The list of aircraft carriers by country includes all aircraft carriers organized by country of origin and service. Where appropriate, a single ship may be listed under multiple countries.
The table below does not include submarine aircraft carriers, seaplane tenders, escort carriers, merchant aircraft carriers, helicopter carriers or amphibious assault shipsThe total includes ship under construction, but not ships that were never built.Retired:
Light carriers:
ARA Independencia (V-1): Colossus class light carrier in service from 1959 to 1969; scrapped 1971
ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2): Colossus class light carrier in service from 1969 to 1999; scrapped 1999
Retired:
Light Fleet Carriers:
HMAS Sydney: Majestic class carrier in service from 1948 to 1958. Later recommissioned as troop transport
HMAS Melbourne: Majestic class carrier in service from 1955 to 1982
HMAS Vengeance: Colossus class light carrier on loan from Royal Navy from 1952 to 1955
Active:
Fleet carrier:
São Paulo: Clemenceau class carrier in service since 2000. Former name as carrier of the French Navy: Foch
Retired:
Light carrier:
Minas Gerais: Colossus class carrier in service from 1960 to 2001
Retired:
Light carriers:
HMCS Warrior: Colossus class light carrier in service from 1946 to 1948; returned to Royal Navy and sold to Argentine Navy as ARA Independencia (V-1); carrier in service from 1959 to 1969; scrapped 1971
HMCS Magnificent: Majestic class carrier in service from 1946 to 1956; return to Royal Navy and stricken; scrapped in Scotland in 1965
HMCS Bonaventure : Majestic class carrier in service from 1957 to 1970; ordered by Royal Navy, but sold as HMS Powerful and delivered to Royal Canadian Navy; retired by the Canadian Armed Forces and broken up in Taiwan 1971
Active:
Liaoning: never completed ex-Soviet Navy carrier sold to China by Ukraine being refitted in Dalian. Handed on to PLAN on 23 September 2012 and entered active service on 25 September 2012.
Planned:
Future Chinese aircraft carrier
Type 001A (Under construction)
Type 002 (Under construction)
Active:
Charles de Gaulle : aircraft carrier in service since 2001
Retired:
Béarn : converted Normandie-class battleship in service from 1927 to 1948
Dixmude : Avenger-class escort carrier, ex-HMS Biter, in service from 1945 to 1951
Arromanches : Colossus class light aircraft carrier in service from 1946 to 1974
Independence class
La Fayette : light aircraft carrier in service from 1951 to 1963
Bois Belleau : light aircraft carrier in service from 1953 to 1960
Clemenceau class
Clemenceau : aircraft carrier in service from 1961 to 1997
Foch : aircraft carrier in service from 1963 to 2000. Refitted, sold to Brazil and renamed São Paulo
Never completed:
Engageante : Friponne class sloop planned for conversion but not completed
Conquerante : Valliante class sloop planned for conversion but not completed
Joffre class
Joffre : carrier construction cancelled in 1940
Painlevé : carrier plan cancelled in 1940
Verdun : attack carrier development cancelled in 1961
PH 75: projected two nuclear powered helicopter carrier program during the 1970s
Bretagne: STOVL aircraft carrier
Provence: STOVL aircraft carrier
PA 2 : modified version of Thales UK/BMT design for the future British Queen Elizabeth class (formerly CVF).
Never completed:
German aircraft carrier I – planned conversion of passenger ship from German shipyard to aircraft carrier. Cancelled in 1918.
Graf Zeppelin: Graf Zeppelin class carrier. Launched but not completed. Construction work stopped in 1943.
Flugzeugträger B: Graf Zeppelin class carrier cancelled partly constructed in 1939.
Seydlitz: conversion of part-built Admiral Hipper class cruiser. Work stopped in 1943 and not resumed.
German aircraft carrier I: conversion of the transport ship Europa cancelled at design stage in November 1942 due to insurmountable problems.
The two planned Italian carriers Aquila and Sparviero were seized by the Germans after the Italian Armistice but not completed.
Active:
INS Vikramaditya : 45,400 tons, Modified Kiev class carrier (ex-Admiral Gorshkov), in service with India since 2013.
Under construction:
INS Vikrant: 44,000 tons, Vikrant class carrier. It has been built at Cochin Shipyard and has been launched, and is expected to enter service in 2018.
Planned:
INS Vishal: 65,000 tons, Vikrant-class carrier. Yet to start, planned to enter service in 2025. It will be nuclear powered.
Retired:
INS Vikrant : 19,500 tons, Majestic-class carrier, (ex-HMS Hercules), in service from 1961 to 1997, used as a museum until 2012, scrapped 2014-2015.
INS Viraat : 28,700 tons, Centaur class carrier (ex-HMS Hermes) in service from 1987 to 2016. Decommissioned on 06-03-2017.
Active:
Giuseppe Garibaldi (1985) – active.
Cavour (2008) – current fleet flagship.
Never completed:
Sparviero (1927) (converted liner Augustus, not completed as carrier) – Sunk 5 October 1944
Aquila (1926) (converted liner Roma) – BU 1951–1952
Retired:
Hōshō (1921) – decommissioned 1946
Kaiyo (1943) – decommissioned 1945 and scrapped 1946
Sunk:
Kaga (1921) – sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942
Akagi (1925) – sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942
Ryūjō (1931) – sunk, Battle of the Eastern Solomons, August 1942
Ryūhō (1933) – damaged at Kure by U.S. air raid March 1945 and scrapped postwar
Sōryū class
Sōryū (1935) – sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942
Hiryū (1937) – sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942
Zuihō class
Shōhō (1935) – sunk, Battle of the Coral Sea, May 1942
Zuihō (1936) – sunk, Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944
Chitose class
Chitose (1936) – seaplane tender from 1934 to 1942, rebuilt as light carrier and sunk at Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944
Chiyoda (1937) – sunk at Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944
Shōkaku class
Shōkaku (1939) – sunk by U.S. submarine USS Cavalla (SS-244), Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944
Zuikaku (1939) – sunk, Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944
Hiyō class
Junyō (1939) – damaged during Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944. Never repaired; scrapped postwar.
Hiyō (1939) – sunk, Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944
Taihō (1943) – sunk, Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944
Unryū class
Amagi (1943) – used as anti-aircraft platform and sunk in July 1945
Unryū (1943) – sunk by U.S. submarine Redfish, December 1944
Katsuragi (1944) – used as transport to repatriate Japanese troops postwar and then scrapped
Shinano (1944) – sunk by U.S. submarine Archerfish, November 1944
Mizuho (1939) – sunk by U.S. submarine USS Drum, 1 May 1942.
Only Hōshō, Junyō, Katsuragi and Ryuho survived the war and these were scrapped by 1948.
Never completed:
Unryū class
Aso 4th unit of Unryū class (not completed)
Ikoma 5th unit of Unryū class (not completed)
Kasagi 6th unit of Unryū class (not completed)
Ibuki - heavy cruiser conversion; scrapped post-war
Netherlands
Retired:
Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman (ex-British HMS Venerable, purchased 1948) – Sold to Argentina 1968 and renamed ARA Veinticinco de Mayo, broken up
Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman (ex-British HMS Nairana, transferred to Dutch service 1946) – Converted to merchantman and renamed Port Victor, Until March 1968, owned by Cunard Line but managed by Blue Star Port Lines. Eventually owned by Port Line, July 21, 1971, sent to Faslane to be scrapped
The Russian Navy was established in December 1991, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, most Soviet aircraft carriers were transferred over to Russia.
Active:
Admiral Kuznetsov class
Admiral Kuznetsov (1991–)
Retired:
Kiev class
Kiev (1991–1993)
Minsk (1991–1993)
Novorossiysk (1991–1993)
Admiral Gorshkov (1991–1995)- Modified, rebuilt and sold to India, renamed INS Vikramaditya
The Soviet Union was dissolved in December 1991, most Soviet aircraft carriers were transferred to Russia, with the exception of Varyag which was transferred to Ukraine. Ulyanovsk was scrapped before the Soviet Union was dissolved.
In service at the end of Soviet state:
Admiral Kuznetsov class
Admiral Kuznetsov (1985–1991) — to Russia (1991)
Kiev class
Kiev (1972–1991) — to Russia (1991)
Minsk (1975–1991) — to Russia (1991)
Novorossiysk (1978–1991) — to Russia (1991)
Admiral Gorshkov (1982–1991) — to Russia (1991)
Never completed:
Admiral Kuznetsov class
Varyag (not commissioned) — to Ukraine (1991); rebuilt, tested and commissioned by the Chinese PLAN as Liaoning
Ulyanovsk class
Ulyanovsk (not commissioned) — scrapped (1991)
Active:
Juan Carlos I : 27,079 tonne STOVL carrier in active service, commissioned 30 September 2010.
Retired:
Dédalo : 11,700 ton Independence class light carrier, ex-USS Cabot, helicopters only from 1967–1976, struck 1989 and returned to United States, eventually scrapped in 2002.
Príncipe de Asturias : 17,000 ton STOVL commissioned 30 May 1982, decommissioned on 6 February 2013 due to defence spending cuts.
Never completed:
Spanish conversion for refloated Italian heavy cruiser Trieste, cancelled in 1951.
Under construction:
TCG Anadolu (2021) The construction works began on 30 April 2016 at the shipyard of Sedef Shipbuilding Inc. in Istanbul and is expected to be completed in 2021. The vessel is intended to meet the various needs and requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces, such as sustaining long-endurance, long-distance military combat or humanitarian relief operations; while acting as a command center and flagship for the Turkish Navy.
Thailand
Active:
HTMS Chakri Naruebet (1996)* Commissioned in 1997 but by 1999, only one used AV-8S Matador/Harrier was still operable due to lack of spare parts and age.
Never completed:
Admiral Kuznetsov class
Varyag (not commissioned) — sold to China (1998)
Under construction:
Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, STOVL ships of 70,600 tonnes
HMS Queen Elizabeth (2016)
HMS Prince of Wales (2018)
Sunk:
Glorious class
HMS Glorious (1916), sunk by Scharnhorst and Gneisenau 8 June 1940
HMS Courageous (1916), sunk by U-29 17 September 1939
HMS Eagle (1918), sunk by U-73 11 August 1942
HMS Hermes (1923) – first purpose-designed aircraft carrier, sunk by Japanese aircraft 9 April 1942
HMS Ark Royal (1938), sunk 14 November 1941 after being torpedoed by U-81 on 13 November 1941
Retired:
HMS Argus (1916)
HMS Furious (1916)
HMS Vindictive (1918) – converted to aircraft carrying cruiser 1925
HMS Unicorn fleet maintenance carrier (1943)
Illustrious class
HMS Illustrious (1939)
HMS Formidable (1939)
HMS Victorious (1939)
HMS Indomitable (1940)
Implacable class
HMS Implacable (1942)
HMS Indefatigable (1942)
Audacious class
HMS Eagle (ex-Audacious) (1946)
HMS Ark Royal (ex-Irresistible) (1950)
Colossus class
HMS Colossus (1943), to France 1946 as Arromanches
HMS Glory (1943)
HMS Ocean (1944)
HMS Theseus (1944)
HMS Triumph (1944)
HMS Venerable (1944) – to Netherlands 1948 as HNLMS Karel Doorman, to Argentina 1968 as ARA Veinticinco de Mayo
HMS Vengeance (1944) – to Brazil 1956 as Minas Gerais
HMS Warrior (1944) – to Canada 1946–1948, to Argentina 1958 as ARA Independencia
HMS Perseus (1944)
HMS Pioneer (1944)
Majestic class
HMS Majestic (1945) – to Australia 1955 as HMAS Melbourne
HMS Hercules (1945) – to India 1957 as INS Vikrant
HMS Magnificent (1944) – sold to Canada as HMCS Magnificent
HMS Powerful (1945) – to Canada 1952 as HMCS Bonaventure
HMS Terrible (1944) – to Australia in 1948 as HMAS Sydney
Centaur class
HMS Centaur (1947)
HMS Albion (1947)
HMS Bulwark (1948)
HMS Hermes (ex-Elephant) (1953), to India 1986 as INS Viraat
Invincible class
HMS Invincible (1977)
HMS Illustrious (1982)
HMS Ark Royal (1985)
Never completed:
Audacious class
Eagle – cancelled
Africa – to Malta class then cancelled
Majestic class
HMS Leviathan (1945) – was never completed
Centaur class
Hermes – cancelled
Arrogant – cancelled
Monmouth – cancelled
Polyphemus – cancelled
Malta class – cancelled 1946
Malta
New Zealand
Gibraltar
Africa
CVA-01 – cancelled 1966
Queen Elizabeth
Duke of Edinburgh
The United States Navy has the world's largest fleet of nuclear powered aircraft carriers, comprising the Nimitz class and the upcoming Gerald R. Ford class supercarriers.
The United States also has several full-deck amphibious assault ships, such as the Wasp and America classes, which are larger than many of the aircraft carriers of other navies.
list of aircraft carrier classes of the United States Navy
list of escort aircraft carriers of the United States Navy
list of amphibious warfare ships of the United States Navy
