The largest aircraft carrier in the world. The most grandiose aircraft carriers in the world. Comparison of the best aircraft carriers in the world

Aircraft carriers can easily be called the largest warships. Already from the name it is clear why such a ship is needed - along with a large number of stationary weapons and military equipment, it accommodates various types combat aircraft and helicopters. Airplanes need a large acceleration area - a runway, which is why all powerful aircraft carriers are huge. Every strong power strives to have at least one such ship in its inventory to ensure independence on the world stage and respect from other countries. Today, only ten countries operate such vessels.

History of the creation and development of aircraft carriers

In 1910, an American pilot was able to fly a plane from a cruiser for the first time. This year is considered the beginning of the birth of aircraft carriers. On the ship Birmingham, a special wooden platform was installed, from which it was possible to carry out acceleration and takeoff. One year later, the same pilot managed to land the plane on a ship, again equipped with a temporary enlarged platform. In the following years, the British became involved in the development of such ships and began experimenting with takeoff from a moving ship. Initially, naval aviation was to be used only on reconnaissance expeditions.

The main difficulty for the engineers was creating a sufficiently long runway. In 1915, American officers developed a special steam catapult for launching aircraft from a ship. Thanks to this, it became possible to launch aircraft equipped with military equipment. Later, electromagnetic ones were created, which made it possible to increase the size of aircraft and the volume of weapons. In addition to takeoff, there was a problem with landing, and this was not only due to the skills of the pilots, but also to the length of the landing strip. During World War I, Britain began converting its merchant ships into ships with larger decks. To brake the aircraft, they began to use special devices that have remained almost unchanged to this day. This is on the ship that the plane clung to when it landed.

In 1922, Japan launched for the first time the first ship that was originally designed as an aircraft-carrying cruiser, rather than a conversion of another ship into an analogue. 5 years later, the United States joined the list of countries with new warships with aircraft on board. During the same period, floating stations for seaplanes were actively used. Aviation took off and landed from the water, and with the help of special devices the planes were lifted or lowered onto the side of the ship.

Period of the Great Patriotic War

During the Second World War, Great Britain had 7 aircraft carriers, France had 1 aircraft carrier, the USA had 8 and Japan had 6 units. This war is rightfully considered a war naval battles. Japan and America already had full-fledged combat aircraft carriers at that time. These countries determined that the key to victory over the enemy would be not ordinary warships, but aviation. There was no point in sending a plane across the entire Pacific Ocean. The cruisers described above provided an excellent solution. In February 1942, Japan was the first in the world to sink an American aircraft carrier. During the same period, in response to aggression, the US military, during Operation Doolittle's Raid, launched planes from Hornet and attacked Tokyo. This story formed the basis of the plot of the popular film Pearl Harbor.

For the first time in the world, in naval battles, ships were located at long distances from each other and did not even see the enemy. Military operations were carried out using aircraft from an aircraft carrier. It was truly a war between two sea titans. After the end of the battles, the military power of the victorious countries did not stop the development of naval weapons. Thus, in 1945, Great Britain first landed a jet aircraft on board a ship. This led to a new push for aircraft carrier construction, with a new angled deck and a more powerful steam catapult for launch. The leading countries in the field of shipbuilding at that moment were considered the USA, England and France. In the post-war period, they began to design ships for naval battles, where combat aircraft and helicopters necessary for carrying out rescue operations were based.

Submarine aircraft carriers

During World War II, Japan used submarines with a disassembled aircraft inside. It was a rather inconvenient weapon that required lengthy assembly and disassembly. However, in the third year of the war, the plane took off from underwater and dropped two incendiary bombs in the Oregon region in America, hoping to start massive fires in the forested area. The tragedy was avoided, but the very appearance of the aggressor was sudden and seriously frightened the American authorities due to the fact that it was not clear how the enemy plane could unnoticed get into airspace America. Similar submarines were also in service with England and France.

The next stage in the development of military developments was the Korean War. Fighters that took off from the ship attacked ground targets for the first time in North Korea. In 1960, America launched the first aircraft carrier with a nuclear reactor. And just two months later she notified the world about a second similar ship. The next important experiment was the circumnavigation of cruisers without refueling on shore. Today, aircraft carriers can operate for many years autonomously in the ocean without having to enter ports to refuel.

Russia also tried to keep up with other countries in military equipment. Back in 1904, the ship "Rus", purchased from the Germans, was equipped with 8 balloons balloon. However, the ship was not used in any subsequent battles. Afterwards, various aircraft carrier designs were created, but none of these projects were ever implemented. During the First World War, several ships were converted into seaplane carriers, but this technology could not be compared with the naval weapons of Britain and the United States.

In the Soviet Union, aircraft carriers were considered a weapon of aggression - in their opinion, very vulnerable aggression. The main blows during military clashes were inflicted on them. The first was launched only in 1985 and entered service in Russia in 1991.

The modern world aircraft carrier fleet includes about 1,250 aircraft and an even larger number of helicopters. Moreover, a significant part of them are based on American ships. In addition to aviation, the ships are equipped with multiple missile technology and air defense systems. The length of all aircraft carriers ranges from 182 to 342 meters. The ship's hull is made of steel, its thickness reaches several centimeters. Under the runway there are large hangars for storing aircraft and helicopters, as well as for carrying out repair work. Aircraft are moved from deck to deck using special cranes. Under the bottom of the hangars there are engine rooms and other service spaces. Considering that the main purpose of such ships is to ensure the takeoff and landing of aircraft, the command post, radar devices and antennas are located on a small so-called “island”, which is almost always located with right side sides. This is due to the fact that back in the early 20th century, British military researchers proved that in the event of an unsuccessful landing, all pilots automatically turn the plane to the left when attempting a second approach.

How many aircraft carriers are there in the world?

On at the moment There are only 22 ships of this class in the world. Let's take a closer look at the current types:

The first place in the number of available ships in service is , they include 11 aircraft carriers. As mentioned above, they consist of about 1000 aircraft, the length of each ship is from 250 to 331 meters, the speed is from 31 knots, the crew of each ship is from 2000 to 5000 people.
Next in terms of the number of aircraft carriers are Italy and Spain - they each have 2 weapons;
Third place is occupied by countries that have one such vessel each. These are Russia, China, Brazil, France, Thailand, India and the UK.

Russia is armed with one heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, the Admiral Kuznetsov, with a displacement of 70,500 tons and a length of 304 meters. The vessel has 24 aircraft and 42 helicopters, and its speed reaches 32 knots.

Number by country

USA (11 ships) - Ford type (1 ship Gerald R. Ford) - in service since May 2017. Production started in 2005, 8 years later it was launched, followed by testing and completion. The predecessor of this ship was the legendary Enterprise, which served for over 40 years and participated in many military missions carried out by America. It is now the largest aircraft-carrying cruiser in the world, costing approximately $13 billion to build—appropriately, Gerald R. Ford is also the most expensive aircraft carrier in the world.
Type "" (10 ships) - ships with a nuclear reactor, also owned by the United States. In 1975, the first copy was put into operation, and by 2009 the tenth. Ships of this class were widely used in armed conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and Iraq. The cost of each such aircraft carrier cruiser is about 4.5 billion dollars.
Italy (2 ships) - "Cavour" - has been in the fleet since 2007, has 8 aircraft and 12 helicopters on board, the length of the vessel is 244 m, the speed is 30 knots.
Giusepe Garibaldi is another flagship of the Italian fleet, launched in 1983, has a length of 180 m, and a speed of 30 knots.
India (1 ship) – The Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya was purchased from Russia in 2013. Former name "Admiral Gorshkov". The length is 274m, the maximum speed is 32 knots, it can accommodate up to 20 aircraft and about 10 helicopters. In 2018 and 2023, two more aircraft-carrying cruisers are planned to be commissioned into the country’s Navy.
China (1 ship) – The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning was purchased from Ukraine in 2012 for $20 million. Former name "Varyag". Its length is 304 m, the aviation composition includes 24 fighters and 12 helicopters.
Spain (2 ships) – The aircraft carrier Juan Carlos is in service with the Spanish Navy, has been in service since 2010, is 230m long, and is armed with up to 30 aircraft and helicopters.
France (1 ship) – The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is the flagship of the French military. Commissioned in 2001, the dimensions are 261 m in length, and includes up to 40 aircraft.
Brazil (1 ship) - "Sao Paulo" - aircraft carrier has been in operation since 2001, length 265 meters, includes 14 aircraft and 11 helicopters;
Thailand (1 ship) - represented by the aircraft carrier Chakri Narubet - has the smallest size among existing analogues, the length is 182 meters, the aviation group consists of 14 aircraft and 12 helicopters. In operation since 1997.
Great Britain (1 ship) - Illustrious class - one of the oldest active aircraft carriers, participated in the Second World War. Length 205 m, in service with 33 aircraft. Currently, new aircraft carriers are being prepared for launch, which should replace the current one.
Russia (1 ship) “Admiral Kuznetsov”, last on the list, but not in importance and power. Used since 1991, length 270m, number of aircraft: 50 planes and helicopters. Below we will look at it in more detail.

Comparison of the best aircraft carriers in the world

Let's look at ten of the most powerful and largest aircraft carriers in the world in the entire history of the existence of these ships. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Enterprise (USA) - this nuclear-powered large aircraft carrier rightfully takes first place. It was put into operation back in 1961, and over the next 50 years there was no replacement for this combat monster. In the middle of the 20th century, it was planned to build five more of the same ships, however, given the too high cost of the vessel, it was decided to leave it in a single copy. Thanks to nuclear fuel, it can remain autonomous in the ocean for up to 13 years. The largest aircraft carrier in the world has a length of 342.3 meters, can accommodate up to 80 aircraft, and has a crew of 3,000 people. The nuclear-powered ship includes four steam catapults, which make it possible to launch aircraft one after another in 15 seconds each. Four cables were installed on the runway to help the brake cylinders function. The ship is also equipped with a special nylon mesh, which, if problems arise when braking the aircraft, will be able to catch it and prevent an accident. The ship took part in the wars with Cuba, Vietnam and Iraq. In 2012, it was withdrawn from the US Navy. After another 5 years, the legendary aircraft carrier Enterprise was decommissioned. In its place was a new ship, the Gerald R. Ford, which plans to enter service with the US Navy by 2020. Before this period, the ship will make several trips to the open sea to confirm its combat readiness. The ship cost the country approximately $13 billion, making it the most expensive aircraft carrier in the world. In terms of its armament, the vessel is no different from its predecessor, but it significantly exceeds it in terms of automation, which makes it possible to reduce the number of crew. New technologies were also used to ensure that the ship remained invisible when attempting to detect it using radar.
Nimitz (USA) is another example of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier; its first copy was produced in 1975. The production continued until 2009. Currently, the United States has 10 such ships in service. Its length is 330 meters. Such vessels were actively used during the war in Yugoslavia and Iraq. The cost of the ship is about 4.5 billion dollars. The nuclear reactor allows the ship to sail autonomously for about 25 years. The service life is 50 years.
(USA) - the first such aircraft carrier was launched back in 1955. The length was 325 meters. Today, ships of this configuration are no longer in service with any country in the world. However, the ship still ranks third on the list of the largest aircraft carriers in the world.
(USA) - the length of the aircraft carrier is 320 meters, the specimen is known for the large number of fire-related accidents that occurred on board. As a result of one of these tragedies, 135 people burned to death. Removed from service in 1993.
John F. Kennedy (USA) - the aircraft-carrying cruiser is also 320 meters long and was withdrawn from service with the US Navy in 2007. The ship served for about 40 years, carrying out missions mainly in the Mediterranean Sea. During his service he suffered several naval collisions.
(USA) - length is 305 meters, was produced in 1945, was the first heavy American aircraft carrier. It has been withdrawn from service since 1992 and today serves as a naval museum.
Admiral Kuznetsov (USSR-RF) - the ship was built in the city of Nikolaev in 1985, today it is in service with the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy, the length of the aircraft carrier cruiser is 300 meters.
Lexington (USA) - a ship from the period of World War II, but in 1946 it was scuttled after nuclear tests were carried out with its help.
Cruiser Varyag/Liaoning (USSR-Ukraine-China) - was launched in 1988 in Nikolaev. During the collapse of the Union, construction continued on board. Accordingly, the ship became the property of Ukraine, but repair work was stopped during this period. The unfinished aircraft carrier was subsequently sold to China for $20 million. Today it is in service with the Chinese Navy.
Shinano (Japan) - was built in 1942 and took part in the war against America. The length of the ship was 266 m - until the end of the 50s of the last century it was the largest aircraft carrier in the world. In November 1944, during a battle with the American military, the ship was sunk, along with its 1,435 crew members.

Latest Developments

According to experts, one of the latest innovations in the Navy is the development of underwater aircraft of the Russian Federation. Russia's first nuclear submarine aircraft carrier, Project 941-bis, is rumored to be ready by 2020. The idea of such a vessel has been developed since 1991 at the Rubinovsky project of transport submarines. Today on the Internet you can find a model of such a submarine. However, this submarine and its structure are strictly classified; it is not possible to find out the actual dates of commissioning. One thing is certain - if it is put into service, it will be the best aircraft carrier in the world and the only nuclear-powered submarine with fighters on board.

As can be seen from the list of the largest aircraft-carrying cruisers in the world of all time, the undeniable leading place in this type of weapons is occupied by US aircraft carriers. Aircraft carriers are an important attribute in the naval forces of any country, at the same time they are one of the most vulnerable ships in large-scale battles. Such ships are indispensable when conducting combat operations with countries that do not have modern nuclear weapons. In the event of aggression from a power of equal power, aircraft carriers will remain an important, but not the main component in conducting combat operations.

A person is ready to protect his peace by any means. The expanses of the ocean, for example, contain units of incredible size, designed to serve for the benefit of peace and tranquility. The largest aircraft carriers will be discussed below.

1st place

Enterprise. An incredibly sized aircraft carrier worth $451 million. Equipped with a nuclear installation, it is 342 meters long. The project envisaged the production of five more similar structures, however, the cost of building the Enterprise showed that such plans would be too expensive for the US armed forces. First launched in 1961. The total displacement of the ship is 93,400 tons.

2nd place

Nimitz. Another brainchild of America, launched in 1975. A dozen more ships were built according to Nimitz’s design, the last of which was commissioned in 2009. The cost of this type of aircraft carrier turned out to be less than the Enterprise, so serial production was launched. The length of the unit is 333 meters. Total displacement – 106 thousand tons.

3rd place

Lincoln . Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, launched in 1988, the fifth ship in the project. Known for being used during combat in Iraq, it was also featured in several films. The length of the vessel is 332.8 m, the ship's displacement is 97 thousand tons. The ship's aviation group consists of 90 airplanes and helicopters.

4th place

Kitty Hawk . Once again, the United States leads the list of producers of the world's most powerful aircraft carriers. Kitty Hawk reaches a length of 327 meters and is equipped with modern electronics and sonar systems. The ship does not have nuclear artillery like its successors. Launched in 1955. The ship's displacement is 93 thousand tons.

5th place

Forrestal . Named after the first US Department of Defense, Forrestal was also the first project after World War II. All the experience gained as a result of combat operations was collected by the best military engineers and embodied in this aircraft carrier. Its length is 325 meters, displacement is 81 thousand tons. Used since 1955. One of the notable incidents associated with this aircraft carrier was a fire that occurred in 1967. The official version says that the fire was the result of an independent launch of a rocket under the influence of a power surge.

6th place

John Kennedy . The aircraft carrier is 320 meters long and again made in the USA. The fourth follower of Kitty Hawk, named after the 35th President of America. Initially, it was planned to equip it with a nuclear installation, but later the project was revised, deciding in favor of gas turbine generators. In operation since 1968. The vessel's displacement is 82 thousand tons.

7th place

Midway . The discoverer of heavy American aircraft carriers, 306 meters long. The ship has a rich history, having been actively used during the bombing of Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm. Today it has already been withdrawn from the fleet, but continues to function in a different way - as a museum ship.

8th place

Admiral Kuznetsov . Built in the USSR, from the Black Sea Shipbuilding Plant. Named in honor of the Admiral of the USSR Fleet, it was intended for attacks against large targets and protection of maritime space. The aircraft carrier houses fighter jets and helicopters during cruises. The length of the ship is 302 meters, released in 1990. Displacement – 59 thousand tons.

9th place

Lexington . The 271-meter-long aircraft carrier is one of the historical ones in the United States. Launched in 1929, it was equipped with a superstructure and nuclear installations, as well as an armored hull. Total displacement - 47,700 tons.

10th place

Shinano . The representative of Japan is among the largest aircraft carriers in the world, has a length of 266 m. Launched in 1944. It is noteworthy that by the beginning of the war the ship was only half ready and was built according to the design of a battleship. However, after the defeat of the Japanese army at Midway, it was decided to rebuild the ship into an aircraft carrier. The thickness of the armor of the newly-made aircraft carrier was 178 mm, equipped with tanks for storing aviation fuel with a volume of 718 tons. The total displacement of the ship is 71,890 tons.

Modern shipbuilding is constantly developing in different directions. One of the main things is the creation of powerful, fast and maneuverable warships that will be equipped with the latest generation weapons. The size of aircraft carriers and cruisers is amazing. The largest of them are the property of the country's army, and some have even become relics of history.

At the end of the article we have prepared a surprise 🎁 - an exciting test to test your attentiveness 😃

The United States planned to build five such ships, but due to high costs ($450 million for each) the large-scale project had to be abandoned. In 1961, only one strike aircraft carrier with a nuclear power plant in its class was launched.

Crew – 3325 people. Thanks to nuclear fuel, the ship can serve for 13 years without refueling and sail up to one million miles during this time. This “monster” is driven by a power plant consisting of eight A2W type reactors with four turbines. With a scale of 342 meters in length and 78.5 in width, weapons with a total weight of more than 2,500 tons are placed on board. An aviation fuel reserve of 10 million liters ensures intensive aircraft flights for 12 days.

Along the perimeter, the hull has a double bottom with compartments separated by transverse bulkheads. Flights are carried out on a deck of 18,211 m2, which is equipped with four take-off steam catapults. Thanks to them, aircraft can instantly take off into the air every 15-20 seconds. To stop aircraft, an arresting device is provided in the form of tensioned cables, but if for some reason it does not work, then a special rising emergency net at the end of the platform is capable of stopping the aircraft.

The number of aircraft on board is up to 90 units with a personnel of 1800 people. During her service in the US Navy, Enterprise participated in more than a dozen operations, including combat operations in Cuba, Vietnam, Iraq and during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

In the early 90s, the ship was modernized in accordance with modern requirements. In 2002, the power plant and hull plating were repaired.

The aircraft carrier is a US development. Construction began in 1968. The ship turned out to be large (length 333 meters, maximum width 78), reliable and, most importantly, not as expensive as its predecessor, the Enterprise. Manufacturing cost, according to different sources, came out to about several hundred million dollars. Therefore, it was decided to put the project into production and produce a total of ten such aircraft carriers. Each is assigned an individual number and name: No. 68 Nimitz 1968, No. 69 Eisenhower 1970, No. 70 Vinson 1975, No. 71 Roosevelt 1981, No. 72 Lincoln 1984, No. 77 Bush 2003 and others.

The Nimitz is not only a large ship, but also a heavy ship. There are 1,954 tons of ammunition on board alone. The power plant is nuclear - two A4W nuclear reactors (total power 260 thousand horsepower) and four diesel engines at 10,720 l. With. Thus, an aircraft carrier can easily reach speeds of up to 30 knots, and can sail for ten years without refueling. To protect against enemy shells, the body is sewn with 64 mm special Kevlar fabric.

The site for the air group is divided into several zones: runway and landing strip, parking. Accordingly, each of them is equipped with special equipment. Thus, four steam catapults are installed on the runway to launch aircraft.

To protect the ship's hull from aircraft jet exhaust, a barrier is provided, ventilated by supplying cold water directly from the board. There are special rope brakes installed on the landing strip and, most importantly, there is an electronic device that helps land the plane on board in poor visibility conditions without the participation of a pilot. The automatic landing system is called ACLS. The parking area can simultaneously accommodate 86 combat aircraft.

If you need to repel an attack on an aircraft carrier or strike directly from standard guns, powerful weapons are located on board. These are four Vulcan Phalanx 20 mm anti-aircraft artillery systems and three Sea Sparrow missile launchers. During the modernization process, a three-tube 324 mm torpedo tube was placed on the Nimitz.

The ship is controlled and maintained in combat condition by a crew of 3,200 people and an air group of 2,480. For the life of people, the hold is equipped with cabins, a dining room, and a freezer room for long-term storage of food.

Shark

The largest military submarines are in Russian service. These are nuclear vessels of Project No. 941 “Akula”. Since it was planned to equip the new vessel with solid-fuel three-stage long-range R-39 missiles, which have impressive dimensions, the dimensions of the submarine must match. The developers were LPMB "Rubin" Leningrad. After several years of construction, it was put into operation in 1980.

In front of the side there was a shark depicted, which personified power and maneuverability. Later it became a symbol of the ship's crew and appeared on chevrons. Of the planned 12 submarines, half were completed.

Interesting!

In order to reload ammunition on the Akula submarine, it was necessary to build a special electric-diesel transport vessel, Alexander Brykin, with a displacement of 16 thousand tons.

The aircraft carrier manufactured in the USSR has interesting story buildings. Initially, in 1979, the engineering bureau prepared sketches for the construction of the cruiser, they were approved by S. Gorshkov (commander of the navy at that time), but subsequently a decision was made to radically change the project. Thus, due to all the delays in the design, the ship was launched only in 1987.

Maximum displacement 61,390 tons, length 306 m, width 72 m, height 64.5 m. Like most warships that serve for years and take part in combat operations, the hull must be additionally protected. Thus, the Admiral Kuznetsov is equipped with armor made of high-strength steel, with three-layer anti-torpedo protection of 4.5 m, which is able to withstand a direct hit from a four hundred kilogram TNT projectile.

The powerful ship was equipped with the Beysur navigation complex, the Mars Passat, Fregat MA, Podkat, Vaygach and Resistor radar systems. For communication, the BIUS “Lesorub”, “Buran 2”, SAC “Polinom”, SAC “Zvezda M1” and the electronic warfare complex “Sozvezdie” were installed. As you can see, the ship is stuffed to the teeth with electronics, but as for weapons, things are still more serious here. On board were anti-aircraft artillery with 48 thousand shells and an anti-submarine combat installation with 60 bombs. Missiles "Granit" 256 pcs., "Dagger" 192 pcs. Since the ship is an aircraft carrier, it can simultaneously carry 50 planes and helicopters.

This military “monster” is driven by a power plant consisting of four steam turbines with a total capacity of 200 thousand horsepower and nine turbogenerators of 1500 kW each. At the same time, the maximum speed of the vessel reaches 54 km/h, and the navigation autonomy is 45 days.

During her service in the Navy, the aircraft carrier made six voyages in the Mediterranean Sea, and once visited the North Atlantic. In 2000, he was involved in the operation to rescue the Kursk submarine. In 2016, he had to take part in hostilities against the military terrorist groups “Islamic State” and “Jabhat al-Nusra” in Syria. During the voyage, 420 combat aircraft sorties were carried out from the ship, and 1,252 terrorist targets were hit.

6 most expensive SUVs in the world

Battleship Missouri

Russia is reportedly planning to build "the world's largest aircraft carrier" to strengthen its defense and compete with the United States in this area.

The Storm aircraft carrier will be capable of carrying 90 combat aircraft on board and will cost about $17.5 billion, the British publication notes, citing Russian media.

This ship, now known as Project 23000, could be ready by 2030. However, whether it will truly become the largest aircraft carrier in the world, as Moscow claims, is a moot point.

His technical specifications, the article notes, are similar to the characteristics of American Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. And one of the experts even told the media that the design of the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford will be taken as the basis for the ship, the publication claims.

According to the project, the deck of the new aircraft carrier will be the size of three football fields, and the crew size will reach 4 thousand people. The ship will be so big that it will have its own postcode, The Independent reports.

Currently, Russia only has the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, which was launched back in 1985. In terms of its capabilities, it is seriously inferior to the Storm ship.

Russian aircraft carrier of the future. Project Storm 23000

A promising multi-purpose heavy super-aircraft carrier of the future - Storm (project 23000), is being developed at the Russian State Scientific Center named after. Krylova (St. Petersburg) in collaboration with the Nevsky Design Bureau.

The ship is aimed at performing various tasks in distant ocean and sea zones. It will be capable of striking enemy ground and sea targets using its own weapons and aircraft of the aviation group, as well as providing air defense.

The main requirements presented by the Main Command of the Navy for the new Russian aircraft carrier are autonomy and mobility. The ship must transfer all the necessary equipment and equipment to the right place and in a short time. And the air group must provide patrols and quickly increase its presence in a given region.

At the same time, Storm should have broad capabilities both in terms of the use of carrier-based aircraft and in terms of combat effectiveness of operations as part of heterogeneous forces. The newest aircraft carrier will be tasked with detecting and destroying enemy underwater and surface assets, striking enemy infrastructure on land and protecting its own fleet.

Concept of a new multifunctional aircraft carrier

The concept of the new multifunctional aircraft carrier provides for the deployment of up to 100 aircraft on board. Five different types of airplanes and helicopters will be placed and secured at the stern and bow of the aircraft carrier.

The aircraft carrier will have an almost bare deck. Instead of a massive tower, there are two control “islands” (two island superstructures). This will save space on the deck and reduce the radio signature of the ship at sea.

The aircraft carrier will be equipped with a two-reactor power plant RITM-200 with a capacity of 175 MW.

Storm will have a hybrid aircraft launch system - two electromagnetic catapults (EMALS) for accelerating aircraft and two springboards (for a total of 4 launch positions on the flight deck). The length of the runway of one of the ski jumps will exceed 250 meters. The landing of aircraft will be ensured by one arresting device (a cable-based device that dampens landing speed). To save space, aircraft lifts will be of the vertical and swing type.

The Storm will be equipped with an integrated combat control system. The aircraft carrier's electronics suite will include integrated sensors, including active phased array radars (AFAR).

The aircraft carrier will provide take-off and landing of the latest generation aircraft and helicopters even in storms. Under the take-off deck and in optimized control superstructures, the latest nuclear power plant, effective missile and electronic weapons will be located. The use of missile weapons is one of the most interesting moments in determining the appearance of the future ship.

Four S-500 Prometheus modules will be responsible for the ship’s air defense. With such a quartet, the aircraft carrier's air defense will be able to simultaneously detect, fire and hit up to 10 aerial aerodynamic or supersonic ballistic targets at once at a range of 800 kilometers. Air defense targets can include airplanes, helicopters, UAVs, medium-range missiles, supersonic cruise missiles and intercontinental ballistic missile warheads, as well as objects flying at speeds up to 7000 meters per second. Plus, the aircraft carrier will be equipped with two anti-torpedo protection systems.

The single-seat MiG-29K and double-seat MiG-29KUB (4++ generation fighters) will solve the problem of air defense and gaining air superiority, hitting targets with guided high-precision weapons at any time of the day and in any weather.

There are no plans to deploy anti-ship missiles on a ship (on a basic permanent basis). But this does not at all prohibit the placement on an aircraft carrier (by good tradition) of 4-8 20-foot removable containers with the Club-K missile system, or hypersonic Zircon anti-ship missiles. Placing 8 containers with Club-K on board the aircraft carrier means that it is armed with 32 high-precision strike cruise missiles. Containerized Club-K - will ensure the destruction of both surface and ground targets. The complex is a modification of the well-known Caliber missile system. Hidden inside the containers of the complex are launchers with 3M-14, Kh-35 or 3M-54 missiles, capable of hitting both land and large surface targets at long range. For example, the 3M-54 missile is capable of destroying even an aircraft carrier, and the flight range of the 3M14 missile launcher with nuclear warheads/fuel warheads is 2650 and 1600 km, respectively.

The task of collecting information about the enemy and monitoring air, ground and surface space, as well as guiding aircraft to detected targets will be provided by a radar control point and a radar patrol and guidance point based on the Yak-44E aircraft. Ka-32/Ka-27 helicopters armed with torpedoes, depth charges, missiles and mines will fight the submarines.

The ship's hull will be optimized so that water resistance will be reduced by 20-30%. The latter will provide significant energy savings and the opportunity to increase the speed and autonomy of the ship. Note that the movement of a vessel with a resistance 30% less than that of a traditional hull contour means that with conventional power it will be possible to have a cruising range of 30% more and fuel consumption will be reduced by the same amount.

As we can see, the Storm will use the best developments of domestic and Western schools for creating ships of this class. In the project great value focused on the capabilities of providing aeronautics for carrier-based aircraft. For example, according to the project, the maximum width of the flight deck will exceed 80 meters; the double deck composition will be adopted from the UK. At the same time, it is planned to create a smooth flight deck.

As an innovation, we can highlight the improved design of the aircraft carrier's hull, which can significantly reduce water resistance and increase its level of efficiency and seaworthiness.

The military power of the ship is significantly enhanced by the placement and use of a long-range radar detection and guidance aircraft (AWACS) on it.

In general, it can be noted that Storm will become a multi-purpose aircraft carrier that will serve as a sea airport. During Soviet times, carrier-based aircraft performed anti-submarine, defense, and air defense missions, and the aircraft carrier was positioned as a military cruiser designed for long-range naval attacks.

Performance characteristics of the aircraft carrier Storm:

Hello. Add as a friend)

The naval forces are one of the main components of the army of any power with access to the seas and oceans. Many empires, such as Great Britain, built their power on the strength of a strong navy capable of responding to any threat many thousands of kilometers away. native land.

Of course, modern warships are very different from their ancestors. The flagship of any flotilla today is an aircraft carrier group, which allows attack and defense not only with the help of installed guns, but also with air groups located on the decks.

The presence of aircraft places demands on the size of ships. All aircraft carriers boast impressive volumes, but some of them stand out even against this background. In this article we will talk about just such ships, and also answer the question: “What is the largest aircraft carrier in the world?”

First place - Enterprise (United States of America)

This ship is the first aircraft carrier to have an engine running on nuclear fuel. It was launched back in 1961, but still remains the largest ship in the world in its class. The cost of building the Enterprise cost the government $450 million. High price became one of the reasons why this series of ships is limited to just one aircraft carrier, although it was initially planned to create several more such ships.

The length of the ship is as much as 342 meters. It can accommodate about 80 aircraft. The aircraft carrier's full crew is more than three thousand people. Enterprise has 4 steam catapults. Half is located at the front of the ship, and the other half is located on the landing strips. With the help of catapults, the Enterprise is capable of lifting one aircraft into the air in a quarter of a minute.

On the contrary, landing of air groups is carried out with the help of an aerofinisher, which consists of four cables that are tensioned below deck and help the operation of special brake cylinders. In addition, the aircraft carrier has a nylon mesh that can catch the aircraft if, due to unforeseen circumstances, it overshoots the arresting position.

Second place - Nimitz (United States of America)

A more modern American aircraft carrier, which also has a powerful nuclear engine. The first ship was launched in 1975. Production continued until 2009, when the last vessel entered service. In total, 10 such ships were created during this time. The length of the ship is 330 meters. These ships were actively used during several military conflicts, including in Yugoslavia and Iraq.

The cost of one ship is four and a half billion US dollars. The aircraft carrier carries 66 ships for various purposes (48 of them are multirole fighters). The nuclear reactor installed in the ship allows it to operate for about 25 years without replacement. The state spends about $160 million annually on maintaining one aircraft carrier.

The Nimitz can be operated for more than 50 years. Today, all 10 ships are in combat service.

Third place - Kitty Hawk (United States of America)

The aircraft carrier was launched in 1955. Its length is 325 meters. These are the first ships of their class that do not have a rich arsenal of artillery, instead of which missile systems are installed. In addition, these are the last American aircraft carriers that were not equipped with nuclear reactors. At the time of launching, the aircraft carrier had all modern electronics and a sonar station. The last ship of this line (there were four in total) was taken out of service in 2007.

Fourth place - Forrestal (United States of America)

Another American aircraft carrier, one of the largest. Its length is 320 meters. Forrestal was created for the needs of jet aviation after the end of World War II, the experience of which was taken into account when creating the ship. The first vessel of the line was launched in 1955. Interestingly, this aircraft carrier was considered unlucky among American sailors and received many mocking nicknames due to the large number of accidents associated with fires on the ship. One of them killed about 135 people.
The last ship of the line was decommissioned in 1993. It was sold at auction for one center, since there was no one willing to buy it, except for one single company.

Fifth place - John Kennedy (United States of America)

Having received its name in honor of the famous American president, this ship was launched in 1968. Its length is 320 meters. This ship is a Kitty Hawk class ship. Just like other ships, it did not have a nuclear engine (although installation was initially planned). Instead, gas turbine equipment was used.

The carrier spent most of its time in the Mediterranean, performing various missions there during the Cold War. The ship served for about 40 years and during this time underwent several major repairs. The ship was not considered the most successful in the navy, as it suffered several collisions during its operation.

The largest accident occurred in 1975 as a result of a collision between a ship and a cruiser, which was almost completely destroyed by the impact.
John Kennedy was removed from service in 2007, and a whole ceremony was organized to see him off.
The aircraft carrier also became a movie star. It is he who is depicted in the 2012 film falling on the White House.

Sixth place - Midway (United States of America)

This is not only a large aircraft carrier produced in the year the Second World War ended, but also the first heavy aircraft carrier in the US Navy. The ship was in operation for 50 years. During this time, he took part in several military operations in the country, including Vietnam and Iraq.

Midway left service in 1992, and five years later a huge fleet museum was created on its base. The length of the ship is 305 meters.

In addition, the ship took part in the famous rescue operation at the end of the Vietnam War, when the Viet Cong captured the capital of the southerners. In order to land a plane loaded with refugees fleeing imminent reprisals and a totalitarian regime, the crew of the aircraft carrier dropped the helicopters on board, worth a total of over 10 million dollars, into the water. This operation entered the pages of US military glory.

Seventh place - Admiral Kuznetsov (USSR, Russian Federation)

The most powerful aircraft-carrying ship in the USSR and Russia. The ship was created in Nikolaev and received the name of the famous Soviet admiral. After the collapse of the USSR, it became part of the Russian Navy. Today he serves as part of the northern fleet. It houses fighter jets and anti-submarine helicopters.

The ship was laid down in 1982, and it was launched in 1985. It is interesting that at the time of laying it was given the name “Riga”, and at the time of the first launch - “Leonid Brezhnev”. After the launch, work continued on building the ship on the water. In 1989, the ship, still unfinished, went to sea to conduct tests with aircraft. In 1990, construction was completed and the ship was renamed again.

It is currently undergoing major renovation. Already this summer, the ship is planning to sail to the Mediterranean Sea, most likely to the shores of the Syrian Arab Republic. The length of the ship is 300 meters.

Eighth place - Lexington (United States of America)

The oldest aircraft carrier on this list. A total of two ships of this type were produced, both of which took an active part in the beginning (for the USA) of World War II. One of the aircraft carriers was destroyed in the spring of 1942 during heavy fighting with the Japanese. The second ship, despite numerous damages, survived the war and was scuttled after participating in the test nuclear weapons in 1946.

Lexington was capable of accommodating 63 aircraft. Most of them were fighters, as well as reconnaissance aircraft. The aircraft carriers of this series appeared as a result of heated debates between American military experts. At that time there was a conflict between two opinions about the future of naval battles. One part of the experts advocated the creation of coastal airfields and powerful battleships, since they believed that airplanes were not good enough at destroying ships. The other part insisted on creating powerful aircraft carrier groups, giving them a decisive role in future battles. As a result of tests carried out using captured German ships, the second point of view won, and, as confirmed by the Second world war, quite reasonably.

Ninth place - Varyag (USSR, Ukraine, China)

Another long aircraft carrier belonging to Soviet Union. The history of "Varyag" is indeed interesting. Its construction began in Nikolaev in 1986. Two years later it was already launched, after which work on it continued on the water. After the USSR ceased to exist, the ship went to the Ukrainian Navy, but since then it has not been used, cash injections into it stopped, and the necessary repair work was not carried out, so the ship slowly degraded.

As a result, Varyag was sold to a Chinese company for $20 million, which is much lower than its actual cost. The buyers said they planned to create an entertainment center on its base. However, the ship was subsequently completed as a warship. It was renamed Liaoning and is now successfully performing combat missions as part of the Chinese Navy.

Tenth place - Shinano (Japan)

The longest Japanese aircraft carrier of World War II. It was originally built as a battleship, but after the first serious defeat against the American fleet in 1941, the Japanese command decided to rely on aircraft carrier groups, seeing the advantage that American aircraft carriers enjoyed on the water.

The ship was completed after one year. At that time it was the most protected aircraft carrier. Containers for storing aviation fuel were especially well protected, which, if hit by an enemy shell, could destroy the entire ship.