightened the American authorities due to the fact that it was not clear how the enemy plane could unnoticed enter American airspace. Similar submarines were also in service with England and France.

The next stage in the development of military developments was the Korean War. The fighters that took off from the ship were the first to attack ground targets in North Korea. In 1960, America launched the first aircraft carrier with a nuclear reactor. And just two months later she notified the world about a second similar ship. The next important experiment was the circumnavigation of cruisers without refueling on shore. Today, aircraft carriers can perform multi-year autonomous stays in the ocean without having to enter ports to refuel.

Russia also tried to keep up with other countries in military equipment. Back in 1904, the ship "Rus", purchased from the Germans, was equipped with 8 balloons balloon. However, the ship was not used in any subsequent battles. Afterwards, various aircraft carrier designs were created, but none of these projects were ever implemented. During the First World War, several ships were converted into seaplane carriers, but this technology could not be compared with naval weapons Britain and the USA.

In the Soviet Union, aircraft carriers were considered a weapon of aggression - in their opinion, very vulnerable aggression. The main blows during military clashes were inflicted on them. The first one was launched only in 1985 and entered service in Russia in 1991.

The modern world aircraft carrier fleet includes about 1,250 aircraft and an even larger number of helicopters. Moreover, a significant part of them are based on American ships. In addition to aviation, the ships are equipped with multiple missile technology and air defense systems. The length of all aircraft carriers ranges from 182 to 342 meters. The ship's hull is made of steel, its thickness reaches several centimeters. Under the runway there are large hangars for storing aircraft and helicopters, as well as for carrying out repair work. Moved from deck to deck aircraft using special cranes. Under the bottom of the hangars there are engine rooms and other office premises. Considering that the main purpose of such ships is to ensure take-off and landing of aircraft, the command post, radar devices and antennas are located on a small so-called “island”, which is almost always located with right side sides. This is due to the fact that back in the early 20th century, British military researchers proved that in the event of an unsuccessful landing, all pilots automatically turn the plane to the left when attempting a second approach.

How many aircraft carriers are there in the world?

At the moment, there are only 22 ships of this class in the world. Let's take a closer look at the current types:

1. The first place in the number of available ships in service is , they include 11 aircraft carriers. As mentioned above, they consist of about 1000 aircraft, the length of each ship is from 250 to 331 meters, the speed is from 31 knots, the crew of each ship is from 2000 to 5000 people.
2. Next in terms of the number of aircraft carriers are Italy and Spain - they each have 2 weapons;
3. Third place is occupied by countries that have one such vessel each. These are Russia, China, Brazil, France, Thailand, India and the UK.

Russia has one heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, the Admiral Kuznetsov, with a displacement of 70,500 tons and a length of 304 meters. The vessel has 24 aircraft and 42 helicopters, and its speed reaches 32 knots.

Number by country

• USA (11 ships) - Ford type (1 ship Gerald R. Ford) - in service since May 2017. Production started in 2005, 8 years later it was launched, followed by testing and completion. The predecessor of this ship was the legendary Enterprise, which served for over 40 years and participated in many military missions carried out by America. It is now the largest aircraft-carrying cruiser in the world, costing about $13 billion to build—appropriately, Gerald R. Ford is also the most expensive aircraft carrier in the world.
  Type "" (10 ships) - ships with a nuclear reactor, also owned by the United States. In 1975, the first copy was put into operation, and by 2009 the tenth. Ships of this class were widely used in armed conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and Iraq. The cost of each such aircraft carrier cruiser is about 4.5 billion dollars.
• Italy (2 ships) - "Cavour" - has been in the fleet since 2007, has 8 aircraft and 12 helicopters on board, the length of the vessel is 244 m, the speed is 30 knots.
  Giusepe Garibaldi is another flagship of the Italian fleet, launched in 1983, has a length of 180 m, and a speed of 30 knots.
• India (1 ship) – The Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya was purchased from Russia in 2013. Former name "Admiral Gorshkov". The length is 274m, the maximum speed is 32 knots, it can accommodate up to 20 aircraft and about 10 helicopters. In 2018 and 2023, two more aircraft-carrying cruisers are planned to be commissioned into the country’s Navy.
• China (1 ship) – The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning was purchased from Ukraine in 2012 for $20 million. Former name "Varyag". Its length is 304 m, the aviation composition includes 24 fighters and 12 helicopters.
• Spain (2 ships) – The aircraft carrier Juan Carlos is in service with the Spanish Navy, has been in service since 2010, is 230m long, and is armed with up to 30 aircraft and helicopters.
• France (1 ship) – The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is the flagship of the French military. Commissioned in 2001, the dimensions are 261 m in length, and includes up to 40 aircraft.
• Brazil (1 ship) - "Sao Paulo" - aircraft carrier has been in operation since 2001, length 265 meters, includes 14 aircraft and 11 helicopters;
• Thailand (1 ship) - represented by the aircraft carrier Chakri Narubet - has the smallest size among existing analogues, the length is 182 meters, the aviation group consists of 14 aircraft and 12 helicopters. In operation since 1997.
• Great Britain (1 ship) - Illustrious class - one of the oldest active aircraft carriers, participated in the Second World War. Length 205 m, 33 aircraft in service. Currently, new aircraft carriers are being prepared for launch, which should replace the current one.
• Russia (1 ship) “Admiral Kuznetsov”, last on the list, but not in importance and power. Used since 1991, length 270m, number of aircraft: 50 planes and helicopters. Below we will look at it in more detail.

Comparison of the best aircraft carriers in the world

Let's look at ten of the most powerful and largest aircraft carriers in the world in the entire history of the existence of these ships. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

• Enterprise (USA) - this nuclear-powered large aircraft carrier rightfully takes first place. It was put into operation back in 1961, and over the next 50 years there was no replacement for this combat monster. In the mid-20th century, it was planned to build five more of the same ships, however, given too high cost vessel, it was decided to leave it in a single copy. Thanks to nuclear fuel, it can remain autonomous in the ocean for up to 13 years. Most large aircraft carrier in the world has a length of 342.3 meters, can accommodate up to 80 aircraft, and has a crew of 3,000 people. The nuclear-powered ship includes four steam catapults, which make it possible to launch aircraft one after another in 15 seconds each. Four cables were installed on the runway to help the brake cylinders function. The ship is also equipped with a special nylon mesh, which, if problems arise when braking the aircraft, will be able to catch it and prevent an accident. The ship took part in the wars with Cuba, Vietnam and Iraq. In 2012, it was withdrawn from the US Navy. After another 5 years, the legendary aircraft carrier Enterprise was decommissioned. In its place was a new ship, the Gerald R. Ford, which plans to enter service with the US Navy by 2020. Before this period, the ship will make several trips to the open sea to confirm its combat readiness. The ship cost the country approximately $13 billion, making it the most expensive aircraft carrier in the world. In terms of its armament, the vessel is no different from its predecessor, but it significantly exceeds it in terms of automation, which makes it possible to reduce the number of crew. New technologies were also used to ensure that the ship remained invisible when attempting to detect it using radar.
• Nimitz (USA) is another example of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier; its first copy was produced in 1975. The production continued until 2009. Currently, the United States has 10 such ships in service. Its length is 330 meters. Such vessels were actively used during the war in Yugoslavia and Iraq. The cost of the ship is about 4.5 billion dollars. Nuclear reactor allows the ship to sail autonomously for about 25 years. The service life is 50 years.
• (USA) - the first such aircraft carrier was launched back in 1955. The length was 325 meters. Today, ships of this configuration are no longer in service with any country in the world. However, the ship still ranks third on the list of the largest aircraft carriers in the world.
• (USA) - the length of the aircraft carrier is 320 meters, the specimen is known for the large number of fire-related accidents that occurred on board. As a result of one of these tragedies, 135 people burned to death. Removed from service in 1993.
• John F. Kennedy (USA) - the aircraft-carrying cruiser is also 320 meters long and was withdrawn from service with the US Navy in 2007. The ship served for about 40 years, carrying out missions mainly in the Mediterranean Sea. During his service he suffered several naval collisions.
• (USA) - length is 305 meters, was produced in 1945, was the first heavy American aircraft carrier. Since 1992 it has been withdrawn from service and today serves as a fleet museum.
• Admiral Kuznetsov (USSR-RF) - the ship was built in the city of Nikolaev in 1985, today it is in service Northern Fleet Russian Navy, the length of the aircraft carrier cruiser is 300 meters.
• Lexington (USA) - a ship from the period of World War II, but in 1946 it was scuttled after nuclear tests were carried out with its help.
• Cruiser Varyag/Liaoning (USSR-Ukraine-China) - was launched in 1988 in Nikolaev. During the collapse of the Union, construction continued on board. Accordingly, the ship became the property of Ukraine, but repair work was stopped during this period. The unfinished aircraft carrier was subsequently sold to China for $20 million. Today it is in service with the Chinese Navy.
• Shinano (Japan) - was built in 1942 and took part in the war against America. The length of the vessel was 266 m - until the end of the 50s of the last century it was the largest aircraft carrier in the world. In November 1944, during a battle with the American military, the ship was sunk, along with its 1,435 crew members.

Latest Developments

One of the latest innovations in the Navy, according to experts, is the development of underwater aircraft Russian Federation. First atomic submarine aircraft carrier Russia's Project 941-bis is rumored to be ready by 2020. The idea of ​​such a vessel has been developed since 1991 at the Rubinovsky project of transport submarines. Today on the Internet you can find a model of such a submarine. However, this submarine and its structure are strictly classified; it is not possible to find out the actual dates of commissioning. One thing is certain - if it is put into service, it will be the best aircraft carrier in the world and the only nuclear-powered submarine with fighters on board.

As can be seen from the list of the largest aircraft-carrying cruisers in the world of all time, the undeniable leading place in this type of weapons is occupied by US aircraft carriers. Aircraft carriers are an important attribute in the naval forces of any country, at the same time they are one of the most vulnerable ships in large-scale battles. Such ships are indispensable when conducting combat operations with countries that do not have modern nuclear weapons. In the event of aggression from a power of equal power, aircraft carriers will remain an important, but not the main component in conducting combat operations.

Modern shipbuilding is constantly evolving in different directions. One of the main things is the creation of powerful, fast and maneuverable warships that will be equipped with the latest generation weapons. The size of aircraft carriers and cruisers is amazing. The largest of them are the property of the country's army, and some have even become relics of history.

At the end of the article we have prepared a surprise 🎁 - an exciting test to test your attentiveness 😃

The United States planned to build five such ships, but due to high costs($450 million each) the large-scale project had to be abandoned. In 1961, only one strike aircraft carrier with a nuclear power plant in its class was launched.

Crew – 3325 people. Thanks to nuclear fuel, the ship can serve for 13 years without refueling and sail up to one million miles during this time. This “monster” is driven by a power plant consisting of eight A2W type reactors with four turbines. With a scale of 342 meters in length and 78.5 in width, weapons with a total weight of more than 2,500 tons are placed on board. An aviation fuel reserve of 10 million liters ensures intensive aircraft flights for 12 days.

Along the perimeter, the hull has a double bottom with compartments separated by transverse bulkheads. Flights are carried out on a deck of 18,211 m2, which is equipped with four take-off steam catapults. Thanks to them, aircraft can instantly take off into the air every 15-20 seconds. To stop aircraft, an arresting device is provided in the form of tensioned cables, but if for some reason it does not work, then a special rising emergency net at the end of the platform is capable of stopping the aircraft.

The number of aircraft on board is up to 90 units with a personnel of 1800 people. During her service in the US Navy, Enterprise participated in more than a dozen operations, including combat operations in Cuba, Vietnam, Iraq and during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

In the early 90s, the ship was modernized in accordance with modern requirements. In 2002, the power plant and hull plating were repaired.

The aircraft carrier is a US development. Construction began in 1968. The ship turned out to be large (length 333 meters, maximum width 78), reliable and, most importantly, not as expensive as its predecessor, the Enterprise. The manufacturing cost, according to various sources, was about several hundred million dollars. Therefore, it was decided to put the project into production and produce a total of ten such aircraft carriers. Each is assigned an individual number and name: No. 68 Nimitz 1968, No. 69 Eisenhower 1970, No. 70 Vinson 1975, No. 71 Roosevelt 1981, No. 72 Lincoln 1984, No. 77 Bush 2003 and others.

The Nimitz is not only a large ship, but also a heavy ship. There are 1,954 tons of ammunition on board alone. The power plant is nuclear - two A4W nuclear reactors (total power 260 thousand horsepower) and four diesel engines at 10,720 l. With. Thus, an aircraft carrier can easily reach speeds of up to 30 knots, and can sail for ten years without refueling. To protect against enemy shells, the body is sewn with 64 mm special Kevlar fabric.

The site for the air group is divided into several zones: runway and landing strip, parking. Accordingly, each of them is equipped special equipment. Thus, four steam catapults are installed on the runway to launch aircraft.

To protect the ship's hull from aircraft jet exhaust, a barrier is provided, ventilated by supplying cold water directly from the ship. There are special rope brakes installed on the landing strip and, most importantly, there is an electronic device that helps land the plane on board in poor visibility conditions without the participation of a pilot. The automatic landing system is called ACLS. The parking area can simultaneously accommodate 86 combat aircraft.

If you need to repel an attack on an aircraft carrier or strike directly from standard guns, powerful weapons are located on board. These are four Vulcan Phalanx 20 mm anti-aircraft artillery systems and three Sea Sparrow missile launchers. During the modernization process, a three-tube 324 mm torpedo tube was placed on the Nimitz.

The ship is controlled and maintained in combat condition by a crew of 3,200 people and an air group of 2,480. For the life of people, the hold is equipped with cabins, a dining room, and a freezer room for long-term storage of food.

Shark

The largest military submarines are in Russian service. These are nuclear vessels of Project No. 941 “Akula”. Since it was planned to equip the new vessel with solid-fuel three-stage long-range R-39 missiles, which have impressive dimensions, the dimensions of the submarine must match. The developers were LPMB "Rubin" Leningrad. After several years of construction, it was put into operation in 1980.

In front of the side there was a shark depicted, which personified power and maneuverability. Later it became a symbol of the ship's crew and appeared on chevrons. Of the planned 12 submarines, half were completed.

Interesting!

In order to reload ammunition on the Akula submarine, it was necessary to build a special electric-diesel transport vessel, Alexander Brykin, with a displacement of 16 thousand tons.

The aircraft carrier manufactured in the USSR has interesting story buildings. Initially, in 1979, the engineering bureau prepared sketches for the construction of the cruiser, they were approved by S. Gorshkov (commander of the navy at that time), but subsequently a decision was made to radically change the project. Thus, due to all the delays in the design, the ship was launched only in 1987.

Maximum displacement 61,390 tons, length 306 m, width 72 m, height 64.5 m. Like most warships that serve for years and take part in combat operations, the hull must be additionally protected. Thus, the Admiral Kuznetsov is equipped with armor made of high-strength steel, with three-layer anti-torpedo protection of 4.5 m, which is able to withstand a direct hit from a four hundred kilogram TNT projectile.

The powerful ship was equipped with the Beysur navigation system, radar system“Mars Passat”, “Fregat MA”, “Podkat”, “Vaigach” and “Resistor”. For communication, the BIUS “Lesorub”, “Buran 2”, SAC “Polinom”, SAC “Zvezda M1” and the electronic warfare complex “Sozvezdie” were installed. As you can see, the ship is stuffed to the teeth with electronics, but as for weapons, things are still more serious here. On board were anti-aircraft artillery with 48 thousand shells and an anti-submarine combat installation with 60 bombs. Missiles "Granit" 256 pcs., "Dagger" 192 pcs. Since the ship is an aircraft carrier, it can simultaneously carry 50 planes and helicopters.

This military “monster” is driven by a power plant consisting of four steam turbines with a total capacity of 200 thousand horsepower and nine turbogenerators of 1500 kW each. At the same time, the maximum speed of the vessel reaches 54 km/h, and the navigation autonomy is 45 days.

During her service in the Navy, the aircraft carrier made six voyages in the Mediterranean Sea, and once visited the North Atlantic. In 2000, he was involved in the operation to rescue the Kursk submarine. In 2016, he had to take part in hostilities against the military terrorist groups “Islamic State” and “Jabhat al-Nusra” in Syria. During the voyage, 420 combat aircraft sorties were carried out from the ship, and 1,252 terrorist targets were hit.

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Battleship Missouri

Modern armed forces must be mobile - months-long campaigns on war elephants and six-month military expeditions on galleys are a thing of the past. Now, when the count is not even days, but 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 make even blue whales jealous.

"Shinano"

The Japanese giant can hardly be considered modern, because in 1944 it sank safely while performing its first mission. But what shouldn’t be doubted is its colossal size, especially for that time. Its length was 266 meters and its displacement was 68,060 tons. In order for you to understand the size of this hulk, imagine the Titanic. So this legendary liner was only three meters longer than the Shinano, and in terms of displacement it was even inferior to 10 thousand tons.

Initially, the Japanese was supposed to become the fourth in the series battleships type "Yamato", 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 Shinano, half completed, was decided to be converted as soon as possible into a vessel capable of carrying aircraft.

Haste made itself felt during the giant's first and last battle. In November 1944, it was torpedoed by an American submarine. The watertight bulkheads were installed incorrectly, so they were leaky, and the crew was inexperienced.

"Shinano" 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 missing, and the overall readiness of the combat vessel could be estimated at no more 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 the ridiculous amount of $20 million. The buyer was a private Chinese company, which announced its intention to turn the unfinished aircraft carrier into an amusement park and casino. But if there were such plans, they were abandoned almost immediately: 20 million for the crown of creation of Soviet designers is an insignificant price, so the PRC government nationalized the ship and completed its construction. Thus, by 2011, the People's Republic of China entered the pool of countries with aircraft carriers in service.

"Admiral Kuznetsov"

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

In all its characteristics, the aircraft carrier was advanced: the deck was lengthened to allow the Su-25, Su-27 and MiG-29 to take off and land, and the hull was built in a unique way from blocks weighing up to 1,400 tons. Aerofinishers, the Luna optical landing system and aircraft side lifts first appeared on it. The length of "Admiral" is more than three football fields, it is like the Eiffel Tower without a spire - 306 meters. At the same time, such a colossus can carry a whole small air army - 25 planes and 25 helicopters.

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

By 2015, all carrier-based Su-33 fighters on the ship will be replaced with multifunctional MiG-29K. The ship will undergo a major overhaul by 2017.

"Nimitz"

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

The aircraft carrier has gigantic dimensions - 332 meters in length and a displacement of almost 100,000 tons. But these numbers did not bring him success in 2008, when two Russian Tu-95MS teased a “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 on alert did not confuse 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! The Big E also became the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, and this big guy had a crew of just under 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 remaining 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 Cuban missile crisis to Vietnam War, from the confrontation between Northern and South Korea to Yugoslavia and Iraq. He was not spared from unpleasant incidents either: on January 14, 1969, due to the negligence of the crew, a rocket spontaneously exploded on one of the Phantom planes. The subsequent fire destroyed another 15 fighters, killing 27 people and injuring 349. In total, over 52 years, more than 100,000 people served on the aircraft carrier.

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