The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is now heading home after about eight months of fighting against the Yemen Houthis in the Red Sea. This carrier strike was deployed to the Middle East following the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel and the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza War.
Normally, these carrier strike groups are deployed to bring stability or act as a deterrent to regions that have ongoing conflicts or hotspots. As some of the most powerful military assets on the planet, aircraft carriers are capable of controlling significant territory whether land or sea. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the American arsenal of carriers. (These are 15 planes and helicopters that fly on American aircraft carriers.)
To identify the biggest American aircraft carriers, 24/7 Wall St. referenced a catalog of naval vessels from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles and aircraft. We ordered these aircraft carriers according to the total displacement for each vessel. We included supplemental information for each regarding the dimensions, crew size, top speed, and more.
The Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is one of the newest aircraft carriers to enter the U.S. fleet. It is capable of housing over 75 aircraft whether fighter jets or helicopters. There are currently two more supercarriers in the Ford class in production that are expected to enter the service within the next decade.
Outside of the Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), there are a number of other aircraft carriers that fill out the fleet of the U.S. Navy in varying operational capacities. (These are the first 33 aircraft carriers in U.S. Navy history.)
Here is a look at the biggest aircraft carriers currently in service:
Why Are We Covering This?
Source: U.S. Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Understanding aircraft carriers gives insight into some of the most powerful military assets in the world. These massive ships operate as mobile airbases, enabling novel military tactics and strategies. Aircraft carriers also impact geopolitical relations and regional conflicts to a great degree.
20. USS Wasp (LHD-1)
- Class: Wasp
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Year introduced: 1989
- Displacement: 41,150 tons
- Length & beam: 843 ft x 104 ft
- Crew size: 1070 (+ up to 1,871 Marines)
- Aircraft housed: 26
- Price tag: $750 million
- Top speed: 25 mph
19. USS Essex (LHD-2)
Source: Public domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Wasp
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Year introduced: 1992
- Displacement: 41,150 tons
- Length & beam: 844 ft x 106 ft
- Crew size: 1208 (+ up to 1,871 Marines)
- Aircraft housed: 26
- Price tag: $779 million
- Top speed: 25 mph
18. USS Kearsarge (LHD-3)
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Class: Wasp
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Year introduced: 1993
- Displacement: 41,150 tons
- Length & beam: 843 ft x 104 ft
- Crew size: 1208 (+ up to 1,871 Marines)
- Aircraft housed: 26
- Price tag: $815 million
- Top speed: 25 mph
17. USS Boxer (LHD-4)
Source: Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
- Class: Wasp
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Year introduced: 1995
- Displacement: 41,150 tons
- Length & beam: 843 ft x 104 ft
- Crew size: 1208 (+ up to 1,871 Marines)
- Aircraft housed: 26
- Price tag: $840 million
- Top speed: 25 mph
16. USS Bataan (LHD-5)
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Class: Wasp
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Year introduced: 1997
- Displacement: 41,150 tons
- Length & beam: 843 ft x 104 ft
- Crew size: 1208 (+ up to 1,871 Marines)
- Aircraft housed: 26
- Price tag: $1 billion
- Top speed: 25 mph
15. USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Wasp
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Year introduced: 2001
- Displacement: 41,150 tons
- Length & beam: 843 ft x 104 ft
- Crew size: 1208 (+ up to 1,871 Marines)
- Aircraft housed: 26
- Price tag: $1.3 billion
- Top speed: 25 mph
14. USS Makin Island (LHD-8)
Source: Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
- Class: Wasp
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Year introduced: 2009
- Displacement: 41,150 tons
- Length & beam: 843 ft x 104 ft
- Crew size: 1208 (+ up to 1,871 Marines)
- Aircraft housed: 26
- Price tag: $1.3 billion
- Top speed: 25 mph
13. USS America (LHA-6)
- Class: America
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Year introduced: 2014
- Displacement: 45,693 tons
- Length & beam: 844 ft x 106 ft
- Crew size: 1204 (+ up to 1,871 Marines)
- Aircraft housed: 25
- Price tag: $3.4 billion
- Top speed: 25 mph
12. USS Tripoli (LHA-7)
Source: viper-zero / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Class: America
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Year introduced: 2020
- Displacement: 45,693 tons
- Length & beam: 844 ft x 106 ft
- Crew size: 1204 (+ up to 1,871 Marines)
- Aircraft housed: 25
- Price tag: $3.3 billion
- Top speed: 25 mph
11. USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78)
Source: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ridge Leoni, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Ford
- Type: Supercarrier
- Year introduced: 2017
- Displacement: 100,000 tons
- Length & beam: 1106 ft x 256 ft
- Crew size: 4539
- Aircraft housed: 75+
- Price tag: $12.9 billion
- Top speed: 35 mph
10. USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74)
Source: usnavy / Flickr
- Class: Nimitz
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1995
- Displacement: 103,300 tons
- Length & beam: 1092 ft x 252 ft
- Crew size: 6012
- Aircraft housed: 90
- Price tag: $4.5 billion
- Top speed: 35 mph
9. USS Nimitz (CVN-68)
Source: United States Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Nimitz
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1975
- Displacement: 112,020 tons
- Length & beam: 1092 ft x 252 ft
- Crew size: 6012
- Aircraft housed: 90
- Price tag: $1.0 billion
- Top speed: 36 mph
8. USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
Source: usnavy / Flickr
- Class: Nimitz
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1982
- Displacement: 113,500 tons
- Length & beam: 1092 ft x 252 ft
- Crew size: 6012
- Aircraft housed: 90
- Price tag: $1.2 billion
- Top speed: 35 mph
7. USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)
Source: U.S. Navy / Getty Images
- Class: Nimitz
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 2003
- Displacement: 113,600 tons
- Length & beam: 1092 ft x 252 ft
- Crew size: 6012
- Aircraft housed: 90
- Price tag: $4.5 billion
- Top speed: 35 mph
6. USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
Source: Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
- Class: Nimitz
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1977
- Displacement: 113,800 tons
- Length & beam: 1092 ft x 252 ft
- Crew size: 6012
- Aircraft housed: 90
- Price tag: $1.05 billion
- Top speed: 35 mph
5. USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77)
Source: Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
- Class: Nimitz
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 2009
- Displacement: 114,000 tons
- Length & beam: 1092 ft x 252 ft
- Crew size: 6,012
- Aircraft housed: 90
- Price tag: $6.2 billion
- Top speed: 35 mph
4. USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)
Source: Sven Eckelkamp / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Class: Nimitz
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1998
- Displacement: 116,400 tons
- Length & beam: 1092 ft x 252 ft
- Crew size: 6012
- Aircraft housed: 90
- Price tag: $4.5 billion
- Top speed: 35 mph
3. USS George Washington (CVN-73)
- Class: Nimitz
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1992
- Displacement: 116,700 tons
- Length & beam: 1092 ft x 252 ft
- Crew size: 6012
- Aircraft housed: 90
- Price tag: $4.5 billion
- Top speed: 35 mph
2. USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
Source: viper-zero / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Class: Nimitz
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1989
- Displacement: 116,800 tons
- Length & beam: 1092 ft x 252 ft
- Crew size: 5680
- Aircraft housed: 90
- Price tag: $4.7 billion
- Top speed: 35 mph
1. USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
- Class: Nimitz
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1986
- Displacement: 117,200 tons
- Length & beam: 1092 ft x 252 ft
- Crew size: 5680
- Aircraft housed: 90
- Price tag: $4.5 billion
- Top speed: 35 mph
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