List of aircraft carriers - wikipedia List of aircraft carriers This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. ( July 2014 ) This transport - related list is incomplete ; you can help by expanding it. Countries currently operating fixed - wing aircraft carriers ( 8 ) Countries currently solely operating helicopter carriers ( 6 ) Historical operators of carriers ( 3 ) Various aircraft carriers from around the world Four modern aircraft carriers of various types ; USS John C. Stennis ( United States Navy ), Charles de Gaulle ( French Navy ), USS John F. Kennedy ( US Navy ), HMS Ocean ( Royal Navy ) and escort vessels, 2002 Bow view of the US Navy 's USS Gerald R. Ford, lead ship of her class, the largest and one of the most advanced carriers in the world. HMS Queen Elizabeth, the newest and largest aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. This list of aircraft carriers contains aircraft carriers listed alphabetically by name. An aircraft carrier is a warship with a full - length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft, that serves as a seagoing airbase. Included in this list are ships which meet the above definition and had an official name ( in italicized ) or designation ( non-italicized ), regardless of whether they were or were not ordered, laid down, completed, or commissioned. Not included in this list are the following : Aircraft cruisers, also known as aviation cruisers, cruiser - carriers, flight deck cruisers, and hybrid battleship - carriers, which combine the characteristics of aircraft carriers and surface warfare ships, because they primarily operated helicopters or floatplanes and did not act as a floating airbase. Examples include the British Tiger - class cruisers, Japanese Hyūga - class helicopter destroyer, French cruiser Jeanne d'Arc, Soviet Moskva - class helicopter cruisers, and Italian Andrea Doria - class cruisers. Amphibious assault ships, also known as commando carriers, assault carriers, helicopter carriers, landing helicopter assault ships, landing helicopter docks, landing platform docks, and landing platform helicopters. Although they have flight decks and look like aircraft carriers, they primarily operate helicopters and do not act as a floating airbase. Examples include the US Wasp - class assault ships, British HMS Ocean, Japanese Akitsu Maru escort carrier, and French Mistral - class. Catapult Aircraft Merchantmen, merchant ships which carried cargo and an aircraft catapult ( no flight deck ). Escort carriers, usually converted merchant ships, see separate List of escort carriers by country. `` Landing craft carriers '' such as USS LST - 906, which were modified amphibious landing ships, because they could not recover their aircraft. Merchant Aircraft Carriers, cargo - carrying merchant ships with a full flight deck. Seaplane tenders and seaplane carriers, because they could not land aircraft. Submarine aircraft carriers, because they had no flight deck and could not land their aircraft. `` In Commission '' denotes the period that the ship was officially in commission with the given name for the given country as an aircraft carrier as defined above. Contents 1 Numbers of aircraft carriers by country 2 List of countries which have operated aircraft carriers 2.1 Argentina 2.2 Australia 2.3 Brazil 2.4 Canada 2.5 China 2.6 France 2.7 Germany 2.8 India 2.9 Italy 2.10 Japan 2.11 Netherlands 2.12 Russia 2.13 Soviet Union 2.14 Spain 2.15 Turkey 2.16 Thailand 2.17 Ukraine 2.18 United Kingdom 2.19 United States 3 List of all aircraft carriers 4 See also 5 References 5.1 Notes 5.2 Citations 5.3 Bibliography 6 Further reading Numbers of aircraft carriers by country The table below does not include submarine aircraft carriers, seaplane tenders, escort carriers, merchant aircraft carriers, helicopter carriers or amphibious assault ships The total includes ships under construction, but not ships that never got past the planning stage. Number of fleet aircraft carriers by operating nation Country In service In reserve Decommissioned Under construction Never completed TOTAL Argentina 0 0 0 0 Australia 0 0 0 0 Brazil 0 0 0 Canada 0 0 0 0 China 0 0 0 France 0 7 0 7 15 Germany 0 0 0 0 7 7 India 0 0 Italy 0 0 5 Japan 0 0 0 8 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 Russia 0 5 Spain 0 0 0 Turkey 0 0 0 0 Thailand 0 0 0 0 United Kingdom 0 40 12 54 United States 11 0 55 12 80 TOTAL 21 0 126 8 47 202 List of countries which have operated aircraft carriers Argentina Retired : Light carriers : ARA Independencia ( V - 1 ) : Colossus class light carrier in service from 1959 to 1969 ; scrapped 1971 ARA Veinticinco de Mayo ( V - 2 ) : Colossus class light carrier in service from 1969 to 1999 ; scrapped 1999 Australia Retired : Light Fleet Carriers : HMAS Sydney : Majestic class carrier in service from 1948 to 1958. Later recommissioned as troop transport HMAS Melbourne : Majestic class carrier in service from 1955 to 1982 HMAS Vengeance : Colossus class light carrier on loan from Royal Navy from 1952 to 1955 Brazil Retired : Fleet carrier : São Paulo : Clemenceau class carrier in service between 2000 - 2017. Former name as carrier of the French Navy : Foch Light carrier : Minas Gerais : Colossus class carrier in service from 1960 to 2001 Canada Retired : Light carriers : HMCS Warrior : Colossus class light carrier in service from 1946 to 1948 ; returned to Royal Navy and sold to Argentine Navy as ARA Independencia ( V - 1 ) ; carrier in service from 1959 to 1969 ; scrapped 1971 HMCS Magnificent : Majestic class carrier in service from 1946 to 1956 ; return to Royal Navy and stricken ; scrapped in Scotland in 1965 HMCS Bonaventure : Majestic class carrier in service from 1957 to 1970 ; ordered by Royal Navy, but sold as HMS Powerful and delivered to Royal Canadian Navy ; retired by the Canadian Armed Forces and broken up in Taiwan 1971 China Main article : Chinese aircraft carrier programme Active : Liaoning : never completed ex-Soviet Navy carrier sold to China by Ukraine being refitted in Dalian as Type 001. Handed on to PLAN on 23 September 2012 and entered active service on 25 September 2012. Under construction : Type 001A : under construction since 2013, launched on 26 April 2017 at Dalian Shipyard, now being fitted out. Type 002 : under construction since 2015 in Shanghai. Planned : Type 003 : a planned nuclear - powered aircraft carrier. France Active : Charles de Gaulle : aircraft carrier in service since 2001 Retired : Béarn : converted Normandie - class battleship in service from 1927 to 1948 Dixmude : Avenger - class escort carrier, ex-HMS Biter, in service from 1945 to 1951 Arromanches : Colossus class light aircraft carrier in service from 1946 to 1974 Independence class La Fayette : light aircraft carrier in service from 1951 to 1963 Bois Belleau : light aircraft carrier in service from 1953 to 1960 Clemenceau class Clemenceau : aircraft carrier in service from 1961 to 1997 Foch : aircraft carrier in service from 1963 to 2000. Refitted, sold to Brazil and renamed São Paulo Never completed : Engageante : Friponne class sloop planned for conversion but not completed Conquerante : Valliante class sloop planned for conversion but not completed Joffre class Joffre : carrier construction cancelled in 1940 Painlevé : carrier plan cancelled in 1940 Verdun : attack carrier development cancelled in 1961 PH 75 : projected two nuclear powered helicopter carrier program during the 1970s Bretagne : STOVL aircraft carrier Provence : STOVL aircraft carrier PA 2 : modified version of Thales UK / BMT design for the future British Queen Elizabeth class ( formerly CVF ). Germany Main article : List of aircraft carriers of Germany Never completed : German aircraft carrier I -- planned conversion of passenger ship from German shipyard to aircraft carrier. Cancelled in 1918. Graf Zeppelin : Graf Zeppelin class carrier. Launched but not completed. Construction work stopped in 1943. Flugzeugträger B : Graf Zeppelin class carrier cancelled partly constructed in 1939. Seydlitz : conversion of part - built Admiral Hipper class cruiser. Work stopped in 1943 and not resumed. German aircraft carrier I : conversion of the transport ship Europa cancelled at design stage in November 1942 due to insurmountable problems. The two planned Italian carriers Aquila and Sparviero were seized by the Germans after the Italian Armistice but not completed. India Active : INS Vikramaditya : 45,400 tons, Modified Kiev class carrier ( ex-Admiral Gorshkov ), in service with India since 2013. Under construction : INS Vikrant : 44,000 tons, Vikrant class carrier. It has been built at Cochin Shipyard and has been launched, and is expected to enter service in 2018. Planned : INS Vishal : 65,000 tons, Vikrant - class carrier. Yet to start, planned to enter service in 2025. It will not be nuclear powered. Retired : INS Vikrant : 19,500 tons, Majestic - class carrier, ( ex-HMS Hercules ), in service from 1961 to 1997, used as a museum until 2012, scrapped 2014 - 2015. INS Viraat : 28,700 tons, Centaur class carrier ( ex-HMS Hermes ) in service from 1987 to 2016. Decommissioned on 6 March 2017. Italy Active : Cavour ( 2008 ) -- current fleet flagship. Giuseppe Garibaldi ( 1985 ) -- active. Under construction : Trieste : 32,300 tons carrier. Construction began in 2017 at Fincantieri Shipyard and is expected to enter service in 2022. Never completed : Sparviero ( 1927 ) ( converted liner Augustus, not completed as carrier ) -- Sunk 5 October 1944 Aquila ( 1926 ) ( converted liner Roma ) -- BU 1951 -- 1952 Japan Retired : Hōshō ( 1921 ) -- decommissioned 1946 and scrapped 1946 Kaiyo ( 1943 ) -- decommissioned 1945 and scrapped 1946 Sunk : Kaga ( 1921 ) -- sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942 Akagi ( 1925 ) -- sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942 Ryūjō ( 1931 ) -- sunk, Battle of the Eastern Solomons, August 1942 Ryūhō ( 1933 ) -- damaged at Kure by U.S. air raid March 1945 and scrapped postwar Sōryū class Sōryū ( 1935 ) -- sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942 Hiryū ( 1937 ) -- sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942 Zuihō class Shōhō ( 1935 ) -- sunk, Battle of the Coral Sea, May 1942 Zuihō ( 1936 ) -- sunk, Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944 Chitose class Chitose ( 1936 ) -- seaplane tender from 1934 to 1942, rebuilt as light carrier and sunk at Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944 Chiyoda ( 1937 ) -- sunk at Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944 Shōkaku class Shōkaku ( 1939 ) -- sunk by U.S. submarine USS Cavalla ( SS - 244 ), Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944 Zuikaku ( 1939 ) -- sunk, Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944 Hiyō class Junyō ( 1939 ) -- damaged during Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944. Never repaired ; scrapped postwar. Hiyō ( 1939 ) -- sunk, Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944 Taihō ( 1943 ) -- sunk, Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944 Unryū class Amagi ( 1943 ) -- used as anti-aircraft platform and sunk in July 1945 Unryū ( 1943 ) -- sunk by U.S. submarine Redfish, December 1944 Katsuragi ( 1944 ) -- used as transport to repatriate Japanese troops postwar and then scrapped Shinano ( 1944 ) -- sunk by U.S. submarine Archerfish, November 1944 Mizuho ( 1939 ) -- sunk by U.S. submarine USS Drum, 1 May 1942. Only Hōshō, Junyō, Katsuragi and Ryuho survived the war and these were scrapped by 1948. Never completed : Unryū class Aso 4th unit of Unryū class ( not completed ) Ikoma 5th unit of Unryū class ( not completed ) Kasagi 6th unit of Unryū class ( not completed ) Ibuki - heavy cruiser conversion ; scrapped post-war Netherlands Retired : Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman ( ex-British HMS Venerable, purchased 1948 ) -- Sold to Argentina 1968 and renamed ARA Veinticinco de Mayo, broken up Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman ( ex-British HMS Nairana, transferred to Dutch service 1946 ) -- Converted to merchantman and renamed Port Victor, Until March 1968, owned by Cunard Line but managed by Blue Star Port Lines. Eventually owned by Port Line, July 21, 1971, sent to Faslane to be scrapped Rapana class : Motor vessel Gadila of the Dutch Merchant Navy was a converted Royal Dutch Shell oil tanker along with her sister ship MV Macoma. Motor vessel Macoma together with MV Gadila were the first Dutch aircraft carriers. Russia See also : list of aircraft carriers of Russia and the Soviet Union The Russian Navy was established in December 1991, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, most Soviet aircraft carriers were transferred over to Russia. Active : Admiral Kuznetsov class Admiral Kuznetsov ( 1991 -- present ) Retired : Kiev class Kiev ( 1991 -- 1993 ) Minsk ( 1991 -- 1993 ) Novorossiysk ( 1991 -- 1993 ) Admiral Gorshkov ( 1991 -- 1995 ) - Modified, rebuilt and sold to India, renamed INS Vikramaditya Soviet Union See also : list of aircraft carriers of Russia and the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was dissolved in December 1991, most Soviet aircraft carriers were transferred to Russia, with the exception of Varyag which was transferred to Ukraine. Ulyanovsk was scrapped before the Soviet Union was dissolved. In service at the end of Soviet state : Admiral Kuznetsov class Admiral Kuznetsov ( 1985 -- 1991 ) -- to Russia ( 1991 ) Kiev class Kiev ( 1972 -- 1991 ) -- to Russia ( 1991 ) Minsk ( 1975 -- 1991 ) -- to Russia ( 1991 ) Novorossiysk ( 1978 -- 1991 ) -- to Russia ( 1991 ) Admiral Gorshkov ( 1982 -- 1991 ) -- to Russia ( 1991 ) Never completed : Admiral Kuznetsov class Varyag ( not commissioned ) -- to Ukraine ( 1991 ) ; rebuilt, tested and commissioned by the Chinese PLAN as Liaoning Ulyanovsk class Ulyanovsk ( not commissioned ) -- scrapped ( 1991 ) Spain Active : Juan Carlos I : 27,079 tonne STOVL carrier in active service, commissioned 30 September 2010. Retired : Dédalo : 9,900 ton, as seaplane carrier in 1901, decommissioned in 1934 Dédalo : 11,700 ton Independence class light carrier, ex-USS Cabot, helicopters only from 1967 -- 1976, struck 1989 and returned to United States, eventually scrapped in 2002. Príncipe de Asturias : 17,000 ton STOVL commissioned 30 May 1982, decommissioned on 6 February 2013 due to defence spending cuts. Never completed : Spanish conversion for refloated Italian heavy cruiser Trieste, cancelled in 1951. Turkey Under construction : TCG Anadolu ( 2021 ) The construction works began on 30 April 2016 at the shipyard of Sedef Shipbuilding Inc. in Istanbul and is expected to be completed in 2021. The vessel is intended to meet the various needs and requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces, such as sustaining long - endurance, long - distance military combat or humanitarian relief operations ; while acting as a command center and flagship for the Turkish Navy. Thailand Role Changed : HTMS Chakri Naruebet ( 1996 ) * Commissioned in 1997, but by 1999, only one used AV - 8S Matador / Harrier was still operable due to lack of spare parts and age. Since 2006 is solely operated as a helicopter carrier. Ukraine Never completed : Admiral Kuznetsov class Varyag ( not commissioned ) -- sold to China ( 1998 ) United Kingdom Main article : List of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy Active : Queen Elizabeth - class aircraft carrier, STOVL ship of 65,000 tonnes HMS Queen Elizabeth Under Construction : Queen Elizabeth - class aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales ( 2020 ) Retired : HMS Argus ( 1916 ) HMS Furious ( 1916 ) HMS Vindictive ( 1918 ) -- converted to aircraft carrying cruiser 1925 HMS Unicorn fleet maintenance carrier ( 1943 ) Illustrious class HMS Illustrious ( 1939 ) HMS Formidable ( 1939 ) HMS Victorious ( 1939 ) HMS Indomitable ( 1940 ) Implacable class HMS Implacable ( 1942 ) HMS Indefatigable ( 1942 ) Audacious class HMS Eagle ( ex-Audacious ) ( 1946 ) HMS Ark Royal ( ex-Irresistible ) ( 1950 ) Colossus class HMS Colossus ( 1943 ), to France 1946 as Arromanches HMS Glory ( 1943 ) HMS Ocean ( 1944 ) HMS Theseus ( 1944 ) HMS Triumph ( 1944 ) HMS Venerable ( 1944 ) -- to Netherlands 1948 as HNLMS Karel Doorman, to Argentina 1968 as ARA Veinticinco de Mayo HMS Vengeance ( 1944 ) -- to Brazil 1956 as Minas Gerais HMS Warrior ( 1944 ) -- to Canada 1946 -- 1948, to Argentina 1958 as ARA Independencia HMS Perseus ( 1944 ) HMS Pioneer ( 1944 ) Majestic class HMS Majestic ( 1945 ) -- to Australia 1955 as HMAS Melbourne HMS Hercules ( 1945 ) -- to India 1957 as INS Vikrant HMS Magnificent ( 1944 ) -- sold to Canada as HMCS Magnificent HMS Powerful ( 1945 ) -- to Canada 1952 as HMCS Bonaventure HMS Terrible ( 1944 ) -- to Australia in 1948 as HMAS Sydney Centaur class HMS Centaur ( 1947 ) HMS Albion ( 1947 ) HMS Bulwark ( 1948 ) HMS Hermes ( ex-Elephant ) ( 1953 ), to India 1986 as INS Viraat Invincible class HMS Invincible ( 1977 ) HMS Illustrious ( 1982 ) HMS Ark Royal ( 1985 ) Sunk : Glorious class HMS Glorious ( 1916 ), sunk by Scharnhorst and Gneisenau 8 June 1940 HMS Courageous ( 1916 ), sunk by U-29 17 September 1939 HMS Eagle ( 1918 ), sunk by U-73 11 August 1942 HMS Hermes ( 1923 ) -- first purpose - designed aircraft carrier, sunk by Japanese aircraft 9 April 1942 HMS Ark Royal ( 1938 ), sunk 14 November 1941 after being torpedoed by U-81 on 13 November 1941 Never completed : Audacious class Eagle -- cancelled Africa -- to Malta class then cancelled Majestic class HMS Leviathan ( 1945 ) -- was never completed Centaur class Hermes -- cancelled Arrogant -- cancelled Monmouth -- cancelled Polyphemus -- cancelled Malta class -- cancelled 1946 Malta New Zealand Gibraltar Africa CVA - 01 -- cancelled 1966 Queen Elizabeth Duke of Edinburgh United States Main article : List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy The United States Navy is a blue - water navy that is arguably the world 's largest and most powerful because, among its numerous other vessels, it has the world 's largest fleet of nuclear powered aircraft carriers. The carrier fleet currently comprises the ( CATOBAR ) Nimitz class and ( CATOBAR / EMALS ) Gerald R. Ford class supercarriers. These carriers serve as the centerpieces and flagships for the Navy 's Carrier Strike Groups, with their embarked Carrier Air Wings and accompanying ships and submarines, which strongly contribute to the US ability to project force around the globe. The following is a complete list of all the US Navy 's carriers and classes to date, and their status ; Active Nimitz - class - ( 1,092 ft, 100,000 tons ) USS Nimitz USS Dwight D. Eisenhower USS Carl Vinson USS Theodore Roosevelt USS Abraham Lincoln USS George Washington USS John C. Stennis USS Harry S. Truman USS Ronald Reagan USS George H.W. Bush Gerald R. Ford - class ( 1,106 ft, 110,000 tons ) USS Gerald R. Ford Under Construction Gerald R. Ford - class USS John F. Kennedy USS Enterprise Planned Gerald R. Ford - class CVN - 81 ( ordered ) CVN - 82 ( ordered ) CVN - 83 ( planned ) CVN - 84 ( planned ) CVN - 85 ( planned ) CVN - 86 ( planned ) CVN - 87 ( planned ) Reserve ( none currently in reserve ) Retired ( preserved as museum ships ) Essex - class USS Yorktown - ( Charleston, South Carolina ) USS Intrepid - ( New York City, New York ) USS Hornet - ( Alameda, California ) USS Lexington - ( Corpus Christi, Texas ) Midway - class USS Midway - ( San Diego, California ) Retired ( other ) John F. Kennedy - class USS John F. Kennedy ( on donation hold ) Retired ( scrapped ) Ranger - class USS Ranger Yorktown - class USS Enterprise Essex - class ( ‡ extended bow ) USS Essex USS Franklin USS Ticonderoga ‡ USS Randolph ‡ USS Bunker Hill USS Wasp USS Hancock ‡ USS Bennington USS Boxer ‡ USS Bon Homme Richard USS Leyte ‡ USS Kearsarge ‡ USS Antietam ‡ USS Princeton ‡ USS Shangri - La ‡ USS Lake Champlain ‡ USS Tarawa ‡ USS Valley Forge ‡ USS Philippine Sea ‡ Independence - class USS Belleau Wood USS Cowpens USS Monterey USS Langley USS Cabot USS Bataan USS San Jacinto Midway - class USS Franklin D. Roosevelt USS Coral Sea Saipan - class USS Saipan USS Wright Forrestal - class USS Forrestal USS Saratoga USS Ranger USS Independence Kitty Hawk - class USS Kitty Hawk USS Constellation USS America Enterprise - class USS Enterprise Sunk ( † scuttled ) Langley - class USS Langley † Lexington - class USS Lexington USS Saratoga Yorktown - class USS Yorktown USS Hornet Wasp - class USS Wasp Essex - class ( ‡ extended bow ) USS Oriskany ‡ † Independence - class USS Independence † USS Princeton Kitty Hawk - class USS America Cancelled before completion Essex - class ( ‡ extended bow ) USS Reprisal ‡ No name assigned ( CV - 56 ) No name assigned ( CV - 57 ) USS Iwo Jima ‡ Midway - class No name assigned ( CV - 44 ) No name assigned ( CVB - 50 ) No name assigned ( CVB - 51 ) No name assigned ( CVB - 52 ) No name assigned ( CVB - 53 ) No name assigned ( CVB - 54 ) No name assigned ( CVB - 55 ) United States - class USS United States Escort aircraft carrier Main article : List of escort aircraft carriers of the United States Navy The United States Navy also had a sizable fleet of escort aircraft carriers during World War II and the era that followed. These ships were both quicker and cheaper to build than larger fleet carriers and were built in great numbers to serve as a stop - gap measure when fleet carriers were too few. However, they were usually too slow to keep up with naval task forces and would typically be assigned to amphibious operations, often seen in the Pacific war 's island hopping campaign, or to convoy protection in the war in the Atlantic. To that end, many of these ships were transferred to the Royal Navy as part of the US - UK lend - lease program. While some of these ships were kept for a time in reserve after the war, none survive today, as they have all since been sunk or retired and scrapped. The following are the classes and stand - alone ships of the US Navy 's escort carriers ; Bogue - class ( 45 ships, 33 went to the RN ) Sangamon - class ( 4 ships ) Casablanca - class ( 50 ships ) Commencement Bay - class ( 19 ships went into service, 4 were cancelled ) Stand - alone ships ; No USN name given ( AVG - 1 / BAVG - 1 ) - went to the RN as HMS Archer ( D78 ) No USN name given ( AVG - 2 / BAVG - 2 ) - went to the RN as HMS Avenger ( D14 ) No USN name given ( AVG - 3 / BAVG - 3 ) - went to the RN as HMS Biter ( D97 ), then later French Navy ship Dixmude No USN name given ( AVG - 4 / BAVG - 4 ) - went to the RN as HMS Charger ( D27 ), later returned to USN as USS Charger ( CVE - 30 ) No USN name given ( AVG - 5 / BAVG - 5 ) - went to the RN as HMS Dasher ( D37 ) No USN name given ( BAVG - 6 ) - went to the RN as HMS Tracker ( D24 ) USS Long Island Amphibious assault ship Main article : List of amphibious warfare ships of the United States Navy The United States Navy also has several full - deck, amphibious assault ships, which are larger than many of the aircraft carriers of other navies today. These ships are STOVL - capable and can carry full squadrons of fixed - wing aircraft, such as the V / STOL AV - 8B Harrier II and the STOVL F - 35 Lightning II, along with numerous rotary - wing aircraft. Their primary purpose though, is usually to serve as the centerpiece and flagship for an Expeditionary Strike Group or Amphibious Ready Group, carrying US Marine Corps Expeditionary Units and their equipment close to shore for amphibious landings and departures. The following are ships and classes of US Navy amphibious assault ships ; Active Wasp - class amphibious assault ship ( LHD ) ( 843ft, 40,500 tons ) USS Wasp USS Essex USS Kearsarge USS Boxer USS Bataan USS Bonhomme Richard USS Iwo Jima USS Makin Island America - class amphibious assault ship ( LHA ) ( 844ft, 45,000 tons ) USS America Under construction America - class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli USS Bougainville Retired Tarawa - class amphibious assault ship ( LHA ) USS Tarawa - ( On donation hold ) USS Saipan USS Belleau Wood USS Nassau - ( On donation hold ) USS Peleliu - ( In Reserve ) Iwo Jima - class amphibious assault ship ( LPH ) USS Iwo Jima USS Okinawa USS Guadalcanal USS Guam USS Tripoli - ( Converted to missile trial platform, now with the National Defense Reserve Fleet ) USS New Orleans USS Inchon Stand - alone amphibious assault ships ( all LPH, numbered into the Iwo Jima class ) ; USS Block Island - ( converted Commencement Bay - class escort carrier ) USS Boxer - ( converted Essex - class aircraft carrier ) USS Princeton - ( converted Essex - class aircraft carrier ) USS Thetis Bay - ( converted Casablanca - class escort carrier ) USS Valley Forge - ( converted Essex - class aircraft carrier ) List of all aircraft carriers Name Service Pennant or hull # Class Type Flight operation In commission Notes Abraham Lincoln US Navy CVN - 72 Nimitz Supercarrier CATOBAR 1989 -- present Acavus British Merchant Navy MAC 1 Rapana Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1946 Returned to commercial service. Activity Royal Navy D94 Escort carrier 1942 -- 1945 Converted freighter. Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Gorshkov Russian Navy Soviet Navy 111 Kiev Fleet carrier VTOL 1987 -- 1996 Also known as Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov, Admiral Gorshkov, or just Gorshkov. Before 1991, it was named Baku. To India as Vikramaditya 2004. Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov Russian Navy Soviet Navy 063 / 113 Kuznetsov Fleet carrier STOBAR 1991 -- present Also known as Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov, Admiral Kuznetsov, or just Kuznetsov. Ex-Tbilisi. Admiralty Islands US Navy CVE - 99 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 ex-Chapin Bay. Adula British Merchant Navy MAC 2 Rapana Merchant aircraft carrier 1944 -- 1946 Returned to commercial service. Africa Royal Navy Audacious / Malta Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Audacious - class carrier ordered 1943, changed to Malta - class carrier 1944, cancelled 1945. Akagi Japanese Navy Akagi Fleet carrier STOBAR 1927 -- 1942 Converted Amagi - class battlecruiser, Sunk 4 June 1942 at Midway Alava Bay US Navy CVE - 103 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Roi 1943 before construction began. Alazon Bay US Navy CVE - 55 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Casablanca 1943 after construction began. Alazon Bay US Navy CVE - 94 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Lunga Point 1943 before construction began. Albion Royal Navy R07 Centaur Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1954 -- 1962 Converted to commando carrier. Alexia British Merchant Navy MAC 3 Rapana Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1945 Returned to commercial service Alikula Bay US Navy CVE - 57 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Coral Sea before launch. Alikula Bay US Navy CVE - 95 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Bismarck Sea 1944 after launch. Altamaha US Navy CVE - 6 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1942 Became HMS Battler. Altamaha US Navy CVE - 18 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Amagi Japanese Navy Akagi Fleet carrier STOBAR n / a 1920 -- 22 conversion from battlecruiser never completed. Amagi Japanese Navy Unryū Light fleet carrier STOBAR 1944 -- 1945 Sunk 29 July 1945 by aircraft Amastra British Merchant Navy MAC 4 Rapana Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1946 Returned to commercial service Ameer US Navy AVG - 55 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Alazon Bay 1943 after construction began. Ameer Royal Navy D01 Ruler Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS Baffins. America US Navy CV - 66 Kitty Hawk Supercarrier CATOBAR 1965 -- 1996 Ancylus British Merchant Navy MAC 5 Rapana Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1946 Returned to commercial service Andrea Doria Italian Navy 550 aircraft carrier n / a Renamed Cavour before construction began. Anguilla Bay US Navy CVE - 96 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Salamaua 1943 before construction began. Antietam US Navy CV - 36 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1945 -- 1963 1st carrier modified with angled flight deck, 1952. Anzio US Navy CVE - 57 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-USS Coral Sea, renamed to reuse name for CV - 43. Aquila Italian Navy Fleet carrier n / a 1941 -- 1943 conversion from passenger liner never completed. Arbiter Royal Navy D31 Ruler Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS St. Simon. Archer US Navy BAVG - 1 Long Island Escort carrier n / a Converted cargo ship. Became HMS Archer. Archer Royal Navy D78 Long Island Escort carrier 1941 -- 1943 Ex-USS Archer. Argus Royal Navy I49 Fleet carrier 1918 -- 1929 Converted ocean liner. Ark Royal Royal Navy 91 Fleet carrier 1939 -- 1941 Sunk by U-81 on 13 November 1941 Ark Royal Royal Navy R09 Audacious Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1955 -- 1978 Ex-Irresistible. First carrier commissioned with angled deck. Ark Royal Royal Navy R07 Invincible aircraft carrier STOVL 1985 -- 2011 Ex-Indomitable. Arrogant Royal Navy Centaur Light carrier CATOBAR n / a Laid down 1944, never completed. Arromanches French Navy R95 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1946 -- 1974 Ex-HMS Colossus, loaned ( later sold ) to France Aso Japanese Navy Unryū Light fleet carrier STOBAR n / a Launched in 1944, never completed. Astrolabe Bay US Navy CVE - 60 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Guadalcanal 1943 before launch. Astrolabe Bay US Navy CVE - 97 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Hollandia 1944 after launch. Atheling Royal Navy D51 Ruler Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS Glacier. Attacker Royal Navy D02 Attacker Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Ex-USS Barnes. Attu US Navy CVE - 102 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-Elbour Bay. Audacious Royal Navy R05 Audacious Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1951 -- 1972 Renamed Eagle 1946 while under construction. Audacity Royal Navy D10 Escort carrier 1941 -- 1941 Converted merchant ship, sunk by U-751 Auguilla Bay US Navy CVE - 58 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Corregidor 1943 before launch. Avenger US Navy BAVG - 1 Avenger Escort carrier n / a Became HMS Avenger. Avenger Royal Navy D14 Avenger Escort carrier 1942 -- 1942 Sunk 15 November 1942 by U-155. Badoeng Strait US Navy CVE - 116 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1957 Ex-San Alberto Bay. Baffins US Navy CVE - 35 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Ameer. Bairoko US Navy CVE - 115 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1955 Ex-Portage Bay. Baku Soviet Navy 103 Kiev Aircraft cruiser VTOL 1987 -- 1991 Renamed to Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Gorshkov in 1991. Balinas US Navy CVE - 36 Bogue Escort carrier n / a Renamed Bolinas after launch because of misspelling. Barnes US Navy CVE - 7 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1942 Became HMS Attacker. Barnes US Navy CVE - 20 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Bastian US Navy CVE - 37 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1942 Became HMS Trumpeter. Bastogne US Navy CVE - 124 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Laid down 1945, cancelled before launch Bataan US Navy CVL - 29 Independence Light carrier 1943 -- 1954 Battler Royal Navy D18 Attacker Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Ex-USS Altamaha. BAVG - 5 US Navy BAVG - 5 Charger Escort carrier n / a Became HMS Dasher. Béarn French Navy Fleet carrier 1927 -- 1948 Converted battleship. Begum Royal Navy D38 Ruler Escort carrier 1944 -- 1946 Ex-USS Bolinas. Belleau Wood US Navy CVL - 24 Independence Light carrier 1943 -- 1947 To France as Bois Belleau Bennington US Navy CV - 20 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1970 Bismarck Sea US Navy CVE - 95 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1945 Ex-Alikula Bay. Sunk 21 February 1945 by kamikaze attack off Iwo Jima Biter US Navy BAVG - 23 Avenger Escort carrier n / a Became HMS Biter. Biter Royal Navy D97 Avenger Escort carrier 1940 -- 1945 To France as Dixmude Block Island US Navy CVE - 8 Bogue Escort carrier n / a Converted freighter. Became HMS Trailer, then HMS Hunter. Block Island US Navy CVE - 21 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1944 Sunk 29 May 1944 by U-549 Block Island US Navy CVE - 106 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1944 -- 1954 Ex-Sunset Bay ( some sources say Sunset ). Bogue US Navy CVE - 9 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Bois Belleau French Navy R97 Independence Light carrier 1953 -- 1960 Ex-USS Belleau Wood. Bolinas US Navy CVE - 36 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Ex-Balinas. Became HMS Begum. Bon Homme Richard US Navy CV - 10 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Yorktown 1942 before launch. Bon Homme Richard US Navy CV - 31 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1971 Bonaventure Canadian Navy CVL - 22 Majestic Light carrier CATOBAR 1957 -- 1970 Ex-incomplete HMS Powerful. Bougainville US Navy CVE - 100 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-Didrickson Bay. Boxer US Navy CV - 21 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1945 -- 1969 Breton US Navy CVE - 10 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Chaser Breton US Navy CVE - 23 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Bucareli Bay US Navy CVE - 61 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Manila Bay 1943 before launch. Bucareli Bay US Navy CVE - 98 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Kwajalein 1944 before launch. Bulwark Royal Navy R08 Centaur Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1954 -- 1981 Converted to commando carrier 1960 Bunker Hill US Navy CV - 17 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1947 Cabot US Navy CV - 16 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Lexington 1942 before launch. Cabot US Navy CVL - 28 Independence Light carrier 1943 -- 1955 To Spain as Dédalo Campania Royal Navy D48 Nairana Escort carrier 1944 -- 1952 Command ship for first British atomic bomb test Cape Esperance US Navy CVE - 88 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1959 Ex-Tananek Bay. Cape Gloucester US Navy CVE - 109 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1946 Ex-Willapa Bay. Card US Navy CVE - 11 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Carl Vinson US Navy CVN - 70 Nimitz Supercarrier CATOBAR 1982 -- present Carnegie US Navy CVE - 38 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Empress. Casablanca US Navy CVE - 55 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1946 Ex-Alazon Bay. Cavour Italian Navy 550 aircraft carrier V / STOL 2008 -- present Ex-Andrea Doria. Centaur Royal Navy R06 Centaur Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1953 -- 1965 Chakri Naruebet Thai Navy 911 Príncipe de Asturias aircraft carrier STOVL 1997 -- present Chapin Bay US Navy CVE - 63 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Midway 1943 after construction began. Chapin Bay US Navy CVE - 99 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Admiralty Islands before construction began. Charger US Navy CVE - 30 Charger Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Converted liner. Became HMS Charger 1942, returned to US two days later. Charger Royal Navy D27 Avenger Escort carrier 1942 -- 1942 Ex-Charger. Returned to US two days later. Charles De Gaulle French Navy R91 Fleet carrier CATOBAR 2001 -- present ex-Richelieu Chaser Royal Navy D32 Attacker Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS Breton. Chatham US Navy CVE - 32 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Slinger. Chenango US Navy CVE - 28 Sangamon Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Converted oiler. Chigusa Maru Japanese Army Yamashiro Maru Escort carrier STOBAR n / a 1944 tanker conversion, never completed. Chitose Japanese Navy Chitose Light carrier 1942 -- 1944 Converted seaplane tender. Sunk 25 October 1944 off Leyte Gulf. Chiyoda Japanese Navy Chitose Light carrier STOBAR 1943 -- 1944 Converted seaplane tender. Sunk 25 October 1944 off Leyte Gulf. Chuyo Japanese Navy Taiyō Escort carrier STOBAR 1942 -- 1943 Converted ocean liner, sunk by USS Sailfish 4 December 1943 Clemenceau French Navy R98 Clemenceau Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1961 -- 1997 Colossus Royal Navy R15 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Loaned ( later sold ) to France as Arromanches Commencement Bay US Navy CVE - 105 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1944 -- 1946 Ex-St. Joseph Bay. Constellation US Navy CV - 64 Kitty Hawk Supercarrier CATOBAR 1961 -- 2003 Copahee US Navy CVE - 12 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Coral Sea US Navy CVE - 57 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1944 Ex-Alikula Bay. Renamed Anzio to re-use the name for CV - 43. Coral Sea US Navy CVB - 43 Midway Fleet carrier 1947 -- 1990 Cordova US Navy CVE - 39 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Khedive. Core US Navy CVE - 13 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Corregidor US Navy CVE - 58 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1958 Ex-Auguilla Bay. Courageous Royal Navy 50 Courageous Fleet carrier 1928 -- 1939 Converted battlecruiser. Sunk by U-29, 17 September 1939 Cowpens US Navy CVL - 25 Independence Light carrier 1943 -- 1947 Croatan US Navy CVE - 14 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Fencer Croatan US Navy CVE - 25 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Crown Point US Navy CV - 32 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Leyte 1945 before launch. CV - 44 US Navy CV - 44 Midway Fleet carrier n / a Never laid down, cancelled 1943. CV - 50 US Navy CV - 50 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Never laid down, cancelled 1945. CV - 51 US Navy CV - 51 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Never laid down, cancelled 1945. CV - 52 US Navy CV - 52 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Never laid down, cancelled 1945. CV - 53 US Navy CV - 53 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Never laid down, cancelled 1945. CV - 54 US Navy CV - 54 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Never laid down, cancelled 1945. CV - 55 US Navy CV - 55 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Never laid down, cancelled 1945. CVB - 56 US Navy CVB - 56 Midway Fleet carrier n / a Never laid down, cancelled 1945. CVB - 57 US Navy CVB - 57 Midway Fleet carrier n / a Never laid down, cancelled 1945. CVE - 128 US Navy CVE - 128 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Cancelled 1945 after construction began. CVE - 129 US Navy CVE - 129 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Cancelled 1945 after construction began. CVE - 130 US Navy CVE - 130 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Cancelled 1945 before construction began. CVE - 131 US Navy CVE - 131 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Cancelled 1945 before construction began. CVE - 132 US Navy CVE - 132 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Cancelled 1945 before construction began. CVE - 133 US Navy CVE - 133 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Cancelled 1945 before construction began. CVE - 134 US Navy CVE - 134 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Cancelled 1945 before construction began. CVE - 135 US Navy CVE - 135 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Cancelled 1945 before construction began. CVE - 136 US Navy CVE - 136 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Cancelled 1945 before construction began. CVE - 137 US Navy CVE - 137 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Cancelled 1945 before construction began. CVE - 138 US Navy CVE - 138 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Cancelled 1945 before construction began. CVE - 139 US Navy CVE - 139 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Cancelled 1945 before construction began. Daiju Maru Japanese Army Shimane Maru Escort carrier STOBAR n / a Tanker conversion. Cancelled 1945. Dasher Royal Navy D37 Avenger Escort carrier 1942 -- 1943 Ex-American BAVG - 5. Sunk 27 March 1943 following explosion of unknown cause. Dédalo Spanish Navy Independence Light carrier 1967 -- 1989 Ex-USS Cabot. Delgada US Navy CVE - 40 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Speaker. Didrickson Bay US Navy CVE - 64 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Tripoli 1943 before launch. Didrickson Bay US Navy CVE - 100 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Bougainville before construction began. Dixmude French Navy Charger Escort carrier 1945 -- 1966 Ex-HMS Biter. Dolomi Bay US Navy CVE - 65 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Wake Island 1943 before launch. Dolomoi Bay US Navy CVE - 101 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Matanikau 1944 before launch. Duke of Edinburgh Royal Navy CVA - 01 Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Planned 1960s fleet carrier, but never ordered. Dwight D. Eisenhower US Navy CVN - 69 Nimitz Supercarrier CATOBAR 1977 -- present Eagle Royal Navy 94 Fleet carrier 1924 -- 1942 Converted battleship. Sunk by U-73, 11 August 1942 Eagle Royal Navy Audacious Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Laid down 1944, cancelled 1946. Eagle Royal Navy R05 Audacious Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1951 -- 1972 Ex-Audacious. Edisto US Navy CVE - 41 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Nabob. Elbe German Navy Jade Auxiliary aircraft carrier n / a Liner conversion, cancelled 1943. Elbour Bay US Navy CVE - 66 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed White Plains 1943 before launch. Elbour Bay US Navy CVE - 102 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Attu before construction began. Elephant Royal Navy Centaur Light carrier CATOBAR n / a Laid down 1944, not completed until 1959 as HMS Hermes. Emperor Royal Navy D98 Ruler Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS Pybus. Emperor US Navy CVE - 67 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Nassuk Bay 1943 after construction began. Empire MacAlpine British Merchant Navy MH Empire Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1945 Returned to commercial service Empire MacAndrew British Merchant Navy MK Empire Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1945 Returned to commercial service Empire MacCabe British Merchant Navy ML Empire Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1945 Returned to commercial service Empire MacCallum British Merchant Navy MN Empire Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1945 Returned to commercial service Empire MacColl British Merchant Navy MB Empire Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1945 Returned to commercial service Empire MacDermott British Merchant Navy MS Empire Merchant aircraft carrier 1944 -- 1945 Returned to commercial service Empire MacKay British Merchant Navy MH Empire Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1945 Returned to commercial service Empire MacKendrick British Merchant Navy MO Empire Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1945 Returned to commercial service Empire MacMahon British Merchant Navy MJ Empire Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1945 Returned to commercial service Empire MacRae British Merchant Navy MU Empire Merchant aircraft carrier 1943 -- 1945 Returned to commercial service Empress Royal Navy D42 Ruler Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS Carnegie. Eniwetok US Navy CVE - 125 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Keel laid April 1945, cancelled before launch Enterprise US Navy CV - 6 Yorktown Fleet carrier 1938 -- 1947 Enterprise US Navy CVN - 65 Enterprise Supercarrier 1961 -- 2012 First nuclear - powered carrier Enterprise US Navy CVN - 80 Gerald R. Ford Supercarrier CATOBAR n / a Commissioning 2025. Essex US Navy CV - 9 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1942 -- 1969 Estero US Navy CVE - 42 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Premier. Falco Italian Navy Aircraft carrier n / a Liner conversion began 1942. Renamed Sparviero but never completed. Fanshaw Bay US Navy CVE - 70 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1946 Fencer Royal Navy D64 Attacker Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS Croatan. Flugzeugträger B German Navy Graf Zeppelin Fleet carrier n / a Started 1938, cancelled 1939. Proposed name was Peter Strasser. Flugzeugträger C German Navy Graf Zeppelin Fleet carrier n / a Cancelled 1938 before construction began. Flugzeugträger D German Navy Graf Zeppelin Fleet carrier n / a Cancelled 1938 before construction began. Foch French Navy R99 Clemenceau Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1963 -- 2000 sold to Brazil as São Paulo Formidable Royal Navy 67 Illustrious Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1940 -- 1947 Forrestal US Navy CV - 59 Forrestal Supercarrier CATOBAR 1955 -- 1993 First supercarrier Fortaleza Bay US Navy CVE - 72 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Ex-Fortazela Bay. Renamed Tulagi 1943 before launch. Fortazela Bay US Navy CVE - 72 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Fortaleza Bay 1943 before launch due to spelling error. Franklin US Navy CV - 13 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1947 Badly damaged March 1945 Franklin D. Roosevelt US Navy CVB - 42 Midway Fleet carrier 1945 -- 1977 Frosty Bay US Navy CVE - 112 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Siboney 1944 before launch. Furious Royal Navy 47 Courageous Fleet carrier 1917 -- 1945 Converted battlecruiser. Gadila Dutch Merchant Navy MAC 6 Rapana Merchant aircraft carrier 1944 -- 1946 Returned to commercial service Gambier Bay US Navy CVE - 73 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1944 Sunk by Japanese gunfire at Battle of Leyte Gulf 25 October 1944 George H.W. Bush US Navy CVN - 77 Nimitz Supercarrier CATOBAR 2009 -- present George Washington US Navy CVN - 73 Nimitz Supercarrier CATOBAR 1992 -- present Gerald R. Ford US Navy CVN - 78 Gerald R. Ford Supercarrier CATOBAR 2017 -- present In - service, undergoing extensive testing until 2021 Gibraltar Royal Navy D68 Malta Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Ordered 1943 but never laid down. Gilbert Islands US Navy CVE - 107 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1955 Ex-St. Andrews Bay. Converted to communication relay ship USS Annapolis Giuseppe Garibaldi Italian Navy 551 aircraft carrier STOVL 1983 -- present Glacier US Navy CVE - 33 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Atheling. Glorious Royal Navy 77 Courageous Fleet carrier 1930 -- 1940 Converted battlecruiser. Sunk by Scharnhorst and Gneisenau 8 June 1940 Glory Royal Navy R62 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1956 Graf Zeppelin German Navy Graf Zeppelin Fleet carrier n / a Launched 1938, never completed. Guadalcanal US Navy CVE - 60 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1946 Ex-Astrolabe Bay. Captured U-505 Hamlin US Navy CVE - 15 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1942 Became HMS Stalker Hancock US Navy CV - 14 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Ticonderoga 1943 before launch. Hancock US Navy CV - 19 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1976 Ex-Ticonderoga ( CV - 19 ). Harry S. Truman US Navy CVN - 75 Nimitz Supercarrier CATOBAR 1998 -- present Ex-United States Hercules Royal Navy R49 Majestic Light fleet carrier CATOBAR / STOVL n / a Launched 1945. To India 1957 and completed as INS Vikrant. Hermes Royal Navy 95 Fleet carrier CATOBAR / STOBAR 1924 -- 1942 First purpose built carrier launched. Sunk 9 April 1942 by Japanese aircraft. Hermes Royal Navy Centaur Light carrier CATOBAR n / a Laid down 1944, cancelled 1945. Hermes Royal Navy R12 Centaur Fleet carrier CATOBAR / STOVL 1959 -- 1984 Ex-Elephant. To India as INS Viraat Hiryū Japanese Navy Fleet carrier STOBAR 1939 -- 1942 Sunk at Midway Hiyō Japanese Navy Hiyō Fleet carrier STOBAR 1942 -- 1944 Converted ocean liner, sunk at Battle of the Philippine Sea Hobart Bay US Navy CVE - 113 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Puget Sound 1944 before launch. Hoggatt Bay US Navy CVE - 75 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Hollandia US Navy CVE - 97 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1947 Ex-Astrolabe Bay. Hornet US Navy CV - 8 Yorktown Fleet carrier 1941 -- 1942 Sunk in Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. Hornet US Navy CV - 12 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1970 Ex-Kearsarge ( CV - 12 ). Museum at Alameda, CA. Hōshō Japanese Navy Fleet carrier STOBAR 1922 -- 1946 Hunter Royal Navy D80 Attacker Escort carrier 1943 -- 1945 Ex-USS Block Island. Renamed from HMS Trailer. Ibuki Japanese Navy Light carrier STOBAR n / a Launched 1943, never completed. German Navy Auxiliary aircraft carrier n / a Transport conversion, cancelled 1942. II German Navy Auxiliary aircraft carrier n / a Cruiser conversion, cancelled 1943. Ikoma Japanese Navy Unryū Light carrier STOBAR 1944 -- 1945 Sunk in Kure dockyard 24 July 1945 Illustrious Royal Navy 87 Illustrious Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1940 -- 1954 Illustrious Royal Navy R06 Invincible aircraft carrier STOVL 1982 -- 2014 Implacable Royal Navy R86 Implacable Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1954 Indefatigable Royal Navy R10 Implacable Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Independence US Navy CVL - 22 Independence Light carrier 1943 -- 1946 Independence US Navy CV - 62 Forrestal Supercarrier CATOBAR 1959 -- 1998 Independencia Argentine Navy V - 1 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1958 -- 1970 Ex-HMS Warrior Indomitable Royal Navy 92 Illustrious Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1941 -- 1953 Indomitable Royal Navy R07 Invincible aircraft carrier STOVL n / a Renamed Ark Royal before construction began. Intrepid US Navy CV - 11 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1974 Museum in New York City. Invincible Royal Navy R05 Invincible aircraft carrier STOVL 1980 -- 2005 Irresitible Royal Navy R09 Audacious Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Ark Royal before launch. Iwo Jima US Navy CV - 46 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Laid down 1945, but never completed. Jade German Navy Jade Auxiliary aircraft carrier n / a Proposed liner conversion, cancelled 1942. Jamaica US Navy CVE - 43 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Shah. Joffre French Navy Joffre Fleet carrier n / a Under construction 1938 -- 1940, but never completed. John C. Stennis US Navy CVN - 74 Nimitz Supercarrier CATOBAR 1995 -- present John F. Kennedy US Navy CV - 67 Modified Kitty Hawk / John F. Kennedy Supercarrier CATOBAR 1968 -- 2007 John F. Kennedy US Navy CVN - 79 Gerald R. Ford Supercarrier CATOBAR n / a Under construction, commissioning 2020 Juan Carlos I Spanish Navy L61 Juan Carlos I STOVL amphibious warfare ship STOVL 2010 -- present Junyō Japanese Navy Hiyō Fleet carrier STOBAR 1942 -- 1946 Converted ocean liner. Kadashan Bay US Navy CVE - 76 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Kaga Japanese Navy Fleet carrier STOBAR 1928 -- 1942 Converted battleship. Sunk at Midway Kaimon Japanese Navy Unryū Light carrier n / a Cancelled 1944 before construction began. Also known as Kurama. Kaita Bay US Navy CVE - 78 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Savo Island 1943 before launch. Kaiyo Japanese Navy Escort carrier STOBAR 1943 -- 1945 Converted ocean liner. Sunk at Beppu Bay 24 July 1945. Kalinin Bay US Navy CVE - 68 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1946 Kanalku Bay US Navy CVE - 77 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Marcus Island 1943 before launch. Karel Doorman Dutch Navy QH1 Nairana Escort carrier 1946 -- 1948 Ex-HMS Nairana. Karel Doorman Dutch Navy R81 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1948 -- 1968 Ex-HMS Venerable. To Argentina as Veinticinco de Mayo 1969. Kasaan Bay US Navy CVE - 69 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1946 Kasagi Japanese Navy Unryū Light carrier n / a Launched 1944, but never completed. Katsuragi Japanese Navy Unryū Fleet carrier n / a Launched 1944, but never completed. Kearsarge US Navy CV - 12 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Hornet 1942 before launch. Kearsarge US Navy CV - 33 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1946 -- 1970 Keweenaw US Navy CVE - 44 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Patroller. Khedive Royal Navy D62 Ruler Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS Cordova. Kiev Russian Navy Soviet Navy 075 Kiev aircraft carrier VTOL 1975 -- 1993 Currently an attraction at Tianjin Binhai theme park in China Kitkun Bay US Navy CVE - 71 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1946 Kitty Hawk US Navy CV - 63 Kitty Hawk Supercarrier CATOBAR 1961 -- 2009 Kremlin Soviet Navy Ulyanovsk Supercarrier n / a Renamed Ulyanovsk before construction began, never completed. Kula Gulf US Navy CVE - 108 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1969 Ex-Vermillion Bay. Kurama Japanese Navy Unryū Light carrier n / a Cancelled 1944 before construction began. Also known as Kaimon. Kwajalein US Navy CVE - 98 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-Bucareli Bay. La Fayette French Navy R96 Independence Light carrier 1951 -- 1963 Ex-USS Langley. Lake Champlain US Navy CV - 39 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1945 -- 1966 Langley US Navy CV - 1 Light carrier 1922 -- 1938 Converted to seaplane tender. Scuttled 27 February 1942 after being damaged by dive bombers. Langley US Navy CVL - 27 Independence Light carrier 1943 -- 1947 To France as La Fayette. Leonid Brezhnev Russian Navy Kuznetsov Fleet carrier n / a Ex-Riga. Renamed Tbilisi after launch in 1985. Leviathan Royal Navy R97 Majestic Light carrier CATOBAR n / a Launched 1945, but never completed. Lexington US Navy CV - 2 Lexington Fleet carrier 1927 -- 1942 Sunk by enemy action on 8 May 1942 during Battle of the Coral Sea. Lexington US Navy CV - 16 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1991 Ex-Cabot ( CV - 16 ). Museum ship in Corpus Christi, Texas Leyte US Navy CV - 32 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1946 -- 1959 Ex-Crown Point ( CV - 32 ). Liaoning Chinese Navy 16 Kuznetsov Aircraft carrier STOBAR 2012 -- present Ex-incomplete Varyag from Ukraine 1998. Type 001a Chinese Navy Aircraft carrier STOBAR 2017 -- present Lingayen US Navy CVE - 126 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Laid down 1945, but never completed. Liscome Bay US Navy CVE - 56 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1943 Sunk by I - 175 24 November 1943 Long Island US Navy CVE - 1 Long Island Escort carrier 1941 -- 1946 Luigi Einaudi Italian Navy 550 aircraft carrier STOVL n / a Renamed Andrea Doria before construction began. Lunga Point US Navy CVE - 94 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-Alazon Bay. Macoma Dutch Merchant Navy MAC 7 Rapana Merchant aircraft carrier 1944 -- 1946 Returned to commercial service Magnificent Royal Navy Majestic Light carrier CATOBAR n / a Completed for Canada as HMCS Magnificent. Returned to UK 1956. Magnificent Canadian Navy CVL - 21 Majestic Light carrier CATOBAR 1948 -- 1956 Ex-HMS Magnificent. Returned to UK 1956. Majestic Royal Navy R77 Majestic Light carrier CATOBAR n / a Completed for Australia as HMAS Melbourne. Makassar Strait US Navy CVE - 91 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-Ulitaka Bay. Makin Island US Navy CVE - 93 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-Woodcliff Bay. Malta Royal Navy D93 Malta Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Ordered 1943 but never laid down. Manila Bay US Navy CVE - 61 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1946 Ex-Bucareli Bay. Marcus Island US Navy CVE - 77 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-Kanalku Bay. Matanikau US Navy CVE - 101 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-Dolomoi Bay. McClure US Navy CVE - 45 Bogue Escort carrier n / a Renamed Prince 1942 before construction began. Melbourne Australian Navy R21 Majestic Light carrier CATOBAR 1955 -- 1982 ex-HMS Majestic completed for Australian Navy. Midway US Navy CVE - 63 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Ex-Chapin Bay. Renamed USS St. Lo to free name for CV - 41 Midway US Navy CVB - 41 Midway Fleet carrier 1945 -- 1992 Museum in San Diego, CA Minas Gerais Brazilian Navy A11 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1960 -- 2001 Mindoro US Navy CVE - 120 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1955 Minsk Russian Navy Soviet Navy 025 / 011 Kiev aircraft carrier VTOL 1978 -- 1993 Currently a tourist attraction in Shenzhen, China. Miralda British Merchant Navy MAC 8 Rapana Merchant aircraft carrier 1944 -- 1946 Returned to commercial service Mission Bay US Navy CVE - 59 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1958 Monmouth Royal Navy 96 Centaur Light carrier CATOBAR n / a Never laid down, cancelled 1945. Monterey US Navy CVL - 26 Independence Light carrier 1943 -- 1956 Mosser Bay US Navy CVE - 114 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Willamette after launch. Munda US Navy CVE - 104 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-Tonowek Bay. Nabob Royal Navy D77 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1944 Ex-USS Edisto. Canadian crew. Nairana Royal Navy D05 Nairana Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 To Netherlands as HNLMS Karel Doorman Nassau US Navy CVE - 16 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Nassuk Bay US Navy CVE - 67 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Ex-Emperor. Renamed Solomons 1943 after launch. Natoma Bay US Navy CVE - 62 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1946 Nehenta Bay US Navy CVE - 74 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 New Zealand Royal Navy D43 Malta Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Ordered 1943 but never laid down. Niantic US Navy CVE - 46 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Ranee. Nimitz US Navy CVN - 68 Nimitz Supercarrier CATOBAR 1975 -- present Novorossiysk Russian Navy Soviet Navy 137 Kiev aircraft carrier VTOL 1982 -- 1993 Ocean Royal Navy R68 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1945 -- 1960 Okinawa US Navy CVE - 127 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Laid down 1945, cancelled before launch Ommaney Bay US Navy CVE - 79 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1945 Sunk by kamikaze aircraft 4 January 1945. Oriskany US Navy CV - 18 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Wasp 1943 before launch. Oriskany US Navy CV - 34 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1950 -- 1975 Florida artificial reef in 2006. Otakisan Maru Japanese Army Shimane Maru Escort carrier n / a Tanker conversion. Launched 1945 but never completed. Painlevé French Navy Joffre Fleet carrier n / a Planned for 1938, never laid down Palau US Navy CVE - 122 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1946 -- 1954 Patroller Royal Navy D07 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1947 Ex-USS Keweenaw. Perdido US Navy CVE - 47 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1944 Became HMS Trouncer. Peter Strasser German Navy Graf Zeppelin Fleet carrier n / a See Flugzeugträger B. Petrof Bay US Navy CVE - 80 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Philippine Sea US Navy CV - 47 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1946 -- 1958 Point Cruz US Navy CVE - 119 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1956 Ex-Trocadero Bay. Polyphemus Royal Navy 57 Centaur Light carrier CATOBAR n / a Never laid down, cancelled 1945. Portage Bay US Navy CVE - 115 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Bairoko before construction began. Powerful Royal Navy R95 Majestic Light carrier CATOBAR n / a Completed for Canada as HMCS Bonaventure Premier Royal Navy D23 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS Estero. Pretoria Castle Royal Navy F61 Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Converted armed merchant cruiser. Prince US Navy CVE - 45 Bogue Escort carrier n / a Ex-McClure. Became HMS Rajah. Prince of Wales Royal Navy R09 Queen Elizabeth Supercarrier STOVL n / a Named 8 September 2017 Prince William US Navy CVE - 19 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Striker Prince William US Navy CVE - 31 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Princeton US Navy CVL - 23 Independence Light carrier 1943 -- 1944 Sunk 24 October 1944 at Leyte Gulf Princeton US Navy CV - 37 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1945 -- 1970 Principe de Asturias Spanish Navy R - 11 Príncipe de Asturias aircraft carrier STOVL 1988 -- 2013 Puget Sound US Navy CVE - 113 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1946 Ex-Hobart Bay. Puncher Royal Navy D79 Bogue Escort carrier 1944 -- 1946 Ex-USS Willapa. Canadian crew. Pursuer Royal Navy D73 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Ex-USS St. George. Pybus US Navy CVE - 34 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Became HMS Emperor. Queen Royal Navy D19 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1947 Ex-USS St. Andrews. Queen Elizabeth Royal Navy CVA - 01 Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Announced 1963, cancelled 1966 before work started. Queen Elizabeth Royal Navy R08 Queen Elizabeth Supercarrier STOVL 2017 - present Commissioned 7 December 2017 Rabaul US Navy CVE - 121 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Completed but never commissioned. Rajah Royal Navy D10 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1947 Ex-USS Prince. Randolph US Navy CV - 15 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1969 Ranee Royal Navy D03 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1947 Ex-USS Niantic. Ranger US Navy CV - 4 Fleet carrier 1934 -- 1946 Ranger US Navy CV - 61 Forrestal Supercarrier CATOBAR 1957 -- 1993 Rapana Royal Navy MAC 9 Rapana Merchant aircraft carrier 1942 -- 1946 Returned to commercial service Ravager Royal Navy D70 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Reaper Royal Navy D82 Bogue Escort carrier 1944 -- 1946 Ex-USS Winjah. Rendova US Navy CVE - 114 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1955 Ex-Willamette. Reprisal US Navy CVL - 30 Independence Light carrier n / a Renamed San Jacinto 1942 before launch. Reprisal US Navy CV - 35 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Started 1944, cancelled 1945. Richelieu French Navy Fleet carrier n / a Renamed Charles De Gaulle before construction began. Richelieu ( PA2 ) French Navy Modified Queen Elizabeth Supercarrier CATOBAR n / a Cancelled 2013 before construction began. Riga Russian Navy Kuznetsov Fleet carrier n / a Renamed Leonid Brezhnev after construction began in 1982. Riga Soviet Navy Kuznetsov Aircraft carrier n / a Renamed to Varyag in 1990 after construction began. Roi US Navy CVE - 103 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-Alava Bay. Ronald Reagan US Navy CVN - 76 Nimitz Supercarrier CATOBAR 2003 -- present Rudyerd Bay US Navy CVE - 81 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ruler Royal Navy D72 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS St. Joseph. Ryūhō Japanese Navy Light carrier 1942 -- 1945 Converted submarine tender. Severely damage by aircraft March 1945 not repaired Ryūjō Japanese Navy Light carrier 1933 -- 1942 Sunk by aircraft during Battle of the Eastern Solomons Sable US Navy IX - 81 Training carrier 1943 -- 1945 Converted paddle - wheel steamer. Saginaw Bay US Navy CVE - 82 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Saidor US Navy CVE - 117 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1947 Ex-Saltery Bay. Saipan US Navy CVL - 48 Saipan Light carrier 1946 -- 1965 Salamaua US Navy CVE - 96 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-Anguilla Bay. Salerno Bay US Navy CVE - 110 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1954 Ex-Winjah Bay. Saltery Bay US Navy CVE - 117 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Saidor 1944 before construction began. San Alberto Bay US Navy CVE - 116 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Badoeng Strait before construction began. San Jacinto US Navy CVL - 30 Independence Light carrier 1943 -- 1947 Ex-Reprisal ( CVL - 30 ). Sandy Bay US Navy CVE - 118 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Sicily 1944 before construction began. Sangamon US Navy CVE - 26 Sangamon Escort carrier 1942 -- 1945 Converted oiler. Santee US Navy CVE - 29 Sangamon Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Converted oiler. São Paulo Brazilian Navy A12 Clemenceau Fleet carrier CATOBAR 2000 -- 2017 Ex-Foch. Saratoga US Navy CV - 3 Lexington Fleet carrier 1927 -- 1946 Expended as a target ship in the 1946 Bikini atomic bomb tests. Saratoga US Navy CV - 60 Forrestal Supercarrier CATOBAR 1956 -- 1994 Sargent Bay US Navy CVE - 83 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Savo Island US Navy CVE - 78 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Ex-Kaita Bay. Searcher Royal Navy D40 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1945 Shah Royal Navy D21 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS Jamaica. Shamrock Bay US Navy CVE - 84 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Shangri - La US Navy CV - 38 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1971 Shimane Maru Japanese Army Shimane Maru Escort carrier 1945 -- 1945 Tanker conversion. Sunk by British aircraft. Shinano Japanese Navy Fleet carrier 1944 -- 1944 Converted Yamato - class battleship. Sunk by USS Archerfish 29 November 1944. Shinyo Japanese Navy Escort carrier 1943 -- 1944 Converted ocean liner, sunk by USS Spadefish on 17 November 1944. Shipley Bay US Navy CVE - 85 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Shōhō Japanese Navy Zuihō Light carrier 1941 -- 1942 Sunk by aircraft at Coral Sea Shōkaku Japanese Navy Shōkaku Fleet carrier 1941 -- 1944 Sunk by USS Cavalla 19 June 1944 Siboney US Navy CVE - 112 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1956 Ex-Frosty Bay. Sicily US Navy CVE - 118 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1954 Ex-Sandy Bay. Sitkoh Bay US Navy CVE - 86 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 1950 -- 1954 Slinger Royal Navy D26 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS Chatham. Smiter Royal Navy D55 Bogue Escort carrier 1944 -- 1946 Ex-USS Vermillion. Solomons US Navy CVE - 67 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1946 Ex-Nassuk Bay. Sōryū Japanese Navy Fleet carrier 1937 -- 1942 Sunk at Midway 4 June 1942 Sparviero Italian Navy Aircraft carrier n / a Ex-Falco, never completed. Speaker Royal Navy D90 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS Delgada. St. Andrews US Navy CVE - 49 Bogue Escort carrier n / a Became HMS Queen. St. Andrews Bay US Navy CVE - 107 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Gilbert Islands 1944 before launch. St. George US Navy CVE - 17 Bogue Escort carrier n / a Became HMS Pursuer St. Joseph US Navy CVE - 50 Bogue Escort carrier n / a Became HMS Ruler. St. Joseph Bay US Navy CVE - 105 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Commencement Bay 1944 after launch. St. Lo US Navy CVE - 63 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1944 Ex-USS Midway, renamed to use name for CV - 41. Sunk by kamikaze aircraft 25 October 1944. St. Simon US Navy CVE - 51 Bogue Escort carrier n / a Became HMS Arbiter. Stalker Royal Navy D91 Bogue Escort carrier 1942 -- 1945 Ex-USS Hamlin. Steamer Bay US Navy CVE - 87 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1947 Striker Royal Navy D12 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 ex-USS Prince William. Sunset US Navy CVE - 48 Bogue Escort carrier n / a Became HMS Thane. Sunset Bay US Navy CVE - 106 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Some sources say the name was Sunset. Renamed Block Island 1944 before launch. Suwannee US Navy CVE - 27 Sangamon Escort carrier 1942 -- 1946 Converted oiler. Sydney Australian Navy R17 Majestic Light carrier CATOBAR 1948 -- 1958 ex-HMS Terrible completed for Australian Navy. Taihō Japanese Navy Taihō Fleet carrier 1944 -- 1944 Sunk in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, 19 June 1944 Taisha Maru Japanese Army Shimane Maru Escort carrier n / a Proposed tanker conversion. Cancelled 1944. Taiyō Japanese Navy Taiyō Escort carrier 1941 -- 1944 Converted ocean liner. Sunk by USS Rasher 18 August 1944 Takanis Bay US Navy CVE - 89 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1946 Tananek Bay US Navy CVE - 88 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Cape Esperance 1943 before construction began. Tarawa US Navy CV - 40 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1945 -- 1960 Tbilisi Soviet Navy 113 Kuznetsov Aircraft cruiser n / a ex-Leonid Brezhnev. Renamed Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Sozuya Kuznetzov 1990. Terrible Royal Navy R93 Majestic Light carrier CATOBAR n / a Completed for Australia as HMAS Sydney. Thane Royal Navy D48 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1945 Ex-USS Sunset. Theodore Roosevelt US Navy CVN - 71 Nimitz Supercarrier CATOBAR 1986 -- present Theseus Royal Navy R64 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1946 -- 1956 Thetis Bay US Navy CVE - 90 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1964 Ticonderoga US Navy CV - 19 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Hancock 1943 before launch. Ticonderoga US Navy CV - 14 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1973 Ex-Hancock ( CV - 14 ). Tinian US Navy CVE - 123 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Completed 1946, but never commissioned Tonowek Bay US Navy CVE - 104 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Munda 1943 before construction began. Totem Bay US Navy CVE - 111 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Vella Gulf 1944 before launch. Tracker Royal Navy D24 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Trailer Royal Navy D80 Attacker Escort carrier 1943 -- 1943 Ex-USS Block Island. Renamed to HMS Hunter 1943. Tripoli US Navy CVE - 64 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1958 Ex-Didrickson Bay. Triumph Royal Navy R16 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1946 -- 1975 Trocadero Bay US Navy CVE - 119 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Point Cruz 1944 before construction began. Trouncer Royal Navy D85 Bogue Escort carrier 1944 -- 1946 Ex-USS Perdido. Trumpeter Royal Navy D09 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1946 Ex-USS Bastian. Tulagi US Navy CVE - 72 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1946 Ex-Fortaleza Bay. Ulitaka Bay US Navy CVE - 91 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Makassar Strait 1943 before construction began. Ulyanovsk Soviet Navy Ulyanovsk Supercarrier CATOBAR n / a Ex-Kremlin. Under construction 1988 -- 1991, never completed. Unicorn Royal Navy I72 Light aircraft carrier, Aircraft repair ship 1943 -- 1946, 1949 -- 1953 United States US Navy CVA - 58 United States Supercarrier CATOBAR n / a Laid down April 18, 1949, cancelled five days later. United States US Navy CVN - 75 Nimitz Supercarrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Harry S. Truman 1992 after launch. Unryū Japanese Navy Unryū Fleet carrier 1944 -- 1944 Sunk by USS Redfish on 19 December 1944 Unyo Japanese Navy Taiyō Escort carrier 1942 -- 1944 Sunk by USS Barb 17 September 1944 Valley Forge US Navy CV - 45 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1946 -- 1970 Varyag Soviet Navy Kuznetsov Aircraft carrier n / a Ex-Riga. To Ukraine 1992 while still under construction. Varyag Ukrainian Navy Kuznetsov Aircraft carrier n / a From Soviet Union 1992, construction cancelled 1995. To China as Liaoning 1998. Veinticinco de Mayo Argentine Navy V - 2 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1968 -- 1997 Ex-Dutch Karel Doorman ( R81 ) 1969. Vella Gulf US Navy CVE - 111 Commencement Bay Escort carrier 1945 -- 1946 Ex-Totem Bay. Venerable Royal Navy R63 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1945 -- 1947 To Netherlands as Karel Doorman 1948. Vengeance Royal Navy R71 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1945 -- 1952 Vengeance Australian Navy R71 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1952 -- 1955 On loan from the Royal Navy Verdun French Navy Attack carrier n / a Never laid down, cancelled 1961 Vermillion US Navy CVE - 52 Bogue Escort carrier n / a Became HMS Smiter. Vermillion Bay US Navy CVE - 108 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Kula Gulf 1943 before construction began. Victorious Royal Navy R38 Illustrious Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1941 -- 1968 Vikramaditya Indian Navy R33 Kiev Aircraft carrier STOBAR 2013 -- present ex-Russian Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Suzuya Gorshkov. Vikrant Indian Navy R11 Majestic Light fleet carrier CATOBAR / STOVL 1961 -- 1997 Ex-HMS Hercules completed for India. Vikrant Indian Navy IAC - I Vikrant Aircraft carrier STOBAR n / a Scheduled to commission 2018. Vindex Royal Navy D15 Nairana Escort carrier 1943 -- 1947 Viraat Indian Navy R22 Centaur Fleet carrier STOVL 1987 -- 2017 ex-HMS Hermes. Vishal Indian Navy IAC - II Supercarrier n / a Planned. Scheduled to commission in 2025. Wake Island US Navy CVE - 65 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1946 Ex-Dolomi Bay. Warrior Canadian Navy R31 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1946 -- 1948 Ex-HMS Warrior. Returned to UK. Warrior Royal Navy R31 Colossus Light fleet carrier CATOBAR 1945 -- 1946, 1948 -- 1958 To Canada as HMCS Warrior. Returned to UK and thence to Argentina as Independencia. Wasp US Navy CV - 7 Wasp Light carrier 1940 -- 1942 Sunk 15 September 1942. Wasp US Navy CV - 18 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1972 Ex-Oriskany. Weser German Navy Aircraft carrier n / a 1942 -- 1943 cruiser conversion, never completed. White Plains US Navy CVE - 66 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1946 Ex-Elbour Bay. Willamette US Navy CVE - 114 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Ex-Mosser Bay. Renamed Rendova at commissioning. Willapa US Navy CVE - 53 Bogue Escort carrier 1943 -- 1944 Became HMS Puncher. Willapa Bay US Navy CVE - 109 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Cape Gloucester 1944 after construction began. Windham Bay US Navy CVE - 92 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR 1944 -- 1959 Winjah US Navy CVE - 54 Bogue Escort carrier n / a Became HMS Reaper. Winjah Bay US Navy CVE - 110 Commencement Bay Escort carrier n / a Renamed Salerno Bay 1943 before construction began. Wolverine US Navy IX - 64 Training carrier 1942 -- 1945 Converted paddle - wheel steamer. Woodcliff Bay US Navy CVE - 93 Casablanca Escort carrier CATOBAR n / a Renamed Makin Island 1943 before construction began. Wright US Navy CVL - 49 Saipan Light carrier 1947 -- 1970 Yamashiro Maru Japanese Army Yamashiro Maru Escort carrier 1945 -- 1945 Tanker conversion. Sunk by aircraft 17 February 1945 Yorktown US Navy CV - 5 Yorktown Aircraft carrier 1937 -- 1942 Sunk 7 June 1942 at Midway after air and sub attacks. Yorktown US Navy CV - 10 Essex Fleet carrier CATOBAR 1943 -- 1970 Ex-Bon Homme Richard. Museum at Mount Pleasant, SC Zuihō Japanese Navy Zuihō Light carrier 1940 -- 1944 Converted oiler, sunk by aircraft at Leyte Gulf 25 October 1944 Zuikaku Japanese Navy Shōkaku Fleet carrier 1941 -- 1944 Sunk by aircraft at Leyte Gulf 25 October 1944 Zuiun Maru Japanese Army Yamashiro Maru Escort carrier n / a 1945 tanker conversion, never completed. Type 002 Chinese Navy Fleet carrier CATOBAR n / a under construction Type 003 Chinese Navy Supercarrier CATOBAR n / a planning See also Aircraft carrier List of aircraft carriers in service List of aircraft carriers by configuration List of sunken aircraft carriers List of Canadian aircraft carriers List of aircraft carriers of the People 's Liberation Army Navy List of current French aircraft carriers List of German aircraft carriers List of aircraft carriers of the Indian Navy List of Italian aircraft carriers List of aircraft carriers of the Japanese Navy List of active Japan Maritime Self - Defense Force ships List of aircraft carriers of Russia and the Soviet Union List of active Spanish aircraft carriers List of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy List of seaplane carriers of the Royal Navy List of escort aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy List of aircraft carrier classes of the United States Navy List of escort aircraft carriers of the United States Navy List of amphibious warfare ships List of carrier - based aircraft Timeline for aircraft carrier service References Data for Japanese carriers from : Francillon, Rene ( 1979 ). Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London : Putnam. ISBN 0 370 30251 6. Notes ^ Jump up to : Nuclear - powered. ^ Jump up to : Converted oil tanker with deck but no hangar or lifts, active as merchant ship. Aircraft stored on deck. ^ Jump up to : Transferred to the United Kingdom under the Lend Lease program. Returned to the US after World War II ended. ^ Jump up to : Transferred from the United States under the Lend Lease program. Returned to the US after World War II ended. ^ Jump up to : Transferred from the United States under the Lend Lease program. ^ Jump up to : Converted Grain carrier with added deck and hangar, still carried cargo but reduced capacity. ^ Jump up to : HMS Vengeance loaned to Australia from 1952 to 1956 as HMAS Vengeance, sold to Brazil 1956 as Minas Gerais. Citations Jump up ^ `` China unveils first aircraft carrier to enter service ''. Fox News. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2018. Jump up ^ Gertz, Bill ( 1 August 2011 ). `` China begins to build its own aircraft carrier ''. The Washington Times. Retrieved 30 April 2018. Jump up ^ Buckley, Chris ( 25 April 2017 ). `` China, Sending a Signal, Launches a Home - Built Aircraft Carrier ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 26 April 2017. Jump up ^ `` INS Vikrant to be ready by 2018, says Navy chief Admiral RK Dhowan ''. India Today. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2016. Jump up ^ `` Government targets to deliver India 's first indigenous aircraft carrier by 2018 end ''. Daily News & Analysis. 6 December 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2016. Jump up ^ `` Navy 's Dream of Nuclear - Powered Aircraft Carrier Suffers a Hit ; BARC Says it Will Take 15 - 20 Years ''. India.com. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2018. Jump up ^ `` Multirole Landing Helicopter Dock ( LHD ) ''. Fincantieri.com. Retrieved 12 January 2017. Jump up ^ Busquets, C. ; Campanera, A. ; Coello, J.L. ( 1994 ). Los portaaviones españoles ( in Spanish ). Agualarga Editores. ISBN 84 - 88959 - 02 - 8. Jump up ^ Carpenter, William M. ; Wiencek, David G. ( 2000 ). Asian Security Handbook. Armonk, NY : M.E. Sharpe. p. 302. ISBN 978 - 0 - 76560 - 714 - 0. Jump up ^ `` America Class Amphibious Assault Ship ''. Military Today. Retrieved 30 April 2018. Bibliography Francillon, Rene ( 1979 ). Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London : Putnam & Company Limited. ISBN 0 370 30251 6. `` World Aircraft Carrier Lists ''. Haze Gray & Underway. Warrilow, Betty. Nabob, the first Canadian - manned aircraft carrier Owen Sound, Ont. : Escort carriers Association, 1989. Busquets, C. ; Campanera, A. ; Coello, J.L. ( 1994 ). Los portaaviones españoles ( in Spanish ). Agualarga Editores. ISBN 84 - 88959 - 02 - 8. Further reading Warrilow, Betty. Nabob, the first Canadian - manned aircraft carrier Owen Sound, Ont. : Escort Carriers Association, 1989. Chesneau, Roger. Aircraft Carriers of the World, 1914 to the Present. An Illustrated Encyclopedia Annapolis, Maryland : Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0 - 87021 - 902 - 2 Aircraft carrier classes in service Cavour Chakri Naruebet Charles de Gaulle Giuseppe Garibaldi Kiev / Vikramaditya Kuznetsov Liaoning Nimitz Queen Elizabeth Gerald R. Ford Juan Carlos I Lists of aircraft carriers By country China France Germany Japan Russia and the Soviet Union United Kingdom Timeline Escort Seaplane United States Timeline Classes Escort Other In service Sunken Service timeline By configuration Of World War II Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_aircraft_carriers&oldid=854405700 '' Categories : Aircraft carriers Lists of aircraft carriers Aircraft carriers by country Military lists by country Hidden categories : CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) Use dmy dates from October 2012 Articles lacking in - text citations from July 2014 All articles lacking in - text citations Incomplete transport lists All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from February 2012 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Bahasa Melayu Nederlands Português Svenska Türkçe Edit links This page was last edited on 11 August 2018, at 03 : 26 ( UTC ). 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Question: who has the most aircraft carriers in the world
Answer: United States