List of aircraft carriers by country



The list of aircraft carriers by country includes all aircraft carriers organized by country of origin and service. Where appropriate, a single ship may be listed under multiple countries. For the list of seaplane carriers and tenders see List of seaplane carriers by country.

Numbers of aircraft carriers by country
The table below does not include, aircraft carrying submarines, seaplane tenders, escort carriers or merchant aircraft carriers


 * † Includes only carriers that have been commissioned into service

Argentina
Retired:
 * Light carriers:
 * ARA Independencia (V-1): Colossus class light carrier in service from 1959 to 1969; scrapped 1971
 * ARA Veinticinco de Mayo: Colossus class light carrier in service from 1969 to 1999; scrapped 1999

Australia
Retired:
 * Light Fleet carriers:
 * HMAS Sydney (R17): Majestic class carrier in service from 1948 to 1958. Later recommissioned as troop transport
 * HMAS Melbourne (R21): 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
Active:
 * Fleet carrier:
 * BRAZILIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER São Paulo: carrier in service since 2000

Retired:
 * Light carrier:
 * BRAZILIAN AIRCRAFT 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 (CVL 21): Majestic class carrier in service from 1946 to 1956; return to Royal Navy and stricken; scrapped in Scotland in 1965
 * HMCS Bonaventure (CVL 22) : 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
Active:
 * CHINESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Liaoning: never completed ex-Soviet Navy carrier sold to China by Ukraine being refitted in Dalian. Handed on to PLAN on 23 September 2012 and entered active service on 25 September 2012.

Planned:
 * Future Chinese aircraft carrier

France
Active:
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Charles de Gaulle : aircraft carrier in service since 2001

Retired:


 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Béarn : converted in service from 1927 to 1948
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Dixmude :, ex-HMS Biter (D97), in service from 1945 to 1951
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Arromanches : Colossus class light aircraft carrier in service from 1946 to 1974
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER La Fayette : light aircraft carrier in service from 1951 to 1963
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Bois Belleau : light aircraft carrier in service from 1953 to 1960
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Clemenceau : aircraft carrier in service from 1961 to 1997
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Foch : aircraft carrier in service from 1963 to 2000
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Clemenceau : aircraft carrier in service from 1961 to 1997
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Foch : aircraft carrier in service from 1963 to 2000

Never completed:
 * FRENCH SHIP Engageante : Friponne class sloop planned for conversion but not completed
 * FRENCH SHIP Conquerante : Valliante class sloop planned for conversion but not completed
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Joffre : carrier construction cancelled in 1940
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Painlevé : carrier plan cancelled in 1940
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER 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 : cancelled 2013
 * Georges Pompidou : (tentative name) modified version of UK CVF design.
 * Richelieu : modified version of Thales UK/BMT design for the future British Queen Elizabeth class (formerly CVF).
 * Richelieu : modified version of Thales UK/BMT design for the future British Queen Elizabeth class (formerly CVF).

Germany
Never completed:
 * GERMAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER I – planned conversion of passenger ship from German shipyard to aircraft carrier. Cancelled in 1918.
 * GERMAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER 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.
 * GERMAN CRUISER 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 SS Europa (1928) cancelled at design stage in November 1942 due to insurmountable problems.

The two planned Italian carriers ITALIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Aquila and ITALIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Sparviero were seized by the Germans after the Italian Armistice but not completed.

India
Active:
 * INS Viraat: carrier (ex-HMS Hermes (R12)) in service since 1987.

Under trial:
 * INS Vikramaditya : Modified carrier (ex-SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Admiral Gorshkov)

Under construction:
 * INS Vikrant: 40,000 ton carrier. It is being built at Cochin Shipyard and is expected to enter service in 2017.

Planned
 * INS Vishal: 65,000 ton Vikrant-class carrier. Expected to enter service in 2025.

Retired:
 * INS Vikrant (R11) : Majestic-class carrier, (ex-HMS Hercules), in service from 1961 to 1997 and currently a museum ship docked at Mumbai.

Italy
Active:
 * ITALIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Giuseppe Garibaldi (1983) – active.
 * ITALIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Cavour (2004) – current fleet flagship.

Never completed:
 * ITALIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Sparviero (1927) (converted liner Augustus, not completed as carrier) – Sunk 5 October 1944
 * ITALIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Aquila (1926) (converted liner Roma) – BU 1951–1952

Japan
Retired: Sunk:
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hōshō (1921) – decommissioned 1946
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Kaiyo (1943) – decommissioned 1945 and scrapped 1946
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Kaga (1921) – sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Akagi (1925) – sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Ryūjō (1931) – sunk, Battle of the Eastern Solomons, August 1942
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Ryūhō (1933) – damaged at Kure by U.S. air raid March 1945 and scrapped postwar
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Sōryū (1935) – sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hiryū (1937) – sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Shōhō (1935) – sunk, Battle of the Coral Sea, May 1942
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Zuihō (1936) – sunk, Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Chitose (1936) – seaplane tender from 1934 to 1942, rebuilt as light carrier and sunk at Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Chiyoda (1937) – sunk at Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Shōkaku (1939) – sunk, Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Zuikaku (1939) – sunk, Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Junyō (1939) – damaged during Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944. Never repaired; scrapped postwar.
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hiyō (1939) – sunk, Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Taihō (1943) – sunk, Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Amagi (1943) – used as anti-aircraft platform and sunk in July 1945
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Unryū (1943) – sunk by U.S. submarine Redfish, December 1944
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Katsuragi (1944) – used as transport to repatriate Japanese troops postwar and then scrapped
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Shinano (1944) – sunk by U.S. submarine Archerfish, November 1944
 * JAPANESE SEAPLANE CARRIER Mizuho (1939) – sunk by U.S. submarine USS Drum (SS-228), 1 May 1942.
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Amagi (1943) – used as anti-aircraft platform and sunk in July 1945
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Unryū (1943) – sunk by U.S. submarine Redfish, December 1944
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Katsuragi (1944) – used as transport to repatriate Japanese troops postwar and then scrapped
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Shinano (1944) – sunk by U.S. submarine Archerfish, November 1944
 * JAPANESE SEAPLANE CARRIER Mizuho (1939) – sunk by U.S. submarine USS Drum (SS-228), 1 May 1942.
 * JAPANESE SEAPLANE CARRIER Mizuho (1939) – sunk by U.S. submarine USS Drum (SS-228), 1 May 1942.

Only Hōshō, Junyō, Katsuragi and Ryuho survived the war and these were scrapped by 1948.

Never completed:


 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Aso 4th unit of Unryū class (not completed)
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Ikoma 5th unit of Unryū class (not completed)
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Kasagi 6th unit of Unryū class (not completed)
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Kasagi 6th unit of Unryū class (not completed)


 * JAPANESE CRUISER Ibuki - heavy cruiser conversion; scrapped post-war

Netherlands
Retired:
 * Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman (ex-British HMS Venerable (R63), purchased 1948) – Sold to Argentina 1968 and renamed ARA Veinticinco de Mayo, broken up

Russia
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:
 * RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Admiral Kuznetsov (1991–)
 * RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Admiral Kuznetsov (1991–)

Retired:
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Kiev (1991–1993)
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Minsk (1991–1993)
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Novorossiysk (1991–1993)
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Admiral Gorshkov (1991–1995)
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Admiral Gorshkov (1991–1995)

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:
 * RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Admiral Kuznetsov (1985–1991) &mdash; to Russia (1991)
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Kiev (1972–1991) &mdash; to Russia (1991)
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Minsk (1975–1991) &mdash; to Russia (1991)
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Novorossiysk (1978–1991) &mdash; to Russia (1991)
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Admiral Gorshkov (1982–1991) &mdash; to Russia (1991)
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Novorossiysk (1978–1991) &mdash; to Russia (1991)
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Admiral Gorshkov (1982–1991) &mdash; to Russia (1991)

Never completed:
 * Varyag (not commissioned) &mdash; to Ukraine (1991); now being rebuilt and tested by the Chinese PLAN
 * Ulyanovsk class
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Ulyanovsk (not commissioned) &mdash; scrapped (1991)
 * SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER Ulyanovsk (not commissioned) &mdash; scrapped (1991)

Spain
Active:
 * SPANISH SHIP Juan Carlos I : 27,079 tonne STOVL carrier in active service, commissioned 30 September 2010.

Retired:
 * SPANISH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Dédalo : 11,700 ton light carrier, ex-USS Cabot (CVL-28), helicopters only from 1967–1976, struck 1989 and returned to United States, eventually scrapped in 2002.
 * SPANISH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Príncipe de Asturias : 17,000 ton STOVL commissioned 30 May 1982, decommissioned on 6 February 2013 due defence spending cuts.

Never completed:
 * Spanish conversion for refloated Italian heavy cruiser Trieste, cancelled in 1951.

Thailand
Active:
 * 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.

Ukraine
Never completed:
 * UKRAINIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Varyag (not commissioned) &mdash; to China (1998)
 * UKRAINIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Varyag (not commissioned) &mdash; to China (1998)

United Kingdom
Under construction:
 * , STOVL ships of 70,600 tonnes
 * HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) (2016)
 * HMS Prince of Wales (R09) (2018)

Active:
 * HMS Illustrious (R06) (1982)
 * HMS Ocean (L12) (1994)
 * HMS Ocean (L12) (1994)

Sunk:
 * HMS Hermes (1898) (1898) seaplane carrier from 1914, sunk by U-27 31 October 1914
 * Glorious class
 * HMS Glorious (1916), sunk by Scharnhorst and Gneisenau 8 June 1940
 * HMS Courageous (50) (1916), sunk by U-29 17 September 1939
 * HMS Eagle (1918) (1918), sunk by U-73 11 August 1942
 * HMS Hermes (95) (1923) – first purpose-designed aircraft carrier, sunk by Japanese aircraft 9 April 1942
 * HMS Ark Royal (91) (1938), sunk 14 November 1941 after being torpedoed by U-81 on 13 November 1941

Retired:
 * HMS Argus (I49) (1916)
 * HMS Furious (47) (1916)
 * HMS Vindictive (1918) (1918) – converted to aircraft carrying cruiser 1925
 * HMS Unicorn (I72) fleet maintenance carrier (1943)
 * HMS Illustrious (87) (1939)
 * HMS Formidable (67) (1939)
 * HMS Victorious (R38) (1939)
 * HMS Indomitable (92) (1940)
 * HMS Implacable (R86) (1942)
 * HMS Indefatigable (R10) (1942)
 * HMS Eagle (R05) (ex-Audacious) (1946)
 * HMS Ark Royal (R09) (ex-Irresistible) (1950)
 * Colossus class
 * HMS Colossus (R61) (1943), to France 1946 as FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Arromanches
 * HMS Glory (R62) (1943)
 * HMS Ocean (R68) (1944)
 * HMS Theseus (R64) (1944)
 * HMS Triumph (R16) (1944)
 * HMS Venerable (R63) (1944) – to Netherlands 1948 as HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81), to Argentina 1968 as ARA Veinticinco de Mayo
 * HMS Vengeance (R71) (1944) – to Brazil 1956 as BRAZILIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Minas Gerais
 * HMS Warrior (R31) (1944) – to Canada 1946–1948, to Argentina 1958 as ARA Independencia
 * HMS Perseus (R51) (1944)
 * HMS Pioneer (R76) (1944)
 * Majestic class
 * HMS Majestic (R77) (1945) – to Australia 1955 as HMAS Melbourne (R21)
 * HMS Hercules (R49) (1945) – to India 1957 as INS Vikrant
 * HMS Magnificent (1944) – sold to Canada as HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21)
 * HMS Powerful (R95) (1945) – to Canada 1952 as HMCS Bonaventure (CVL 22)
 * HMS Terrible (R93) (1944) – to Australia in 1948 as HMAS Sydney (R17)
 * HMS Centaur (R06) (1947)
 * HMS Albion (R07) (1947)
 * HMS Bulwark (R08) (1948)
 * HMS Hermes (R12) (ex-Elephant) (1953), to India 1986 as INS Viraat
 * HMS Invincible (R05) (1977)
 * HMS Ark Royal (R07) (1985)
 * HMS Bulwark (R08) (1948)
 * HMS Hermes (R12) (ex-Elephant) (1953), to India 1986 as INS Viraat
 * HMS Invincible (R05) (1977)
 * HMS Ark Royal (R07) (1985)
 * HMS Ark Royal (R07) (1985)

Never completed:


 * Eagle – cancelled
 * Africa – to Malta class then cancelled
 * Africa – to Malta class then cancelled


 * Majestic class
 * HMS Leviathan (R97) (1945) – was never completed


 * Hermes – cancelled
 * Arrogant – cancelled
 * Monmouth – cancelled
 * Polyphemus – cancelled
 * – cancelled 1946
 * Malta
 * New Zealand
 * Gibraltar
 * Africa
 * CVA-01 – cancelled 1966
 * Queen Elizabeth
 * Duke of Edinburgh
 * Duke of Edinburgh

United States of America

 * list of aircraft carrier classes of the United States Navy
 * list of escort aircraft carriers of the United States Navy