Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the American arsenal of 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.
Here is a look at the biggest aircraft carriers currently in service:
Why Are We Covering This?
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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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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