There are only six countries in the world that have aircraft carriers in the true sense of the word: the United States, China, the United Kingdom, India, France and Russia. These countries vary in the number and performance of aircraft carriers, let's take a look at their rankings and characteristics. First, let's look at the sixth place: Russia. Russia currently has only one medium-sized conventionally powered aircraft carrier, the Kuznetsov. Although the Kuznetsov was built during the former Soviet Union and has real combat effectiveness, it is still in a state of overhaul and maintenance due to disrepair and lack of funds. The aircraft carrier has a maximum displacement of 61,000 tons, a maximum speed of 29 knots, and is capable of carrying about 40 aircraft. However, it is still unknown when it will be able to return to service. Next up is fifth: France. As a developed country in Western Europe, France used to have many aircraft carriers, but after World War II, these aircraft carriers were either dismantled or sold. Currently, France has only one nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle left.
Charles de Gaulle is the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier independently developed by France and the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in Europe. However, due to technical reasons, the maximum speed of this aircraft carrier is only about 25~27 knots, which is even inferior to conventionally powered aircraft carriers. The Charles de Gaulle has a maximum displacement of 42,000 tons and is capable of carrying about 40 aircraft. Then came the fourth: India. As the first country in Asia to have aircraft carriers after World War II, India bought several second-hand aircraft carriers from the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom, but they have now been decommissioned and scrapped. Currently, India has two aircraft carriers. One was the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, which was originally purchased from the Soviet Union and later refitted and renamed the aircraft carrier Chaoriwang. The other is the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, the first aircraft carrier independently developed by India, which is still undergoing multiple launching experiments and is expected to be officially launched in August this year.
Both aircraft carriers are medium-sized conventionally powered aircraft carriers, with the Vikramaditya having a maximum displacement of 45,000 tons and a maximum speed of 28 knots and being able to carry about 30 aircraft, while the Vikrant has a maximum displacement of 40,000 tons and a maximum speed of 25 knots. Next up is third place: Great Britain. As a former industrial power, Britain played an important role in World War II and built many aircraft carriers. Currently, the UK has two aircraft carriers, the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth and the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. HMS Queen Elizabeth is the UK's newest aircraft carrier, equipped with advanced technology and strong combat capabilities. It has a maximum displacement of 68,000 tons, a maximum speed of 25 knots, and is capable of carrying about 40 aircraft. The Ark Royal is an old aircraft carrier with a maximum displacement of 23,000 tons, a maximum speed of 29 knots, and the ability to carry about 20 aircraft. To sum up, aircraft carriers play an important role in naval operations and are also a symbol of national strength.
Different countries have different aircraft carriers in terms of number and performance, the United States has the largest number of aircraft carriers and has the most advanced technology, while China's aircraft carriers are developing rapidly and are gradually improving their combat capabilities. However, we should also note the enormous economic and technical pressure on the construction and maintenance of aircraft carriers. In the future development, how to balance the budget and technology research and development to further enhance the strength of the aircraft carrier will be an important topic. So, what do you think about the development of aircraft carriers in different countries? What do you think an aircraft carrier means for a country? Please leave a comment to share your views and suggestions. Wow! Do you know the three most powerful countries in the world? They have an incredible fleet of aircraft carriers, let's take a look! First, let's take a look at the third place, the United Kingdom. Despite the economic difficulties of the post-World War II era, Britain managed to sell some aircraft carriers, while those that could not be sold were dismantled and scrapped.
Today, Britain has only two medium-sized aircraft carriers left, the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth and the HMS Prince of Wales. The two aircraft carriers are the UK's newest conventionally powered aircraft carriers and the largest in Europe, with a displacement of up to 65,000 tons, a maximum speed of 25 knots, and the ability to carry about 40 aircraft. Next, let's take a look at the second place, China. After World War II, China did not have any aircraft carriers, but after decades of efforts, China has surpassed other countries in the number of aircraft carriers, and already has two medium-sized conventionally powered aircraft carriers, namely the Liaoning and Shandong, and they are already operational. The Liaoning is the former Soviet Varyag aircraft carrier purchased from Ukraine and commissioned in 2012 after refitting, while the Shandong is the first aircraft carrier built by China and commissioned in 2019. The two aircraft carriers have a displacement of 50,000 tons, a maximum speed of 31 knots, and are capable of carrying about 40 aircraft.
In addition, China is also building a third 80,000-ton conventionally powered aircraft carrier, Fujian, which will be equipped with electromagnetic catapult and electromagnetic interdiction systems to improve the efficiency and safety of aircraft take-off and landing. The Fujian ship is expected to enter service in 2024. The speed and quality of China's aircraft carriers have attracted the attention of the world, and people are also full of expectations for whether the future 004 aircraft carrier can reach the 100,000-ton level. Finally, let's take a look at the number one place, the United States. The United States is the world's most-powerful, most advanced aircraft carrier nation, with 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, including ten Nimitz-class and one Ford-class, more than other countries combined. The U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier has unlimited endurance and ultra-high speed, with a displacement of up to 100,000 tons, a maximum speed of more than 30 knots, and is capable of carrying about 90 aircraft. The nuclear-powered aircraft carriers of the United States are the supremacy of the seas and an important means of US global strategic projection. These sea behemoths are breathtaking and awe-inspiring.
Aircraft carriers represent not only the strength of a country, but also a guarantee of peace and security. We should be proud and encouraged by the development of our country's aircraft carriers, and at the same time, we should respect and appreciate the progress of other countries' aircraft carriers. Finally, I would like to ask you, how do you feel about these world's most powerful aircraft carrier countries? What are your expectations for the future development of aircraft carriers? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section!