The Most Powerful Battleships, Aircraft Carriers, and Submarines of World War II

By Chris Lange Published Feb 26, 2:30PM EST

Quick Read

Aircraft carriers replaced battleships as dominant naval power during WWII by striking targets hundreds of miles beyond visual range.
Submarines waged economic warfare targeting supply lines. German U-boats nearly isolated Britain while American subs devastated Japanese shipping.
Major carrier battles like Midway proved air power projection was more decisive than traditional surface gun battles.
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The Most Powerful Battleships, Aircraft Carriers, and Submarines of World War II — © USS Yorktown battle of midway (CC BY 2.0) by Cassowary Colorizations

World War II proved that control of the oceans could determine the outcome of a global conflict. While battleships had long dominated naval thinking, the war quickly showed that aircraft carriers and submarines were changing the rules. Some ships became symbols of national power, while others played decisive roles in battles that shifted momentum in the Atlantic and Pacific. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the vessels that defined sea power during World War II and helped shape the future of naval warfare.

To identify the naval vessels that defined WWII sea power, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed various historical and military sources. We included supplemental information regarding each vessel’s country, type, displacement, top speed, primary armament, as well as a key moment that defined each craft.

It’s worth pointing out that WWII began with most naval powers still believing the battleship ruled the seas. Fleets were built around heavily armored ships with massive guns meant to destroy enemy navies in decisive surface battles. By the war’s end, that thinking had changed dramatically. Aircraft carriers could strike targets hundreds of miles away, while submarines choked off supply lines across entire oceans. Radar, naval aviation, and coordinated fleet tactics reshaped warfare at sea and permanently shifted global naval strategy and how power is projected today.

Here is a look at the battleships, carriers, and submarines that defined WWII sea power:

Why Are We Covering This?

Pearl Harbor with American flag and U.S.S. Missouri

Understanding how World War II was fought at sea helps explain why certain ships became legendary and why naval strategy changed so dramatically during the conflict. At the start of the war, massive battleships were still viewed as the ultimate measure of national power. By the end, aircraft carriers and submarines had reshaped naval warfare entirely. The vessels on this list illustrate that transition. Some dominated early campaigns, others helped turn the tide, and a few symbolized the technological and strategic shifts that defined modern naval power. Looking at these ships together reveals how control of the oceans influenced supply lines, invasions, and ultimately the outcome of the war itself.

The War That Was Decided at Sea

USS Alabama detail

World War II was not just fought on battlefields and in the skies. Control of the oceans determined whether nations could move troops, supply armies, and project power across continents. From the Atlantic convoy routes to the vast Pacific theater, naval dominance shaped the outcome of the conflict. The ships that fought these battles—massive battleships, fast aircraft carriers, and stealthy submarines—became the backbone of wartime strategy.

The End of the Battleship Era

For decades, the battleship symbolized ultimate naval power. Countries invested enormous resources into heavily armored ships armed with massive guns designed to destroy enemy fleets. World War II tested that doctrine at full scale. Battleships still played an important role, but the conflict increasingly showed that control of the air—and the ability to strike from long distances—was becoming far more decisive.

Aircraft Carriers Change Everything

US+Navy+Aircraft+carrier | Though huge for a ship, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) makes for an extremely tight air base (Image Credit: US Navy)

Aircraft carriers transformed naval warfare by extending striking distance hundreds of miles beyond the horizon. Instead of fleets trading salvos at visual range, commanders launched waves of aircraft capable of sinking enemy ships before they ever came into view. Battles such as Midway and the Philippine Sea proved the point: carriers had become the most important capital ships afloat.

The Silent War Beneath the Surface

Submarines fought a quieter but devastating campaign. Rather than dramatic fleet battles, they targeted supply lines and merchant ships that kept entire nations functioning. German U-boats nearly cut Britain off from the world, while American submarines devastated Japan’s shipping network. These underwater campaigns proved that economic warfare at sea could be just as decisive as major naval engagements.

The Ships That Defined Naval Power

pearl harbor battleship scenes in oahu hawaii

Some ships became symbols of national strength. Others changed naval doctrine through technology or battlefield impact. A handful altered the course of major campaigns. Together, these battleships, carriers, and submarines illustrate how naval warfare evolved during World War II—and why the oceans became one of the most decisive arenas of the conflict.

USS Enterprise (CV-6)

Country of origin: United States
Ship type: Fleet Carrier
Year commissioned: 1938
Displacement: ~32,000 tons
Top speed: 32 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: ~90 aircraft
Notable battle or operation: Midway / Guadalcanal

Few ships illustrate the rise of carrier warfare better than USS Enterprise. Present at many of the Pacific War’s decisive moments, its aircraft struck Japanese forces at Midway, Guadalcanal, and beyond. Enterprise proved that naval aviation—not battleship guns—would dominate the oceans, and its relentless operational tempo made it one of the most influential warships of World War II.

USS Yorktown (CV-5)

Country of origin: United States
Ship type: Fleet Carrier
Year commissioned: 1937
Displacement: ~25,500 tons
Top speed: 32 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: ~90 aircraft
Notable battle or operation: Midway

Yorktown’s story shows how razor‑thin the margin of victory could be in carrier warfare. Damaged days earlier at Coral Sea, the ship was repaired with remarkable speed and sailed to Midway. Aircraft from Yorktown helped cripple Japan’s carrier strike force, a turning point that shifted the balance of naval power in the Pacific.

USS Essex (CV-9)

Country of origin: United States
Ship type: Fleet Carrier
Year commissioned: 1942
Displacement: ~36,000 tons
Top speed: 33 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: ~90 aircraft
Notable battle or operation: Philippine Sea

USS Essex represented the industrial and technological might of the United States. As the lead ship of a massive carrier class, it helped form the fast carrier task forces that overwhelmed Japanese defenses. Essex‑class carriers projected air power across the Pacific and demonstrated how large carrier fleets could dominate entire theaters of war.

USS Hornet (CV-8)

Country of origin: United States
Ship type: Fleet Carrier
Year commissioned: 1941
Displacement: ~25,500 tons
Top speed: 32 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: ~90 aircraft
Notable battle or operation: Doolittle Raid / Santa Cruz

Hornet secured a unique place in history when it launched the Doolittle Raid, the first American air strike against the Japanese homeland. Though the mission caused limited physical damage, its psychological impact was enormous. Hornet later fought in intense carrier battles in the Pacific, illustrating the high‑risk, high‑impact nature of naval aviation.

Akagi

Country of origin: Japan
Ship type: Fleet Carrier
Year commissioned: 1927
Displacement: ~36,500 tons
Top speed: 31 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: ~90 aircraft
Notable battle or operation: Pearl Harbor / Midway

Akagi served as the flagship of Japan’s powerful carrier force that launched the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Its aircraft helped cripple the U.S. Pacific Fleet and demonstrated the reach of carrier aviation. However, its destruction at Midway highlighted how quickly naval dominance could shift once carriers themselves became targets.

Kaga

Country of origin: Japan
Ship type: Fleet Carrier
Year commissioned: 1928
Displacement: ~38,200 tons
Top speed: 28 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: ~90 aircraft
Notable battle or operation: Pearl Harbor / Midway

Kaga was one of the core carriers behind Japan’s early Pacific victories. Its large air group played a central role in the Pearl Harbor strike and early expansion across the region. When Kaga was lost at Midway, Japan’s ability to conduct large‑scale carrier offensives was permanently weakened, marking a decisive shift in naval momentum.

Hiryu

Country of origin: Japan
Ship type: Fleet Carrier
Year commissioned: 1939
Displacement: ~20,000 tons
Top speed: 34 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: ~70 aircraft
Notable battle or operation: Midway

Hiryu’s final actions at Midway demonstrated the lethal power carriers still possessed even under heavy attack. After other Japanese carriers were destroyed, Hiryu launched strikes that damaged American forces. Its eventual loss symbolized the collapse of Japan’s elite carrier force and the turning point that reshaped the Pacific naval war.

Shokaku

Country of origin: Japan
Ship type: Fleet Carrier
Year commissioned: 1941
Displacement: ~32,000 tons
Top speed: 34 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: ~84 aircraft
Notable battle or operation: Coral Sea / Philippine Sea

Shokaku was among Japan’s most capable fleet carriers and repeatedly engaged American forces during the Pacific War’s major naval battles. From Coral Sea to the Philippine Sea, it represented the professionalism and skill of Japan’s naval aviators. Its service highlights the intense carrier duels that defined much of the Pacific conflict.

HMS Illustrious

Country of origin: United Kingdom
Ship type: Fleet Carrier
Year commissioned: 1940
Displacement: ~28,000 tons
Top speed: 30 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: ~54 aircraft
Notable battle or operation: Mediterranean Campaign

HMS Illustrious introduced a distinctive design philosophy with its armored flight deck, built to withstand heavy attack in the confined Mediterranean theater. The ship’s operations against Italian forces and survival under intense bombing proved the resilience of this concept. Illustrious demonstrated that carriers had to balance offensive aviation power with survivability.

Yamato

Country of origin: Japan
Ship type: Battleship
Year commissioned: 1941
Displacement: ~72,800 tons
Top speed: 27 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: 9x 18.1-inch guns
Notable battle or operation: Leyte Gulf

Yamato embodied the final and most extreme expression of battleship power. Armed with the largest naval guns ever mounted on a warship, it was built for decisive surface engagements. Yet its fate—destroyed by waves of aircraft—showed that the era of giant gun battleships was ending as carrier air power reshaped naval warfare.

Musashi

Country of origin: Japan
Ship type: Battleship
Year commissioned: 1942
Displacement: ~72,800 tons
Top speed: 27 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: 9x 18.1-inch guns
Notable battle or operation: Leyte Gulf

Musashi’s destruction during the Battle of Leyte Gulf illustrated the overwhelming power of coordinated air strikes. Despite massive armor and formidable guns, the battleship was gradually disabled by repeated aircraft attacks. Its sinking reinforced a central lesson of World War II naval combat: aircraft carriers had become the dominant force at sea.

Bismarck

Country of origin: Germany
Ship type: Battleship
Year commissioned: 1940
Displacement: ~50,000 tons
Top speed: 30 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: 8x 15-inch guns
Notable battle or operation: Atlantic breakout

Bismarck’s brief but dramatic career captured global attention. After sinking HMS Hood, the battleship became the target of an enormous Royal Navy pursuit across the Atlantic. The operation demonstrated both the lingering prestige of battleships and the growing role of aircraft and coordinated fleet operations in hunting them down.

Tirpitz

Country of origin: Germany
Ship type: Battleship
Year commissioned: 1941
Displacement: ~52,000 tons
Top speed: 30 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: 8x 15-inch guns
Notable battle or operation: Norwegian Fjords

Though Tirpitz rarely sailed into major combat, its presence alone altered Allied strategy. Stationed in Norway, the battleship threatened Arctic convoys supplying the Soviet Union. The constant danger it posed forced the Allies to dedicate significant naval and air resources to containing or destroying it, making Tirpitz strategically influential without frequent battle.

USS Missouri

Country of origin: United States
Ship type: Battleship
Year commissioned: 1944
Displacement: ~58,000 tons
Top speed: 33 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: 9x 16-inch guns
Notable battle or operation: Okinawa / Tokyo Bay

USS Missouri represented the peak of American battleship design and the immense industrial capacity behind the Allied war effort. Serving with fast carrier task forces, it provided anti‑aircraft protection and bombardment support. The ship later hosted Japan’s formal surrender, forever linking Missouri to the closing chapter of World War II.

USS Arizona

Country of origin: United States
Ship type: Battleship
Year commissioned: 1916
Displacement: ~31,000 tons
Top speed: 21 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: 12x 14-inch guns
Notable battle or operation: Pearl Harbor

Arizona’s destruction during the attack on Pearl Harbor became one of the most powerful symbols of the war. The loss shocked the United States and galvanized public support for entering the conflict. Though the ship never fired in the war itself, its sinking marked the beginning of America’s full mobilization for global naval combat.

HMS Prince of Wales

Country of origin: United Kingdom
Ship type: Battleship
Year commissioned: 1941
Displacement: ~43,000 tons
Top speed: 28 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: 10x 14-inch guns
Notable battle or operation: Bismarck chase

HMS Prince of Wales helped engage the German battleship Bismarck early in the Atlantic campaign. Later, its sinking by Japanese aircraft alongside HMS Repulse demonstrated how vulnerable large surface warships had become without air cover. The event shocked naval planners and confirmed the growing dominance of naval aviation.

HMS King George V

Country of origin: United Kingdom
Ship type: Battleship
Year commissioned: 1940
Displacement: ~42,000 tons
Top speed: 28 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: 10x 14-inch guns
Notable battle or operation: Bismarck battle

As the lead ship of Britain’s modern battleship class, King George V played a major role in the pursuit and destruction of Bismarck. The ship represented Britain’s determination to maintain naval supremacy despite wartime pressures. Its operations showed how battleships were still vital when integrated into larger fleet strategies.

USS South Dakota

Country of origin: United States
Ship type: Battleship
Year commissioned: 1942
Displacement: ~44,500 tons
Top speed: 27 knots
Primary armament / Air Group: 9x 16-inch guns
Notable battle or operation: Guadalcanal

USS South Dakota highlighted the evolving role of battleships during World War II. Rather than fighting traditional gun duels, ships like South Dakota often served as powerful escorts for carrier task forces. Heavy anti‑aircraft batteries and radar made them essential for protecting carriers that had become the true striking arm of naval fleets.

Type VII U-boat

German submarine U-995. Dramatic sky, storm clouds. Museum ship, Laboe Naval Memorial. Germany. Panoramic view. Travel destinations, landmarks, sightseeing, history, past, war, WW2, nautical vessel

Country of origin: Germany
Ship type: Submarine
Year commissioned: 1936
Displacement: ~769 tons
Top speed: 17 knots surfaced
Primary armament / Air Group: 5 torpedo tubes
Notable battle or operation: Battle of the Atlantic

The Type VII U‑boat became the backbone of Germany’s submarine campaign against Allied shipping. Operating in wolfpacks across the Atlantic, these submarines threatened supply lines vital to Britain’s survival. Their effectiveness forced the Allies to develop convoy systems, radar, sonar, and escort carriers to keep the sea lanes open.

Type IX U-boat

Country of origin: Germany
Ship type: Submarine
Year commissioned: 1938
Displacement: ~1,120 tons
Top speed: 18 knots surfaced
Primary armament / Air Group: 6 torpedo tubes
Notable battle or operation: Atlantic / US Coast

Type IX submarines extended Germany’s reach far beyond the North Atlantic. With greater range, they operated along the American coastline and deep into the South Atlantic. These patrols demonstrated how submarine warfare could disrupt global logistics and forced the Allies to expand coastal defenses and convoy protection.

Gato-class

Country of origin: United States
Ship type: Submarine
Year commissioned: 1941
Displacement: ~2,400 tons
Top speed: 20 knots surfaced
Primary armament / Air Group: 10 torpedo tubes
Notable battle or operation: Pacific commerce war

Gato‑class submarines formed the backbone of America’s undersea war against Japan. Operating across the vast Pacific, they targeted merchant shipping and vital supply routes. Over time, these submarines strangled Japan’s economy and military logistics, proving that submarines could achieve strategic results comparable to major fleet battles.

Balao-class

Country of origin: United States
Ship type: Submarine
Year commissioned: 1943
Displacement: ~2,400 tons
Top speed: 20 knots surfaced
Primary armament / Air Group: 10 torpedo tubes
Notable battle or operation: Pacific Theater

The Balao class refined the successful American submarine design with stronger hulls and improved endurance. These improvements allowed deeper diving and greater survivability in combat. Balao boats intensified the campaign against Japanese shipping and illustrated how rapidly submarine technology evolved during the war.

I-400 class

Country of origin: Japan
Ship type: Submarine
Year commissioned: 1944
Displacement: ~6,560 tons
Top speed: 18 knots surfaced
Primary armament / Air Group: Aircraft + torpedoes
Notable battle or operation: Strategic strike plans

Japan’s massive I‑400 submarines were unlike anything else afloat. Designed to carry and launch aircraft, they were intended for long‑range surprise attacks against distant targets. Although they arrived too late to influence the war, the concept showed how nations were experimenting with new ways to project power beneath the sea.

USS Tang (SS-306)

Country of origin: United States
Ship type: Submarine
Year commissioned: 1943
Displacement: ~2,400 tons
Top speed: 20 knots surfaced
Primary armament / Air Group: 10 torpedo tubes
Notable battle or operation: Pacific patrols

USS Tang became one of the most successful American submarines of the war in terms of enemy tonnage sunk. Its aggressive patrols disrupted Japanese logistics and demonstrated the effectiveness of U.S. submarine doctrine. Tang’s record also highlights the dangerous nature of undersea warfare, where success often came with significant risk.

U-47

Country of origin: Germany
Ship type: Submarine
Year commissioned: 1938
Displacement: ~769 tons
Top speed: 17 knots surfaced
Primary armament / Air Group: 5 torpedo tubes
Notable battle or operation: Scapa Flow

U‑47 achieved legendary status after infiltrating the heavily defended British naval base at Scapa Flow and sinking HMS Royal Oak. The daring attack shocked Britain and proved submarines could strike even supposedly secure harbors. Early victories like this fueled Germany’s confidence in its U‑boat campaign.

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About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.