How many aircraft carriers does the US have? Names and types of American aircraft carriers.

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 “backbones” of their entire navy. 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. Distinctive feature 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. Technical capabilities The ship allows it to carry about 90 aircraft and helicopters, which are lifted directly onto the deck by four freight elevator. 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 head of the Armed Services Committee for 29 years. The main place of service of the ship was 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 undesirable damage. mechanical damage 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 created 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 on duty, each of them is required to regularly undergo a full-fledged major renovation. “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.

The navy is one of the main components armies of any power with access to the seas and oceans. Many empires, such as Great Britain, built their power thanks to a strong fleet capable of responding to any threat many thousands of kilometers from their homeland.

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

The presence of aircraft places demands 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 of the aircraft carriers to have an engine running on nuclear fuel. 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 government $450 million. The high price was one of the reasons why this series of ships is limited to just one aircraft carrier, although it was initially planned to create several more such ships.

The length of the ship is as much as 342 meters. It can accommodate about 80 aircraft. The aircraft carrier's full crew is more than three thousand people. Enterprise has 4 steam catapults. Half is located at the front of the ship, and the other half is located on the landing strips. With the help of catapults, the Enterprise is capable of lifting one aircraft into the air in a quarter of a minute.

On the contrary, landing of air groups is carried out with the help of an aerofinisher, which consists of four cables that are tensioned below deck and help the operation of special brake cylinders. In addition, the aircraft carrier has a nylon mesh that can catch the aircraft if, due to unforeseen circumstances, it overshoots the arresting position.

Second place - Nimitz (United States of America)

A more modern American aircraft carrier, which 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 installed in the ship allows it to operate for about 25 years without replacement. The state spends about $160 million annually on maintaining one aircraft carrier.

The Nimitz can be operated for more than 50 years. Today, 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. At the time of launching, the aircraft carrier had all modern electronics and a sonar station. The last ship of this line (there were four in total) was taken out of service 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 aviation after the end of World War II, the experience of which was taken into account when creating the ship. The first vessel of the line was launched in 1955. Interestingly, this aircraft carrier was considered unlucky among American sailors and received many mocking nicknames due to more accidents associated with fires on the ship. One of them killed about 135 people.
The last ship of 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 Kennedy (United States of America)

Having received its name in honor of the famous American president, this ship was launched in 1968. Its length is 320 meters. This ship is a Kitty Hawk class ship. Just like other ships, it did not have a nuclear engine (although installation was initially planned). Instead, gas turbine equipment was used.

Most of the time, the aircraft carrier was in the Mediterranean Sea, performing various tasks there during cold war. The ship served for about 40 years and during this time underwent several major repairs. The ship was not considered the most successful in the navy, as it suffered 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 Kennedy was removed from service in 2007, and a whole ceremony was organized to see 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.

Sixth place - Midway (United States of America)

This is not only a large aircraft carrier produced in the year the Second World War ended, 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 in the country, including Vietnam and Iraq.

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

In addition, the ship took part 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 imminent reprisals and a totalitarian regime, the crew of the aircraft carrier dropped the helicopters on board, worth a total of over 10 million dollars, into the water. This operation entered the pages of US military glory.

Seventh place - Admiral Kuznetsov (USSR, Russian Federation)

The most powerful aircraft-carrying ship in the USSR and Russia. The ship was created in Nikolaev and received the name of the famous Soviet admiral. After the collapse of the USSR, it became part of the Russian Navy. Today he serves as part of 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 laying it was given the name “Riga”, and at the time of the first launch - “Leonid Brezhnev”. After the launch, work continued on building the ship on the water. In 1989, the ship, still unfinished, went to sea to conduct tests with aircraft. In 1990, construction was completed and the ship was renamed again.

It is currently undergoing major renovations. Already this summer, the ship is planning 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. A total of two ships of this type were produced, both of which 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 war and was scuttled after participating in a nuclear weapons test in 1946.

Lexington was capable of accommodating 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 the military naval battles. One part of the experts advocated the creation of coastal airfields and powerful battleships, since they believed that airplanes were not good enough at destroying ships. The other part insisted on creating powerful aircraft carrier groups, giving them a decisive role in future battles. As a result of tests carried out using captured German ships, the second point of view won, and, as the Second World War confirmed, it was quite justified.

Ninth place - Varyag (USSR, Ukraine, China)

Another long aircraft carrier belonging to the Soviet Union. The history of "Varyag" is indeed interesting. Its construction began in Nikolaev in 1986. Two years later it was already launched, after which work on it continued 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 stopped, and the necessary repair work was not carried out, so the ship slowly degraded.

As a result, Varyag was sold to a Chinese company for $20 million, which is much lower than its actual cost. The buyers said they planned to create an entertainment center on its base. However, the ship was subsequently 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 of World War II. It was originally 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 enjoyed on the water.

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

Currently, the US Navy has 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Each of these ships, in addition to its name, has a special designation containing three letters (CVN), indicating that the ship is a multi-purpose nuclear aircraft carrier, and numbers that are the serial number of a particular aircraft carrier.

10 out of 11 American aircraft carriers are Nimitz class. Construction of the first aircraft carrier of this class began in 1968. These warships are considered the largest military vessels in the world: their length exceeds 300 meters, their displacement is almost 100,000 tons, and 5-6 thousand people are required to service each such aircraft carrier.

List of US aircraft carriers

• "Nimitz"(CVN-68)- was introduced into the US Navy in 1975. This aircraft carrier was used during the Iraq War.
• "Dwight Eisenhower"(CVN-69)- has been in service with the US Navy since 1977. The aircraft carrier took part in the famous operation of American troops “Desert Storm”.
• "Carl Vinson" (CVN-70)- became part of the US Navy in 1982. During the time that the aircraft carrier has been in combat formation, two American presidents have visited its deck - Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
• "Theodore Roosevelt" (CVN-71)— put into operation in 1986. Played one of the key roles in Operation Desert Storm.
• "Abraham Lincoln" (CVN-72)— was launched in 1989. This is the first aircraft carrier of the American fleet on which women began to serve.
• "George Washington" (CVN-73)- has been in the US Navy since 1992. The aircraft carrier serves primarily in the waters of the South China and East China Seas.
• "John Stennis"(CVN-74)— put into operation in 1995. In 2016, he took part in the largest international naval exercises, in which the armies of 26 countries were involved.
• "Harry Truman" (CVN-75)— launched in 1998. In June 2016, the aircraft carrier entered the waters Mediterranean Sea. Many successful combat missions were launched from its deck as part of the fight against ISIS.
• "Ronald Reagan" (CVN-76)- has been part of the US Navy since 2003. Thanks to an improved braking system, this aircraft carrier can accommodate heavy aircraft.
• "George Bush" (CVN-77)— became part of the US Navy in 2009. One of the largest warships in the world. The crew of the ship stationed in the Mediterranean Sea is also taking part in the fight against ISIS.

Launching of the aircraft carrier Henry Ford

USS George W. Bush became the last American Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. In 2009, construction began on a new type of ship, the Ford. According to the plans of American shipbuilders, Ford aircraft carriers should become an improved version of the Nimitz class ships. The new aircraft carriers will be equipped with the latest technology, their hulls will be larger and stronger, and fewer people will be required to maintain these ships.

In 2017, the first ship of the new class, the Gerald Ford (CVN-77), was launched, becoming the eleventh aircraft carrier in the US Navy. The construction of this majestic ship cost the American government $13 billion. "Gerald Ford" is practically invisible to enemy radars, equipped with 25 decks and an improved system for receiving and launching aircraft.

The commissioning of the aircraft carrier was postponed several times due to technical problems. Despite the fact that the ship was officially enlisted in the US Navy, the Gerald Ford has still not passed all the necessary tests. Most likely, full operation of the vessel in combat mode will begin only in 2020.

By 2023, the US government plans to complete the construction of two more Ford-class aircraft carriers.

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Nuclear aircraft carriers are ships newest generation, which are available only to the leading powers of the world. However, they are practically not included in the composition. What's the problem? Why is the Russian Federation, which in many respects is the leader in the international arms race, lagging so far behind in this indicator? After all, the United States already has quite a decent number of such ships. Where are Russia's nuclear aircraft carriers? It is to this question that you will find out the answer in this article. You will understand why this aspect of the arms race Russian Federation turned out to be so weak. You will also learn about ships of this type that were produced in Russia, but for one reason or another did not end up in the Navy. You can also get information about the only aircraft carrier in service in the Navy, as well as whether Russian nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are planned in the near future.

Naturally, it is impossible to obtain specific information about such projects - on television the responsible persons may say one thing, on paper something else will be indicated, but in reality something else may happen. Therefore, information about the future of nuclear aircraft carriers in Russia is purely speculative.

Why are there no nuclear aircraft carriers in Russia?

Russian nuclear aircraft carriers are a very interesting topic, since one of the strongest powers in the world, militarily, is almost completely missing a large and important segment. How did this happen? The whole problem lies in the legacy that the Russian Federation inherited from the Russian Federation. The snag can be found when studying the military policy of the USSR - the fact is that the state completely abandoned the production of aircraft carriers, without even considering them as a concept for ships carrying air power.

Already in times Soviet Union the foundation for the disparity of this aspect in future Russia compared, for example, with the United States. As a result, at the beginning of its existence the Russian Federation did not have aircraft carriers and no plans or programs for their production, the country met the new millennium in exactly the same situation, and even today there are only rumors about when Russian nuclear aircraft carriers will appear and conversations.

Attempt to start production

This is not to say that the Soviet Union did not even try. In the early seventies, the USSR actually planned the construction of the first full-fledged nuclear aircraft carrier, which could mark the beginning of the recruitment of a real nuclear fleet. A project has already been created, which received the working title “1160”. The goal of this project was to create by 1986 as many as three full-fledged nuclear aircraft carriers that could give ejection takeoff to one of the most efficient Soviet aircraft, the Su-27 K. However, unfortunately, the plan was not destined to be implemented, since at that time the USSR was concentrating on the creation of heavy aircraft-carrying cruisers, which cannot be called full-fledged nuclear aircraft carriers for many reasons. And it was then that a proposal was made to create the latest heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser with vertical take-off. It was then that the “1160” project was curtailed, and the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of domestic origin was never born.

By the way, the aircraft-carrying cruiser project, which replaced Project 1160, was a complete defeat. In 1991, it was completed, test launches began, which ultimately led to one of the planes falling directly onto the deck of the cruiser and burning out there. By 1992, the project was abandoned, and the Soviet Union was left without both nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and cruisers with a vertical launch system, and the Russian Federation, which appeared a year later, without any baggage in the field of developing nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

What is there now?

When we're talking about about Russian nuclear aircraft carriers, classification plays a very important role. The fact is that there are no nuclear aircraft carriers in the country at all. And they were never created either in Russia or before that in the Soviet Union. But if we put aside meticulousness, then heavy aircraft-carrying cruisers, which have already been written about, can be classified as aircraft carriers. And then you can trace the history of how those cruisers that were already operating in Russia appeared.

The first were the cruisers Kyiv, Minsk and Novorossiysk. They were launched in the seventies and decommissioned together in 1993. The first stood idle for ten years until it was sent to China, where it became an exhibit in a themed museum. The second one, two years after being written off, was sold to South Korea, where they wanted to dismantle it to obtain metal, but then it was resold to China, where, like the previous one, it ended up in a thematic museum. The third one was the least fortunate - it was sold to Korea for dismantling, but no one bought it back, so the cruiser was dismantled for parts.

As for more modern models, then it is worth paying attention to aircraft carrier"Varyag", which was launched in 1988. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it went to Ukraine, which sold it to China, where it was improved, completed and ready for use. As a result, it operates to this day under the name “Liaoning”. Another cruiser that is still in operation is the Admiral Gorshkov, which operated until 2004, after which it was sold to India, where it was reconstructed, converted into a classic nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and is still in service with the Indian Navy. There is another aircraft-carrying cruiser called Ulyanovsk that could operate in the Russian Federation - it was laid down relatively recently, in 1998, and was planned to be completed by 1995. At the same time, he could still easily serve in the Russian Navy, but the project was curtailed even before its completion, and what had already been assembled was dismantled back into metal. This is how Russia’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carriers never entered service with the Navy.

"Admiral Kuznetsov"

But are these all Russian nuclear-powered aircraft carriers? The review does not end here, because it is still necessary to look at one copy, which is the only one that remains afloat and in the Navy. What kind of ship is this? This is the Russian nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov - the only ship in the Russian Navy that can be classified as an aircraft carrier. However, at the same time, it can only be called a nuclear aircraft carrier conditionally, since it, like previous models, is a TAVKR, that is, like all other aircraft-carrying ships, it was built at the Soviet Chernigov shipyard. This ship was laid down in 1985, and in 1988 it was already launched - since then it has been operating and has managed to serve both the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. It received its name only after the collapse of the USSR; before that it had several different names. Initially, it was given the name “Riga”, then it was renamed “Leonid Brezhnev”, after which it became “Tbilisi”, and only then the Russian nuclear-powered aircraft carrier “Admiral Kuznetsov” was born. What kind of ship is this, which today is the only one in all of Russia?

Ship specifications

As you can see, the Russian Navy does not have large numbers of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Specifications the only heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, however, may be of interest. So, this is a ship with a rather impressive displacement - more than sixty thousand tons. Its length is 306 meters, its width is seventy meters, and its height at its greatest point is 65 meters. The ship's draft can be from eight to ten meters, with a maximum displacement of 10.4 meters. The armor of this ship is made of rolled steel, and the hull is duplicated with additional compartments. The ship is protected from enemy torpedoes by a 4.5-meter three-layer protection - the armor layer is capable of withstanding a hit with a charge of 400 kilograms of TNT. As for the engines, it is worth noting that four-shaft boiler-turbine technology was used, which is not used on full-fledged nuclear aircraft carriers. However, if we talk about dry technical characteristics, then four steam turbines produce a total of 200 thousand horsepower, turbogenerators produce 13 and a half thousand kilowatts, and diesel generators produce another nine thousand kilowatts. It is also worth noting the propulsion unit, which consists of four five-blade propellers. What does all this add up to? The total gives a maximum speed of 29 knots, that is, 54 kilometers per hour. It is also worth noting the combat economic and economic speeds - the first is 18 knots, and the second is 14.

How long can this ship sail without refueling? The range, naturally, depends on the speed: at maximum speed the range is 3850 nautical miles, at economic combat speed - a little more than seven and a half thousand nautical miles, and at economic speed - almost eight and a half thousand nautical miles. Regardless of the distance traveled, the navigation autonomy is also considered, which in the case of this ship is forty-five days. The crew of such a ship numbers a little less than two thousand people. This is a result that could easily be surpassed by modern Russian nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. The characteristics were laid down about thirty years ago, so there is nothing surprising here. However, this is not all that you can find out about the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier currently in service with the Russian Navy.

Armament

Considering the fact that this ship is a combat ship, it has a large set of various weapons on board, this is what we will talk about now. “Admiral Kuznetsov” boasts the “Beysur” navigation system, which allows for maximum targeted fire. Before looking at the guns themselves, it’s also worth looking at the radar devices - there are plenty of them on the ship. There are seven different general detection radars on board, as well as two aviation control stations. It is also worth paying attention to radio electronics - on board there is a combat information and control system "Lesorub", a communications complex "Buran-2" and much more.

Well, now we can turn our attention to the weapons - first of all, it is worth noting the six anti-aircraft artillery installations, designed for 48 thousand shells. Among the missile weapons on board the ship there are 12 Granit launchers, 4 Kortik anti-aircraft missile systems and four Kinzhal launchers. The ship also has a method of attack or defense against submarines - these are two rocket systems designed to carry sixty bombs.

Aviation group

Separately, it is worth taking a look at the aircraft-carrying component of the technical characteristics. "Admiral Kuznetsov" is designed for fifty aircraft that could be transported on board. Moreover, it was assumed that helicopters would also be present there. However, in reality everything turned out to be a little different, and today this ship serves as a base for only thirty aircraft, most of which are Su-33 and Mig-29K.

Future plans

But what next? Will Russia have a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier? Or else for a long time Will Admiral Kuznetsov remain the only representative? Ten years ago, Russians pinned their hopes on the upcoming revision of the decree, which took place in 2009. Just as during the collapse of the Soviet Union and the formation of the Russian Federation, ten years ago the government had no plans at all for this segment of the military market. At the same time, the main competitor was already launching its tenth full-fledged nuclear aircraft carrier. But what happened in 2009? The plan was already laid out until 2020, and nuclear aircraft carriers were still not listed there. So Russia’s new nuclear aircraft carrier has not yet appeared even on paper - it exists so far only in words, and even then in the press, and not in statements by official authorized persons.

Prototypes

In fact, work on the design of aircraft carriers is already underway, but the Russian Navy will not receive a new generation nuclear aircraft carrier very soon. Certainly not in 2020. In some cases, sources report that other countries are working on aircraft carriers for Russia, but more often than not, a message flashes with a picture of a draft of what Russia's nuclear-powered aircraft carriers will look like. The photo shows one that could carry a huge number of aircraft by abandoning the bulky main structure and replacing it with small control towers.

Medvedev's instructions

However, people's hopes were revived in 2015, when Dmitry Medvedev ordered the Ministry of Defense to develop a plan for the introduction of nuclear aircraft carriers. It won't be the best simple task for the reason that you already know - full-fledged ships of this type have never been built on the territory of the Russian Federation and even the former Soviet Union. A nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is not the same thing as a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, so completely different technologies will have to be used. However, one way or another, the most optimistic forecasts report that by 2020 a plan may be proposed to create the first nuclear-powered aircraft carriers intended for the Russian Navy.

The powerful navy of any state determines the political status of the country. For several centuries, Great Britain was considered the strongest maritime power. However, after the end of World War II, the United States of America took the palm. Nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are a significant strength of the country's Navy and a national treasure. The United States is the only country in the world with 11 operational aircraft carriers. The remaining 9 countries that own such vessels can boast one, maximum two pieces of equipment.

History of creation

The idea of ​​​​creating a floating runway belongs to the Americans. And this is not surprising. The main battles almost always take place off the coast of North America, and the United States has always sought to control any military conflicts. In 1910 for the first time. It was the light American cruiser Birmingham, on which a wooden platform measuring 25x7 meters was erected. After 5 minutes, the aircraft, equipped with special floats, successfully landed on the water. The following year, an American officer successfully landed a plane on the artificially created enlarged deck of a cruiser. Carrying out further research, already in 1915 a catapult was developed, necessary for launching an aircraft from a ship.

During the First World War, the British fleet was actively used; after the end of hostilities, America carefully studied the actions of English naval aviation. The first US aircraft carrier was converted from a coal carrier and named CV-1 Langley. A 163-meter-long deck was created on the ship and cranes were installed to lift aircraft on board. The following ships, USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Saratoga (CV-3), were converted with battleships still at the construction stage.

1927 is important date in the history of American aircraft carriers. This year, a decision was made to build (and not re-equip) the first five aircraft-carrying ships. Each of the ships could accommodate from 70 to 80 aircraft.

In the first half of the last century, aircraft-carrying ships of different sizes and, accordingly, differing in purpose, appeared in a number of countries. Several classes of ships were distinguished.

• Light aircraft carrier. The ship is small in size compared to analogues of another class, and can accommodate from 20 to 50 aircraft.
• Escort aircraft carrier. It is a subtype of light aircraft carrier. These ships were rebuilt from civilian ships. A feature of this technology was its low speed and unreliability in battles. Langley's first experimental aircraft carrier can be attributed specifically to this class of ships.
• Heavy/attack aircraft carrier. It is a type of large ship that allows horizontal takeoff and landing. Accommodates from 70 to 100 aircraft. Such naval equipment is capable of inflicting large-scale attacks on the enemy and can remain far from the coast for a long time. During the war and in the post-war period, US aircraft carriers such as the Essex and Midway were built.

The Second World War

The war began in December 1941, when Japan attacked the US Pacific Fleet base at Pearl Harbor. Over the course of two raids, 353 aircraft took off from 6 Japanese aircraft carriers. As a result of the attacks, 14 ships and more than 200 aircraft were sunk or damaged, and about 2.5 thousand people were killed. No one expected such aggression from Japan. The United States declared war on the “Land of the Rising Sun” on the same day. By coincidence, only old ships were in Pearl Harbor at the time of the attack. Modern aircraft carriers were located on another part of the American coast.

Essex-class aircraft carriers

In the same year, 1941, 3 Essex-class aircraft carriers were laid down, which belonged to the strike class of aircraft carrier ships. The design began 3 years before the start of construction. Initially, it was planned to build only one such ship. However, after the attack on the Pearl Harbor base, a decision was urgently made to create two additional ships. In total, 24 aircraft carriers of this type were produced during the war years. It is noteworthy that the Essex took part in many battles, but not a single ship was sunk. The length of the vessel was 266 m, the maximum speed reached 33 knots, the crew included 3,000 people (in accordance with the staffing table, 2,386 people). The equipment included about 100 aircraft, anti-aircraft artillery and radar weapons.

Long Island-class aircraft carriers

Considering the slow speed of construction of attack aircraft-carrying ships, a decision was made to re-equip a number of transport ships. An escort aircraft carrier could be built in a few months. In the early 40s, 2 transport ships were converted, one of which was transferred to the British Navy. The American Long Island was used primarily as a training base for pilots and escorts for other ships; only once did it take a mediocre part in ensuring security during the Battle of Midway. The ship had a length of 150 meters, a speed of about 16 knots and a crew of up to 1000 people. Armament included 16 aircraft. After the end of the war he was removed from service, but served for many years after that for civilian purposes until 1977.

Avenger-class aircraft carriers

During the same period, another 4 transport ships were converted into escort aircraft carriers, some of which were transferred to the US partner - Great Britain. The technical characteristics of the ship were practically no different from the Long Island-class aircraft carriers, except that not 16, but 15 aircraft were based on board. A German submarine was able to sink the main of the four ships described near Gibraltar.

Ranger-class aircraft carrier

The Ranger is the first attack ship originally designed as an American aircraft carrier. The runway looked like an above-deck structure made of wood and topped with a thin layer of steel for protection in case of fire. The chimney was divided into 6 pipes - three on each side. Depending on the direction of the wind, one or the other side was connected, thereby ensuring normal visibility for takeoff and landing of aircraft. The ship had been in service since 1934, patrolled the Atlantic Ocean during the war, and took part in 1942 operations in North Africa. During this time, 496 aircraft sorties were carried out from the ship. At the end of the war, the ship was withdrawn from the fleet and sold as scrap in 1947. The length of the Ranger was almost 235 meters, the speed was 29 knots, and the aviation group consisted of 86 aircraft.

Yorktown-class aircraft carriers

In the 30s of the last century, 3 aircraft-carrying ships were also built, which were a modernized copy of the Ranger. All of them were actively used in military battles. Just a year after the United States entered the war, 2 Yorktowns were sunk, and the third aircraft carrier, Enterprise, was withdrawn from service in 1947. The length of the ships was 246 meters, the speed was 32.5 knots, and each ship was assigned 96 aircraft. Particularly notable was the USS Enterprise, recognized as the most famous United States Navy ship in the Pacific during World War II. The ship took an active part in the battles at Midway Atoll.

It is worth talking in more detail about the Battle of Midway, since this battle was one of the most important that influenced the outcome of the war. Understanding the growing power of American aircraft carriers, Japan planned in detail a surprise attack on US naval forces based in the Midway Atoll area. However, US cryptographers managed to declassify the code and learned about the enemy’s tasks. Deciding to be proactive, Admiral Nimitz sent 3 fully equipped Yorktown-class aircraft carriers. As a result of heavy battles, Japan lost 4 heavy aircraft carriers and 248 aircraft and thereby missed the opportunity to conduct an attacking line of conduct in the war. The United States lost one of the Yorktown aircraft carriers in this battle.

Wasp-class aircraft carrier

This type is represented by only one example of the ship. It was a stripped-down version of Yorktown. "Wasp" was put into operation in 1940, with the beginning of US participation in the war, the ship patrolled the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and repeatedly transported land aircraft from England to the Mediterranean. In 1942, Wasp and its aircraft ensured the safe passage of American ships. However, a Japanese submarine met on his way. When attacked by the Japanese Navy, the aircraft carrier was damaged and then sunk.

Independence-class aircraft carriers

In conditions of an acute shortage of aircraft carriers during the Second World War, several more light aircraft-carrying ships were created, rebuilt from the Cleveland cruisers. Over the course of 2 years, 9 such vessels were converted. Despite their small size and vulnerability, they were actively exploited during the war. After the war and the development of aviation, the small size of the deck did not allow aircraft carrier cruisers to be used for their intended purpose, so in 1946-47 all of them were withdrawn from US Navy service. Some of them were transferred to the navies of France and Spain, some were used in nuclear tests, and the rest were scrapped. The Independence was 190 meters long and could accommodate up to 30 aircraft.

Saipan-class aircraft carriers

A group of light aircraft carriers from the 1940s, created as replacements for the supposed losses of the Independence. Two ships of this type were built, both of which never entered service during wartime. At the end of the war, the intensive development of jet aircraft began; Saipan could no longer take such heavy equipment on board. In view of this, the ships acted as auxiliary vessels or training exhibits and were withdrawn from service only at the end of the 70s of the last century.

Bogue-class aircraft carriers

A group of World War II escort aircraft carriers, most often used by the British Allies. A total of 45 units of equipment were converted. The distinctive features of these escort aircraft carriers were the following indicators. Due to a shortage of diesel engines, the Bogue used a hull with steam turbine units - this increased the amount of gas produced, but also contributed to the vessel's greater speed. The length of the ship was increased, and the deck itself was protected by 6-mm steel sheets, all this made it possible to take on board heavier aircraft.

Casablanca-class aircraft carriers

The largest group of escort aircraft carriers, 50 units were created during the war, the ships were built in a record 4 months. "Casablanca" differed from "Bogue" in greater speed and increased hangar space, but they could not cover long distances. Also, their deck was shorter than the previous Bogues, so take-off and landing of aircraft was difficult. During the war, aircraft carriers were actively used to support landing forces. 5 ships were lost during the battles. At the end of hostilities, the Casablanca became unusable due to its small deck size.

Sengamon-class aircraft carriers

Four Sangamon-class escort carriers were converted from unfinished oil tankers and also served in World War II. The ships served in the Atlantic, and later Pacific Ocean. The cost of such ships was quite high, so not a large amount of equipment was built. All of the Sangamon aircraft carriers were involved in Operation Torch. The aircraft armament included 14 fighters and 17 bombers different types. During one of the campaigns, the Sengamon was discovered by Japanese ships. The aircraft carrier tried to break away from the enemies, but the very next day it was attacked by a plane that crashed into the deck. The hole on the deck reached 40 m², a few minutes later the aircraft carrier was torpedoed by a submarine. On the same day, 2 more kamikazes crashed into the side of the ship, leaving more and more holes and hundreds of dead. Despite this, the Sengamon continued to sail.

Post-war time

Naval battles in World War II demonstrated the need to use aircraft carriers for a variety of purposes. Shock units took a direct part in many significant battles. Escort and light analogues ensured the safety of the movement of other ships, transported aircraft and acted as training equipment. Having won the victory, the United States, together with its allies, continued the development of naval aviation and, as a result, a new aircraft carrier capable of carrying heavy jet aircraft was required. In view of this, most of the existing aircraft-carrying ships were decommissioned and new, more modern and modernized ones took their place.

Taking into account the development of technology and shipbuilding, the following modern classes of aircraft-carrying ships have been developed:

• A supercarrier is a large attack aircraft carrier, which in modern times most often has a nuclear installation on board. The displacement ranges from 50 to 100 thousand tons. They include a large number of aircraft with the ability to take off and land horizontally. They are called strike ships because they are capable of independently delivering a powerful blow to the enemy, without the use of additional ships. Such aircraft carriers have the capability of long-term voyages.
• A multi-purpose aircraft carrier is a vessel with a displacement of 30-50 thousand tons with the possibility of horizontal landing. The ships are similar in function to supercarriers, but are smaller in size, have fewer aircraft on board, and can stay less offshore.
• Light aircraft carrier - displacement does not exceed 25 thousand tons, it uses only vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Therefore, such an aircraft carrier is called a VTOL aircraft. They are not as powerful as previous classes, but their cost is several times cheaper. In this regard, some countries use these types of vessels.

Midway-class aircraft carriers

The first group of heavy attack aircraft carriers were produced in the likeness of their British counterparts. They differed from their predecessors in their larger size and more powerful hull armor. Unlike the 25 mm armor of all previous generations, this type had a deck thickness of 87 mm. During the war and post-war period, 3 copies were built, but none of them managed to see the battles of World War II. At the same time, the ships participated in a number of other battles taking place around the world, including the Vietnam conflict. Two of the three aircraft carriers have undergone modernization and have been in the fleet for almost 50 years. The length of the vessel was 295 meters, the number of aircraft in different periods varied from 136 to 153 aircraft. The last aircraft carrier was decommissioned in 1992 and today is a museum exhibit.

Operation Gusty Wind

"Midway" participated in the special operation "Gusty Wind". In 1975, the country's leadership sent several aircraft carriers to the shores of Vietnam to evacuate the residents of Saigon. A South Vietnamese Air Force pilot put his wife and 5 children into a small two-seater plane and flew out of the danger zone. In the vastness of the sea, he saw Midway and asked to land the aircraft on an aircraft-carrying ship. To be able to land the plane, it was necessary to quickly clear the deck of equipment. The captain of Midway gave the order to remove aircraft from the deck. Some of them had to be jettisoned, resulting in $10 million in aviation losses. To the surprise of everyone present on the ship, the pilot managed to land the plane and saved the family.

Forrestal-class aircraft carriers

The next on the list of heavy attack aircraft carriers were the Forrestal-class ships, created in the 50s of the last century. The need for them arose after an analysis of naval battles in the area of ​​the Korean Peninsula. 4 ships were built - these were the largest warships in the world in the entire history of shipbuilding at that time. The length was 317 meters; thanks to the new technical equipment, the aircraft carrier could sail autonomously for 90 days. Armament included radar equipment, anti-aircraft artillery and up to 90 aircraft. "Forrestal" participated in the Vietnam War and represented the basic set of ships in the US Navy. The last of the ships was taken out of service in 1998.

Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carriers

Following the combat testing and service of the previous Forrestal series of aircraft carriers, several elements in the design of the ships were corrected. In the 60s, the world saw 4 examples of improved models called “Kitty Hawk”. The main difference from its predecessors was the different placement of elevators. The length was 326 meters, the crew reached 5,624 people - excluding air pilots, there were about 80 planes and helicopters on board. The last of the aircraft carriers was withdrawn from the fleet in 2009.

The emergence of nuclear aircraft carriers

With the development of nuclear power, many marine experiments and tests were carried out. For this purpose, a number of aircraft carriers that survived the Second World War were used. world war, but not capable of taking new ones on board. After conducting a series of studies, America decided to do the incredible. Construction began on a fundamentally new aircraft-carrying vessel, the likes of which had no analogues in the world. It was the nuclear attack super aircraft carrier Enterprise. It was put into operation in 1961. Initially, it was planned to build 5 similar ships. However, given the huge cost of $451 million, it was decided to settle on a single copy. Its length is 342 meters. The possibility of autonomous navigation reached 13 years. This was many times greater than the capabilities of all other aircraft carriers in the United States and the world. Enterprise served in the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War.

In 1969, a tragic event occurred: one of the missiles, due to the negligence of the crew, exploded and crashed into the tank of one of the aircraft standing on the deck. The disaster killed 27 people, and total property damage amounted to $126 million. After repair work and modernization of a number of elements, the ship continued to participate in combat operations. In particular, in Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2011, he was spotted off the coast of Somalia, where he helped in the fight against sea pirates. In 2012, the aircraft carrier was withdrawn from the fleet. However, it was only in February 2017 that it was officially decommissioned. This was due to the fact that the US Navy planned to replace the Enterprise with a new American supercarrier, which was ready only in 2017.

Nimitz-class aircraft carriers

The main aircraft carriers operating on this moment in the US Navy are Nimitz-class vessels. The ships, like the Enterprise and the new Ford, have a nuclear power plant. The first ship of this type was put into operation in 1975, the last in 2009. The production cost is $4.5 billion, operation is possible for 50 years. The recharge period of a nuclear reactor is 20 years. A total of 10 units were produced. Nimitz aircraft carriers took an active part in operations related to military conflicts in Yugoslavia and Iraq. It is unknown how high-quality armor is installed on US aircraft carriers, since they are currently in use, but there is reason to believe that 63.5 mm thick Kevlar plates were used during production. Such protection is not enough against a direct hit from modern missiles, but the US Navy's air defense systems will prevent these missiles from approaching the danger zone around the ship.

How many aircraft carriers does the US have today?

The US Navy operates 11 nuclear-powered attack aircraft carriers. American aircraft carriers are significantly more powerful than all other aircraft carriers in the world combined.

The latest development in the field of aircraft carriers is represented by the new Ford-class ship, which entered the ranks of the American Navy on May 31, 2017. Today, among the operating aircraft carriers in the world, Ford is the largest specimen. The cost of its construction cost the Americans almost 13 billion dollars. The vessel is equipped with an Emals electromagnetic catapult, which ensures smoother acceleration of aircraft. The new reactors are capable of creating 25% more electricity than its predecessor. Thanks to the increased number of automated elements, it was possible to reduce the number of people involved in operation. Thus, there are savings in the use of the ship in the amount of 4 billion dollars. The Gerald R. Ford has the ability to sail autonomously for up to 30 years.