Since ancient times, people have traveled the seas, gradually improving their ships. Modern shipbuilding is very developed, and the range of ships has become unusually diverse. But always Special attention attracts the TOP of the largest ships in the world, which will be discussed below.
1. Seawise Giant (Knock Nevis)
Deadweight - 564,700 tons.
. Length - 458.5 m.
. Year of construction - 1979.
. Last country of registration: Sierra Leone. Dismantled for scrap.
The largest ship in the world until 2010 was the supertanker Knock Nevis, built in 1975 in the Japanese city of Yokosuka. Before changing several names, it had a simple number 1016. But its cyclopean dimensions actually ruined it - the tanker could not pass through either the Panama or Suez Canal, even in the English Channel it would have run aground, so it could move from ocean to ocean I could only do it in a roundabout way.
During the Iran-Iraq War of 1988, it was hit by an Iraqi missile and seriously damaged. As a result, the supertanker sank in the Persian Gulf offshore. After the end of the conflict, it was raised from the bottom and towed to Singapore, where they were able to restore it in 1991, giving it a new “optimistic” name, “The Happy Giant.” But no one needed it as a tanker, so it began to serve as a floating oil storage facility. Finally, in 2009, the “lucky one” was sent on his last journey to the Indian shores, where next year it was cut into scrap metal.
2. Pierre Guillaumat
Deadweight - 555,000 tons.
. Length - 414.2 m.
. Year of construction - 1977.
. Last country of registration: France. Cut into scrap metal.
In the family of twin ships of the Batillus series, this supertanker is the largest in terms of deadweight. It was built at French shipyards, worked for only about 5 years, after which it was mercilessly sent in 1983 to South Korea, where it was turned into scrap metal. The rest of his brothers from the same series shared his fate. The reasons for such an inglorious death in all cases were the same problems with the impossibility of passing through the Suez and Panama Canals.
3. Esso Atlantic
Deadweight - 516,900 tons.
. Length - 406.5 m.
. Year of construction - 1977.
. Last country of registration: Liberia. Cut into scrap metal.
At one time, this oil supertanker was also a deadweight champion. It was built in Japan, and made its first commercial route from Liberia, Africa, where the owner company Esso Tankers registered it under the Liberian flag. Most often, the tanker transported oil from the Middle East to Europe. But in 2002, the end came for him too - in Pakistan he was cut into scrap metal. He had practically a sister ship, the Esso Pacific, but, despite the “Pacific” name, it was smaller than its “Atlantic brother.”
To conquer nature, man creates mega-machines - the most incredible technologies in the world, the capabilities and dimensions of which amaze the imagination. Yes...
4. Emma Maersk
Deadweight - 156,900 tons.
. Length - 397 m.
. Year of construction - 2006.
. Last country of registration: Denmark. Still in use.
This is the first vessel of eight identical E-class container ships built by the Danish holding Moller-Maersk Group. At the time of her maiden voyage in 2006, she was the world's largest floating vessel. Emma Maersk transports a variety of cargo between Asia and America, passing through the Suez Canal and the Strait of Gibraltar.
This ship doesn't have much good story- when its construction was already being completed, a fire broke out on the upper deck, which seriously damaged the brand new ship. Repairs were needed, which were done quickly. In 2013, a new misfortune occurred - right in the middle of the Suez Canal, one of the power plants of the dry cargo ship broke down, as a result of which it lost control. Fortunately, both the ship and the canal remained intact.
Europeans do not favor the giant for its use of sulfur-rich fuel. Like many giant ships, Emma does not fit into the Panama Canal, so Pacific Ocean closed for her (it’s not possible to sail there around Cape Horn!).
5.TI Class
Deadweight - 441,600 tons.
. Length - 380 m.
. Year of construction - 2003.
. Last country of registration: Belgium. Still in use.
This double-hulled vessel had the largest deadweight and gross tonnage of its time. A total of four completely identical vessels were built: two “TI Africa” and “TI Oceania” under the flag of the Marshall Islands, “TI Europe” under the Belgian flag and “TI Asia”. But in 2010, floating terminal platforms were made from “Asia” and “Africa” for storing and loading petroleum products, and since then they have been laid up near one of the Qatari offshore oil fields.
Modern development armored forces is aimed at increasing the compactness and maneuverability of vehicles, that is, at making them lighter. When creating them on...
6. Vale Sohar
Deadweight - 400 300 tons.
. Length - 362 m.
. Year of construction - 2012.
. Last country of registration: Marshall Islands. Still in use.
This vessel, one of the largest bulk carriers, is owned by the Vale mining company from Brazil. It transports ore mined in Brazil to the United States. In total, 40 huge dry cargo ships ply along this route, the deadweight of which is in the range of 380-400 thousand tons. Sohar is the largest ship among them.
7.Allure of the Seas
Deadweight - 19,750 tons.
. Length - 362 m.
. Year of construction - 2008.
. Last country of registration: Bahamas. Still in use.
This ship is part of the Oasis class of cruise ships, consisting of two twins (the second is Oasis in the Seas), occupying a leading position for its type of ships in the world. They say that “Allure” is still 5 cm longer than “Oasis”, which is why it is presented here. This giant is capable of carrying 6,296 passengers and 2,384 crew members. There are countless types of entertainment offered on board; this floating city has a golf course and an ice skating rink, a bunch of bars and shops, and even a park with exotic plants.
8.Queen Mary II
Deadweight - 19,200 tons.
. Length - 345 m.
. Year of construction - 2002.
. Last country of registration: Bermuda. Still in use.
This beautiful transatlantic cruise ship is one of the world's largest passenger liners. It is capable of transporting 2,620 passengers from the Old to the New World or back with maximum comfort. It was designed and built by the French company "Chantiers del" Atlantique. On board there is a theater, a casino, 15 restaurants and the only planetarium on ships.
Formula 1 is not just the most expensive and spectacular sport. This Newest technologies, these are the best design and engineering minds, this is any...
9.Mozah
Deadweight - 128,900 tons.
. Length - 345 m.
. Year of construction - 2007.
. Last country of registration: Qatar. Still in use.
This vessel opens a new family of tankers of the Q-Max series, which specialize in the transportation of liquefied natural gas, mined in fields off the coast of Qatar. It was designed and built in South Korea. A total of 14 tankers from this series are currently in operation.
10. USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
Length - 342 m.
. Year of construction - 1960.
. Last country of registration: USA. The aircraft carrier has been decommissioned.
It is America's largest nuclear-powered attack aircraft carrier and the first to be nuclear-powered. It began operating in 1961. A series of six similar hulks was planned, but only the Enterprise was built. Its cost amounted to an incredible 451 million dollars, so even the bottomless US budget could not afford such expenses. In terms of length, it is the largest warship in the world. Having refueled once with nuclear fuel, the aircraft carrier acquired autonomy for 13 years of active service and could travel a million nautical miles during this time. In February 2017, the Enterprise was sent into honorable retirement - this was the first send-off for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier for the American Navy.
Which ship is the largest in the world? The first name that comes to mind is Titanic. Undoubtedly, the Titanic was at one time one of the most famous and largest ships in the world. However, there are many other giant ships that most of us have never even heard of. Below is a list of the ten largest ships in the world, listed based on their overall length, deadweight (gross load capacity) and capacity. It is worth noting that some of them have already been decommissioned and disposed of.
TI-class supertanker
TI-class supertanker is a class of the largest double-hulled oil tankers, including four vessels “TI Africa”, “TI Asia”, “TI Europe” and “TI Oceania”. All four were built by the world's second largest shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea in 2002–2003 for the Hellespont shipping company. The length of the tankers is 380 meters, width 68 m, maximum speed 17.5 knots (32 km/h), capacity - 3,166,353 barrels.
Berge Emperor is a supertanker built by Mitsui Group in 1975 in Japan. It was launched on August 30, 1975. The ship belonged to the Norwegian shipping company Bergesen Dy & Co. but in 1985 it was sold to Maastow BV. On March 30, 1986, Berge Emperor was decommissioned and scrapped in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The length of the tanker was 391.83 m, weight - 211.360 tons, total payload - 423,700 DWT, maximum speed - 15.5 knots (28.7 km/h).
Eighth place in the ranking is occupied by the CMA CGM Alexander von Humboldt, a container ship named after the German scientist Alexander von Humboldt. Owned by the French company CMA CGM. It is one of the largest container ships in the world. Its length is 396 m, maximum speed is 25.1 knots (46.5 km/h), and its capacity is 16,020 TEU.
In seventh place is a container ship owned by the Danish company A.P. Moller-Maersk Group - Emma Maersk. It was built in Denmark in 2006 and until November 2012 was the largest and longest container ship in the world. It is 397.71 meters long, 56.55 meters wide, has a maximum speed of 27.5 knots (50.93 km/h), and has a capacity of 14,770+ TEU.
Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller is a Triple-E class container ship owned by A.P. Moller-Maersk. It was built in South Korea and launched in February 2013 at the time the largest and longest container ship in the world. Its length is 399 meters, width 59 m, capacity 18,270 TEU, maximum speed - 23 knots (43 km/h).
Esso Atlantic is a tanker built in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas in 1977. Owned by Esso International Shipping Co Ltd. The length of the tanker is 406.57 m, total payload capacity is 516.895 DWT, maximum speed is 15.5 knots (28.71 km/h). After 35 years of operation, it was decommissioned and disposed of in 2002 in Pakistan.
Batillus is a supertanker built in 1976 in the French city of Saint-Nazaire for Shell Oil. At the time of construction, it was one of the largest ships in the world, second in size only to the Seawise Giant. Its length is 414.22 m, width 63.01 meters, total payload capacity is 553,662 DWT, maximum speed is 16 knots (30 km/h). On October 17, 1985, company management decided to sell the ship for scrap for less than $8 million. Batillus made its last voyage from the Norwegian port of Vestnes to the Taiwanese port of Kaohsiung, where it was scrapped on November 28, 1985.
Pierre Guillaumat is a supertanker built in 1977 at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in the French city of Saint-Nazaire for the Nationale de Navigation company. Named in honor of the statesman, French Minister of Defense (1959-1960) and founder of Elf Aquitaine - Pierre Guillaume. Due to its gigantic size, the use of Pierre Guillaumat was very limited. It could not pass through either the Panama or Suez Canals, could not moor in most ports of the world, and due to unprofitability, the tanker was scrapped in 1983 after 6 years of operation. Its length was 414.23 m, width 63 m, total payload - 555,051 DWT, maximum speed 17 knots (31 km/h).
Mont
Mont (formerly Seawise Giant, Knock Nevis) is a supertanker built in Yokosuka by the Japanese Sumitomo Group during 1979–1981. Mont had the largest deadweight and was the longest ship ever built. Its length is 458.45 meters, width - 68.86 m, total payload capacity of 564,763 tons (4.1 million barrels), maximum speed of 16 knots (30 km/h). IN last years Operation was used as a floating oil storage facility. In January 2010, the tanker was transported to the Indian port of Alang, where it was landed on a shoreline for further disposal.
Prelude FLNG is the largest vessel on Earth, built at the South Korean shipyard Samsung Heavy Industries and developed by Royal Dutch Shell PLC for Shell Oil. The Prelude FLNG is a floating structure for the ocean floor production, liquefaction, storage and processing of natural gas. Its length is 488 meters, width 74 m, displacement - 600,000 tons. More than 260,000 tons of steel will be required to build it. Estimated cost vessels for 2013 amounted to $10–12.6 billion.
Share on social media networks
The largest and most famous for tragic events passenger ship in the world - this Titanic. Everyone knows the unfortunate story of this greatest achievement 20th century. The ship was launched in 1911. During its first voyage, it collided with Atlantic Ocean with an iceberg and sank. , weighing 163 thousand tons, took about one and a half thousand lives with it to the bottom. Only 700 people were saved; they were picked up by a passing ship.
After the Titanic incident, the level of safety on all liners increased. All engineers and designers involved in the construction of passenger ships began to attach paramount importance to the conditions for ensuring safety human lives. As is known, one of the reasons mass death people were caused by the lack of a sufficient number of spare boats on the ship.
The best ships of the 21st century: top 5
The title of “The largest passenger ship in the world” passes from one ship to another every year - the rating is constantly changing. Ship models are constantly being improved, new requirements are being established at the local and international level, and high tech. In this regard, it is possible that in the near future new names of sea giants will be added to the list.
The key criterion for the distribution of seats was maximum length ship, however, in some cases the choice depended on the deadweight - the maximum weight that the ship can carry in order not to sink below the water level dangerous trait(deadweight includes not only cargo, but also fuel, weight of passengers, crew and provisions).
10. Mozah
Length: 345 m
Deadweight: 128900 t
Launched: 2007
Flag: Qatar
Status: in operation
Mozah is the first ship in the Q-Max family of tankers, whose purpose is to transport liquefied natural gas produced in fields near Qatar. Designed and built in South Korea. A total of 14 Q-Max ships are currently in operation.
Q-Max Mozah / ©Nakilat
9. QueenMaryII
Length: 345 m
Deadweight: 19189 t
Launched: 2002
Flag: Bermuda
Status: in operation
One of the largest passenger ships in the world, the transatlantic cruise ship Queen Mary 2 is capable of transporting up to 2,620 passengers across the ocean with all the associated amenities. Designed and built by the French company Chantiers de l "Atlantique. In addition to 15 restaurants, a casino and a theater on board, Queen Mary 2 also has the first ship planetarium.
Size comparison between Queen Mary 2 and Airbus 380, bus, car and person
Queen Mary 2 / ©Tronheim Havn
8.Allure of the Seas
Length: 362 m
Deadweight: 19750 t
Launched: 2008
Flag: Bahamas
Status: in operation
The Oasis class of cruise ships includes two sister ships, both of which are the largest of their class in the world. True, Allure of the Seas is still 50 millimeters longer than Oasis in the Seas, which is why it occupies eighth position. Maximum number the number of passengers this liner can carry is 6296 people, and the crew - 2384. To list all the entertainment offered on board, you will need to write a separate article - this is a real floating city: from an ice skating rink, a golf course and many shops and bars to an entire park with exotic trees and other unusual plants.
Allure of the Seas / ©Daniel Christensen
7. Vale Sohar
Length: 362 m
Deadweight: 400315 t
Launched: 2012
Flag: Marshall Islands
Status: in operation
This vessel belongs to the family of the largest bulk carriers, which in turn belongs to the Brazilian mining company Vale. Designed to transport ore from Brazil to the USA. A total of 30 similar ships have already been built with deadweight varying between 380 and 400 thousand tons. Sohar is one of the ships of the family with the maximum deadweight.
Vale Sohar / ©Dmitry Lakhtikov
6. T.I.Class
Length: 380 m
Deadweight: 441585 t
Launched: 2003
Flag: Marshall Islands and Belgium
Status: 2 in operation, 2 converted into floating platforms
The TI Class double hull ships are currently the largest operating ships in the world by deadweight and gross cargo tonnage. A total of 4 identical ships were commissioned: TI Oceania, TI Africa (flying the flag of the Marshall Islands) and TI Asia, TI Europe (flying the flag of Belgium). In 2010, "Asia" and "Africa" were converted into floating storage and offloading (FSO) platforms and now serve one of the offshore oil fields near Qatar.
TI Asia (right) / ©Naviearmatori.net/Lillo
5. Emma Maersk
Length: 397 m
Deadweight: 156907 t
Launched: 2006
Flag: Denmark
Status: in operation
The first of 8 identical container ships of the E-Class series of the Danish company Moller-Maersk Group. In 2006, when Emma Maersk first set sail, the ship was the largest operating vessel in the world. Transports various cargoes between Northern Europe and Asia through the Strait of Gibraltar and the Suez Canal. This ship has a rather bad reputation: during its construction there was a major fire, and in 2013, as a result of damage to one of the engines, it lost control right in the Suez Canal. However, there was no talk of flooding, and control was restored. In Europe, Emma is criticized for using sulfur fuel.
Emma Maersk / ©Maerskline
4 . Esso Atlantic
Length: 406.5 m
Deadweight: 516891 t
Launched: 1977
Flag: Liberia
Once the world's largest ship by deadweight, the oil supertanker Esso Atlantic was built in Japan in the mid-1970s, but made its first voyage for its intended purpose from Liberia, under whose flag it was registered by Esso Tankers. Mainly engaged in the transportation of oil between Europe and the countries of the Middle East. In 2002, it was dismantled for scrap in Pakistan. There was also an almost identical ship, the Esso Pacific, but the Atlantic's deadweight was slightly higher, which is why it took fourth position.
Esso Atlantic / ©Photobucket/Auke Visser
3. Pierre Guillaumat
Length: 414.2 m
Deadweight: 555051 t
Launched: 1977
Flag: France
Status: dismantled for scrap
This supertanker was the largest in terms of deadweight among the family of almost identical French ships Batillus. Built by the French company Chantiers de l "Atlantique, it “lived” for only 5 years and was dismantled for scrap in South Korea in 1983; the same fate befell the rest of the family (Prairial, Bellamya, Batillus). Such a short service life is explained by the fact that The commercial usefulness of the supertanker turned out to be minimal: it could not pass through either the Suez or the Panama Canal.
Postcard featuring Pierre Guillaumat / ©Delcampe
2. Seawise Giant (Knock Nevis)
Length: 458.5 m
Deadweight: 564763 t
Launched: 1979
Flag: Sierra Leone (last country of registration)
Status: dismantled for scrap
Until recently, it was the longest ship in history. The Seawise Giant supertanker was so huge that its length was compared to the tallest buildings in the world. The ship could not fit into either the Suez or Panama Canals; even the English Channel turned out to be too big for the “Giant” in terms of tonnage. During the Iran-Iraq War in 1988, the ship was seriously damaged by an Iraqi Air Force missile while it was transporting Iranian oil in the Persian Gulf. As a result, the ship sank not far from the coast, but soon after the war the Norman International company was able to tow it to Singapore, where the ship was repaired and put back into service in 1991, with a new optimistic name - “Happy Giant”. Subsequently, the ship was turned into a floating platform, and in 2009, the “Giant” set off on its last journey - to the shores of India, where it was subsequently dismantled for scrap metal.
Comparison of the length of Seawise Giant (Knock Nevis) with the tallest buildings in the world
Jahre Viking is one of the former names of the Happy Giant ship / ©Didier Pin?on
1. Prelude
Length: 488 m
Deadweight: 600,000 t
Launched: hull only, 2013
Flag: not received yet
Status: under construction
Prelude is the world's first floating platform not only to transport, but also to produce and liquefy natural gas directly on board. Built by South Korean Samsung Heavy Industries for Royal Dutch Shell. Essentially a mobile gas processing plant, Prelude is already the largest floating structure ever created by man. By 2017, when the construction of all high-tech components on the hull is completed, it is planned to carry out the first drilling of the seabed off the coast of Australia.
Comparison of the length of the Prelude and the tallest buildings
Prelude body / ©AFP/Getty images
Humans have long strived to create something great, raising the bar time after time and engaging in continuous displays of superiority and power. Each new creation, structure or mechanism had to be stronger, faster, taller, wider, larger and more durable than the previous ones. The military industry is no exception. Since ancient times, the strength of the navy largely determined the winner of the battle and clearly demonstrated the balance of power. Civilizations constantly fought for fertile lands and influence in strategically advantageous sea basins. As a result, over the past centuries, thousands of magnificent and amazing ships have been built, designed to testify to the military power of their country. In this selection you will find 25 of the largest military ships ever launched.
25. America-class universal landing ships
America is a huge attack ship and one of the largest ships in the US Navy. So far, there is only one ship of this configuration, and this is the USS America, built in 2014. The length of the vessel is 257 meters, and its displacement is about 45,000 tons!
24. Shokaku-class warship
Photo: wikimedia.org
Both Shokaku-class aircraft carriers were built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late 1930s. Construction of the ships was completed shortly before the outbreak of World War II in 1941, and these ships were considered at one time to be virtually "indisputably the best aircraft carriers in the world." The Shokaku class vessel reached 257.5 meters in length. Both giants were sunk by the enemy in 1944.
23. Audacious-class ships
Photo: anonymous, 09 HMS Eagle Mediterranean Jan1970
The Audacious class aircraft carriers were designed by military engineers for the British government in the 1930s and 1940s. They were never able to demonstrate this in practice during the fight against Nazi Germany, since the construction of these ships was completed after the end of World War II. Audacious warships participated in exercises and strategic operations from 1951 to 1979. The length of such a vessel was 257.6 meters.
22. Taiho class aircraft carrier
Photo: wikimedia.org
Taiho was first launched in 1941 as an aircraft carrier for the Empire of Japan, built to fight in World War II. The total length of the ship was 260.6 meters, and its design assumed invulnerability even in the face of massive bombardment, torpedoing and other attacks on the hull. The aircraft carrier Taiho was supposed to be able to continue fighting in any conditions, but in 1944 it was all sunk. The ship sank after a direct hit by a torpedo fired by the American submarine USS Albacore during a fierce battle in the Philippine Sea.
21. Warship Akagi
Photo: wikimedia.org
The Japanese navy has had its fair share of great ships, and Akagi is another of the Asian empire's famous aircraft carriers, serving from 1927 to 1942. The ship proved its worth first in the Second Sino-Japanese War of the 1930s, and then during World War II in the legendary attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The aircraft carrier's last battle was the Battle of Midway in June 1942. Akagi was seriously damaged in the battle, and its captain decided to scuttle the ship himself, which was a common practice among Japanese Navy captains in those years. The length of the ship was 261.2 meters.
20. Charles de Gaulle class warship
Photo: wikimedia.org
Let's move straight to the numbers - the length of the French flagship Charles de Gaulle is 261.5 meters long and has a displacement of 42,500 tons. Today, this warship is considered the largest warship in the entire Western Europe, still launched to participate in exercises and strategic operations. The flagship Charles de Gaulle was first commissioned in 1994, and today the nuclear-powered vessel remains the leading aircraft carrier of the French navy.
19. Ship INS Vikrant
Photo: Indian Navy
This is the first aircraft carrier built in India. This warship is 262 meters long and weighs about 40,000 tons. Vikrant is still in the process of being fitted out and is scheduled for completion in 2023. The name of the aircraft carrier is translated from Indian as “courageous” or “daring.”
18. English warship HMS Hood
Photo: wikipedia.org
And this is one of the oldest warships on our list of the world's largest naval ships. HMS Hood was the last battle cruiser built for the Royal Navy. Launched in August 1918, HMS Hood measured 262.3 meters in length and boasted a displacement of 46,680 tons. The impressive cruiser was sunk by the Germans during World War II in the Battle of the Denmark Strait in 1941.
17. Combat vessel of the Graf Zeppelin class
Photo: wikipedia.org
The four Graf Zeppelin-class ships were to become Kriegsmarine vessels (the German navy of the Third Reich era), and their construction was planned in the 1930s. However, due to political differences between the German Navy and the Luftwaffe (the air force of the Reichswehr, Wehrmacht and Bundeswehr), due to disagreements among the highest ranks of the Kriegsmarine itself, and because Adolf Hitler lost interest in the project, none of these impressive aircraft carriers were never launched. According to the engineers, the length of such a ship should have been 262.5 meters.
16. Yamato-class warships 
Photo: wikimedia.org
The Yamato class ships were warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy built and launched during World War II. The maximum displacement of these giants was 72,000 tons, for which they are still considered one of the heaviest warships in the history of the navy around the world. The total length of the Yamato-class vessel was 263 meters, and although 5 such warships were originally planned for construction, only 3 were eventually completed.
15. Clemenceau type vessel
Photo: wikimedia.org
The Clemenceau-class aircraft carriers were a pair of warships in service with the French Navy from 1961 to 2000. In 2000, one of these aircraft carriers, Clemenceau, was disarmed and dismantled, and the second, Foch, was transferred to the Brazilian Navy. The aircraft carrier Foch remains in the port of Sao Paolo to this day. Its total length is 265 meters.
14. Aircraft carriers Essex 
Photo: wikimedia.org
Here is the forefront of the US Navy during World War II, the Essex-class aircraft carrier. In the 20th century, this type of warship was the most common type of large warship. There were 24 of them in total, and 4 of these aircraft carriers are open to the public today as floating museums of American Navy history. So if you happen to travel to the states and want to get on board a real battle cruiser, the ships Yorktown, Intrepid, Hornet and Lexington will be happy to lift the veil of military secrets of the mid-20th century for you.
13. Battle aircraft carrier Shinano
Photo: wikimedia.org
Shinano was a huge aircraft carrier that served in the Imperial Navy of Japan during World War II. The ship was 266.1 meters long and weighed 65,800 tons. However, the Japanese rushed to launch it, since at that time Shinano still needed design improvements. It is probably for this reason that the giant aircraft carrier lasted only 10 days in the war and was sunk at the end of 1944.
12. Iowa class warship
Photo: wikipedia.org
The Iowa class fast battleships were built by order of the US Navy in 1939 and 1940 in the amount of 6 combat units. As a result, only 4 of the 6 ships were launched, but all of them took part in a number of important confrontations for America, including World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars. The length of these artillery armored ships was 270 meters, and the displacement was 45,000 tons.
11. Lexington-class aircraft carrier
Photo: wikipedia.org
A total of 2 such aircraft carriers were built, and both ships were designed for the US Navy in the 1920s. This class of ships performed very well and was seen in many battles. One of these warships was the aircraft carrier Lexington, which was sunk by its enemies during the 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea. The second ship, Saratoga, was blown up during testing atomic bomb in 1946.
10. Kiev class combat vessel
Photo: wikimedia.org
Also known as Project 1143 or the aircraft-carrying cruiser Krechet, the Kyiv-class ship was the first Soviet aircraft carrier to transport fixed-wing aircraft. To date, of the 4 ships built, one has been dismantled, 2 are out of commission, and the last one, Admiral Gorshkov, was sold to the Indian Navy, where it is still in service.
9. Queen Elizabeth class warship
Photo: UK Ministry of Defense, flickr
This is one of two Queen Elizabeth class ships, and both of these aircraft carriers are still in the process of being equipped for the Royal Navy. The first ship is HMS Queen Elizabeth, and all work on its construction will be completed in 2017, the second is HMS Prince of Wales, which is scheduled to be launched in 2020. The hull length of the HMS aircraft carriers is 284 meters each, and the maximum displacement is 70,600 tons.
8. Ship of the Admiral Kuznetsov type
Photo: Mil.ru
The Admiral Kuznetsov class aircraft carriers were the last warships of their kind built for the Soviet Navy. A total of 2 vessels of this class are known, and these are the Admiral Kuznetsov (launched in 1990, still in service in the Russian Navy), as well as the Liaoning (sold to China, construction was completed in 2012). The hull length of aircraft carriers of this class is 302 meters.
7. Midway-class aircraft carrier
Photo: wikimedia.org
The Midway-class aircraft-carrying cruiser project turned out to be one of the most reliable and survivable design solutions in the history of the Navy. The first flagship of the class, launched in 1945, was the USS Midway, and she served the US Army until 1992. The ship's last assignment was participation in Operation Desert in 1991. Another ship in this class is USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, and it was decommissioned from service in 1977. The third aircraft carrier, USS Coral Sea, was transferred to reserve in 1990.
6. American warship USS John F. Kennedy
Photo: wikipedia.org
Nicknamed Big John as a second nickname, the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy is the only one of its kind and the last US Navy ship with a conventional nuclear power plant. The ship reaches 320 meters in length, and at one time it was even capable of driving fighting against submarines.
5. Forrestal class warship
Photo: wikipedia.org
This is one of 4 Forrestal class aircraft carriers, designed and built specifically for the US Army in the 1950s. The Forrestal, Saratoga, Ranger and Independence were the first supercarriers to combine significant displacement, elevators and an angular deck. Their length is 325 meters and their maximum weight is 60,000 tons.
4. Gunship Kitty Hawk
Photo: wikipedia.org
The Kitty Hawk class was the next generation of supercarriers for the US Navy after the Forrestal class. There were 3 ships built in this line (Kitty Hawk, Constellation, America), all of them were ready for launch in the 1960s, and today they have already been decommissioned from service. The length of the hull is 327 meters.
3. Nimitz-class aircraft carrier
Photo: wikimedia.org
The Nimitz ships are 10 nuclear-powered supercarriers owned by the American Navy. With an overall length of 333 meters and a maximum displacement of over 100,000 tons, these vessels are considered the world's largest warships underway. They have served in many battles around the world, including Operation Eagle Claw in Iran, the Gulf War, and recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
2. USS Gerald R. Ford
Photo: wikimedia.org
This type of ship is planned to replace some of the still operational Nimitz-class supercarriers. The hull of the new ships will be very similar to the Nimitz cruisers, but in terms of technical equipment, the Gerald R. Ford class will be much more modern. In particular, such innovations as an electromagnetic catapult for launching aircraft and many other technological solutions designed to increase the efficiency of the ship and reduce the cost of its operation. The Gerald R. Ford aircraft carriers will be slightly longer than the Nimitz class vessels - their length will be 337 meters.
1. Combat ship USS Enterprise
Photo: wikimedia.org
Here is the leader of our list and the first super-aircraft carrier with a nuclear power plant. USS Enterprise is the longest (342 meters) and most famous warship in the world. It has served the US Army for 51 years and is therefore also considered one of the longest-serving US aircraft carriers. The USS Enterprise served in many battles, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War and the Korean War. In addition, this cruiser took part in the filming of feature films. For example, some scenes from Star Trek and Best shooter(Top Gun, Star Trek) were filmed on the deck of the USS Enterprise, which is rightfully considered the largest American aircraft carrier and one of the 10 most dangerous warships on the planet.
