Historically, the United States has been home to one of the most powerful naval forces since World War II. However, it is now facing much more competition. Russia and China have been expanding their navies in recent decades and now each possess more warships and submarines than the United States. But, what the U.S. Navy does have going for it is some of the largest aircraft carriers on the planet. (These are the aircraft carrier fleets of the world’s major powers, ranked.)
Bigger is not always better, but it does help in many military or naval scenarios. The capability to carry more troops or assets by ship and then deploy them effectively is a massive advantage for whoever possesses that vessel. The United States has some of the largest warships in the world, but this list is also populated by some of its biggest rivals.
To determine the world’s largest warships, 24/7 Wall St. conducted a review of ship lengths worldwide, using data from Military Machine. Information regarding ship class, name, and country of origin is also sourced from Military Machine. We included supplementary data on the country of origin and its total navy and overall military power ranking from GlobalFirePower’s 2024 Military Strength Index.
The United States is home to the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, first launched in 1975. They measure 1,092 feet in length, displace 100,000 long tons, reach a maximum speed of 30 knots, and generate 260,000 shaft horsepower from their engines. With a crew of approximately 6,000, each carrier came at a cost of roughly $9 billion.
The U.S. Navy intends to replace these aging carriers with the new Ford-class supercarriers. They share similar dimensions with their predecessors, measuring 1,092 feet in length and having a comparable displacement. The price tag for these new carriers is estimated at around $12 billion each, with a crew complement of approximately 4,000. The first four carriers in this class have already been named: Gerald R. Ford (commissioned in 2017), John F. Kennedy (scheduled for 2024), Enterprise (scheduled for 2028), and Doris Miller (scheduled for 2032). (This nation has the largest navy in the world.)
Here is a look at the world’s 11 biggest warships:
11. Izumo-class Helicopter Destroyer
Source: 海上自衛隊 / Wikimedia Commons
- Country: Japan
- Length: 814 ft.
- Country of origin’s military power ranking: 0.1601 — #7 out of 145
- Country of origin’s total naval fleet: 155
10. Kirov-class Cruiser
Source: MITSUO SHIBATA / Wikimedia Commons
- Country: Russia
- Length: 827 ft.
- Country of origin’s military power ranking: 0.0702 — #2 out of 145
- Country of origin’s total naval fleet: 781
9. Wasp-class Amphibious Assault Ship
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Country: United States
- Length: 843 ft.
- Country of origin’s military power ranking: 0.0699 — #1 out of 145
- Country of origin’s total naval fleet: 472
8. America-class Amphibious Assault Ship
Source: viper-zero / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Country: United States
- Length: 844 ft.
- Country of origin’s military power ranking: 0.0699 — #1 out of 145
- Country of origin’s total naval fleet: 472
7. Charles De Gaulle-class Aircraft Carrier
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Country: France
- Length: 858 ft.
- Country of origin’s military power ranking: 0.1878 — #11 out of 145
- Country of origin’s total naval fleet: 128
6. Clemenceau-class Aircraft Carrier
Source: NetMarine / Wikimedia Commons
- Country: France
- Length: 869 ft.
- Country of origin’s military power ranking: 0.1878 — #11 out of 145
- Country of origin’s total naval fleet: 128
5. Indian-Modified Kiev-class Carrier
Source: U.S. Navy / Wikimedia Commons
- Country: India
- Length: 896 ft.
- Country of origin’s military power ranking: 0.1023 — #4 out of 145
- Country of origin’s total naval fleet: 294
4. Chinese Completed Kuznetsov-class Aircraft Carrier
Source: Baycrest / Wikimedia Commons
- Country: China
- Length: 999 ft.
- Country of origin’s military power ranking: 0.0706 — #3 out of 145
- Country of origin’s total naval fleet: 730
3. Kuznetsov-class Carrier
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Country: Russia
- Length: 1,001 ft.
- Country of origin’s military power ranking: 0.0702 — #2 out of 145
- Country of origin’s total naval fleet: 781
2. Nimitz-class Aircraft Carrier
Source: usnavy / Flickr
- Country: United States
- Length: 1,092 ft.
- Country of origin’s military power ranking: 0.0699 — #1 out of 145
- Country of origin’s total naval fleet: 472
1. Ford-class Aircraft Carrier
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Country: United States
- Length: 1,092 ft.
- Country of origin’s military power ranking: 0.0699 — #1 out of 145
- Country of origin’s total naval fleet: 472
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