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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.
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Numbers of aircraft carriers operated
The table below does not include, aircraft carrying submarines, seaplane tenders or ships that weren't commissioned.
| Country | Total | In service | Decommissioned | Under construction | In Reserve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 United States |
68 | 11 | 55 | 1 | 1 |
 United Kingdom |
45 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 1 |
 Japan |
30 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
 France |
8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
 Russia |
7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
 Canada |
5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
 Italy |
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
 Spain |
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
 India |
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
 Australia |
3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
 China |
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
 Nazi Germany |
3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
 Brazil |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
 Argentina |
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
 Netherlands |
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
 Thailand |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
 Ukraine |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Note: BU means broken up - the ship was dismantled.
Argentina
Retired:
- Light carriers:
- ARA Independencia (V-1): Colossus class light carrier in service from 1959 to 1969; scrapped 1971
- ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2): Colossus class light carrier in service from 1969 to 1999; scrapped 1999
Australia
Main article: Aircraft carriers of the Royal Australian NavyRetired:
- Fleet carriers:
- HMAS Sydney: Majestic class carrier in service from 1948 to 1958. Later recommissioned as troop transport
- HMAS Melbourne: Majestic class carrier in service from 1955 to 1982
- Light carrier:
- HMAS Vengeance: Colossus class light carrier on loan from Royal Navy from 1952 to 1955
Brazil
Active:
- Fleet carrier:
- São Paulo (A12): Clemenceau class carrier in service since 2000
Retired:
- Light carrier:
- Minas Gerais: Colossus class carrier in service from 1960 to 2001
Canada
Retired:
- Light carriers:
- HMCS Warrior: Colossus class light carrier in service from 1946 to 1948; return to Royal Navy and sold to Argentine Navy as ARA Independencia (V-1)
- HMCS Magnificent: Majestic class carrier in service from 1946 to 1956; return to Royal Navy and stricken
- HMCS Bonaventure: Majestic class carrier in service from 1957 to 1970; broken up in Taiwan 1971
- Escort carriers of the Royal Navy crewed by Royal Canadian Navy personnel:
- HMS Puncher: Bogue class escort carrier in service from 1944 to 1946; return to US Navy and sold as merchant ship (renamed as Muncaster Castle, Bardic and Ben Nevis); scrapped in Taiwan 1973
- HMS Nabob: Bogue class escort carrier in service from 1943 to 1944; return to US Navy and sold as merchant ship Glory; scrapped in Taiwan 1977
China
See also: Future Chinese aircraft carrierUnder refit:
- Varyag: ex-Soviet Navy carrier being refitted in Dalian.
Non-operational carriers:
- Minsk: ex-Soviet Navy carrier was an attraction at the Minsk World amusement park in Shenzhen; sold to CITIC Shenzhen
- Kiev: ex-Soviet Navy carrier currently an amusement park in Tianjin
France
Active:
- Nuclear powered aircraft carrier:
- Charles de Gaulle: In service since 2001
Retired:
- Conventional carriers:
- Béarn: Converted Normandie class battleship in service from 1927 to 1948
- Clemenceau: Clemenceau class carrier in service from 1961 to 1997
- Foch: Clemenceau class carrier in service from 1963 to 2000
- Light carriers:
- Dixmude: Charger class escort carrier in service from 1945 to 1966
- Arromanches: Colossus class light carrier in service from 1946 to 1974
- Lafayette: Independence class light carrier in service from 1951 to 1963
- Bois Belleau: Bois Belleau class light carrier in service from 1953 to 1960
Planned:
- Light carriers:
- Engageante: Friponne class sloop planned for conversion but not completed
- Conquerante: Valliante class sloop planned for conversion but not completed
- Sans Souci: Sans Souci class seaplane tender captured by Germany in 1940 while building
- Sans Peur: Sans Souci class seaplane tender captured by Germany in 1940 while building
- Sans Pareil: Sans Souci class seaplane tender captured by Germany in 1940 while building
- Sans Reproche: Sans Souci class seaplane tender captured by Germany in 1940 while building
- Carrier development programs:
- Georges Pompidou (tentative name) modified version of UK CVF design. The project is currently on hold.
- Planned carriers which did not enter service:
- Joffre: Joffre class carrier construction cancelled in 1940
- Painleve: Joffre class carrier plan cancelled in 1940
- Verdun: Attack carrier development cancelled in 1961
- PH 75: Projected nuclear powered amphibious assault ship program during the 1970s
Nazi Germany
Main article: German aircraft carrierPlanned:
- Nazi Germany planned aircraft carriers which did not enter service:
- Graf Zeppelin: Graf Zeppelin class carrier cancelled during fitting out
- Flugzeugträger B: Graf Zeppelin class carrier cancelled during construction
- Seydlitz: Converted Admiral Hipper class cruiser cancelled during conversion
- Aircraft carrier I: Planned conversion of the transport ship Europa due to heavy design problems abandoned
India
Active:
- Aircraft carriers:
- Viraat: Centaur class carrier in service since 1987
Under refit:
- Aircraft carriers:
- Vikramaditya: Modified Kiev class carrier planned to enter service in 2012
Development program:
- Aircraft carriers:
- Vikrant class aircraft carrier (Indigenous Aircraft Carrier): 40,000 ton aircraft carrier. It is being built at Cochin Shipyard, southern India, and is expected to enter service in 2012.
Retired:
- Aircraft carriers:
- Vikrant: Majestic class carrier (ex-HMS Hercules) in service from 1961 to 1997 and currently a museum ship docked at Mumbai
Italy
Active:
- Giuseppe Garibaldi (551) (1983) - Current fleet flagship
- Cavour (550) (formerly named Andrea Doria) - Currently undergoing trials, will be new fleet flagship
Retired:
- Sparviero (1927) (converted liner Augustus, not completed as carrier) - Sunk 5 October 1944
- Aquila (1926) (converted liner Roma) - BU 1951-1952
Japan
Retired:
- Akagi (1927) - sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942
- Amagi (1944) - used as anti-aircraft platform and sunk in July 1945
- Chitose - seaplane tender from 1934 to 1942, rebuilt as light carrier and sunk at Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944
- Chiyoda - sunk at Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944
- Chuyo (1942) - sunk by U.S. submarine Sailfish, December 1943
- Hiyō (1939) - sunk, Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944
- Hiryū (1937) - sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942
- Hōshō (1919) - decommissioned 1946
- Junyō (1942) - damaged during Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944. Never repaired; scrapped postwar.
- Kaga (1920) - sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942
- Kaiyo (1943) - disabled by Task Force 57 (British Pacific Fleet) aircraft July 1945 and scrapped postwar
- Katsuragi (1944) - used as transport to repatriate Japanese troops postwar and then scrapped
- Ryuho (1942) - damaged at Kure by U.S. air raid March 1945 and scrapped postwar
- Ryūjō (1933) - sunk, Battle of the Eastern Solomons, August 1942
- Shinano (1944) - sunk by U.S. submarine Archerfish, November 1944
- Shinyo (1943) - sunk by U.S. submarine Spadefish, November 1944
- Shōhō (1942) - sunk, Battle of the Coral Sea, May 1942
- Shōkaku (1941) - sunk, Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944
- Sōryū (1934) - sunk, Battle of Midway, June 1942
- Taihō (1944) - sunk, Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944
- Taiyō (1941) - sunk by U.S. submarine Rasher, August 1944
- Unryū (1944) - sunk by U.S. submarine Redfish, December 1944
- Unyo (1942) - sunk by U.S. submarine Barb, September 1944
- Zuihō (1940) - sunk, Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944
- Zuikaku (1941) - sunk, Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944
Only Hōshō, Junyō, Katsuragi, Kaiyo, and Ryuho survived the war and these were scrapped by 1948.
Planned:
- Aso 4th unit of Unryu class
- Ibuki Heavy cruiser conversion; scrapped postwar
- Ikoma 5th unit of Unryu class
- Kasagi 6th unit of Unryu class
Netherlands
Retired:
- Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman (ex-British HMS Nairana, transferred 1946) - Returned to Royal Navy for disposal in 1948 and replaced by HMS Venerable
- Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman (ex-British HMS Venerable, purchased 1948) - Sold to Argentina 1968 and renamed Veinticinco de Mayo, BU
Russia
- Kiev class
- Kiev (1972–1993)
- Minsk (1975–1993)
- Novorossiysk (1978–1993)
- Admiral Gorshkov (1982–1995)
- Admiral Kuznetsov class
- Admiral Kuznetsov (1985-Present)
- Varyag (Not commissioned)
- Ulyanovsk class
- Ulyanovsk (Not commissioned)
Spain
Active:
- Principe de Asturias: 17,000 ton STOVL carrier in active service, commissioned 30 May 1982.
Planned:
- Juan Carlos I (LHD1): 27,000 ton, launched in 2008
Retired:
- Dédalo - 11,700 ton Independence class light carrier, ex-USS Cabot, in service 1967 through August 1989.
Thailand
Active:
- HTMS Chakri Naruebet (1996)
United Kingdom
excludes escort carriers built by US yards during WWII
Active:
- Invincible class
- Illustrious (1982)
- Ark Royal (1985)
Planned:
- Queen Elizabeth class - supercarrier, CTOL/STOVL ships of 65,000-75,000 tonnes
- HMS Queen Elizabeth (2014)
- HMS Prince of Wales (2016)
In reserve:
- Invincible class
- HMS Invincible (1977)
Retired:
- Hermes (1898) seaplane carrier from 1914
- Argus (1916)
- Furious (1916)
- Glorious class
- Glorious (1916)
- Courageous (1916)
- Vindictive (1918) - converted to aircraft carrying cruiser 1925
- Eagle (1918)
- Hermes (1923) - first purpose-designed aircraft carrier
- Ark Royal (1938)
- Unicorn fleet maintenance carrier (1943)
- Illustrious class
- Illustrious (1939)
- Formidable (1939)
- Victorious (1939)
- Indomitable (1940)
- Audacity
- Activity (1942)
- Pretoria Castle (1943)
- Nairana class escort carrier
- Campania (1944)
- Implacable class
- Implacable (1942)
- Indefatigable (1942)
- Audacious class
- Colossus class
- Colossus (1943), to France 1946 as Arromanches
- Glory (1943)
- Ocean
- Theseus (1944)
- Triumph (1944)
- Venerable - to Netherlands 1948 as Karel Doorman, to Argentina 1968 as Veinticinco de Mayo
- Vengeance (1944) - to Brazil 1956 as renamed Minas Gerais
- Warrior (1944) - to Canada 1946-1948, to Argentina 1958 as Independencia
- Perseus (1944)
- Pioneer (1944)
- Majestic class
- Centaur class
- Malta class - cancelled 1946
- Malta
- New Zealand
- Gibraltar
- Africa
- CVA-01 - cancelled 1966
- Queen Elizabeth
- Duke of Edinburgh
United States
- See list of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy
- See list of aircraft carrier classes of the United States Navy
- See list of escort aircraft carriers of the United States Navy
See also
- List of aircraft carriers
- List of aircraft carriers in service
- Timeline for aircraft carrier service
- List of aircraft carriers by configuration
Notes
References
- "World Aircraft Carrier Lists". Haze Gray & Underway.
- Warrilow, Betty. Nabob, the first Canadian-manned aircraft carrier Owen Sound, Ont. : Escort Carriers Association, 1989.
- Chesneau, Roger. Aircraft Carriers of the World, 1914 to the Present. An Illustrated Encyclopedia Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0 87021-902-2