Which Aircraft Carrier Is The World's Largest, And How Many Planes Can It Carry?
While the Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers are the biggest in the world to date, the Nimitz-class carriers run a close second. The next biggest are the U.K.’s Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, followed by Russia’s sole carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, and China’s Fujian carrier, to round off the top five. The USS Gerald R. Ford has a length of 1,106 feet (337 meters), a height of 256 feet (78 meters) from the flight deck to the beam, and a flight deck width of 256 feet (78 meters).
In comparison, the general characteristics of the Nimitz-class carriers are a length of 1,092 feet (nearly 333 meters), a smaller height of 252 feet (nearly 77 meters), and a flight deck width of 252 feet (nearly 77 meters). Gerald R. Ford-class carriers have a displacement of 100,000 long tons, while Nimitz-class carriers displace 97,000 long tons, both under full load. Gerald R. Ford-class carriers can typically hold over 75 aircraft but can go as high as 90, while Nimitz-class carriers can typically hold around 60 aircraft.
About 2,600 core crew members are needed to operate Gerald R. Ford-class carriers. This is 25% less than Nimitz-class carriers, which need about 3,500. Both classes of carriers have been designed to operate for 20-25 years before needing to be refueled. The U.S. Navy envisioned a total lifespan of 50 years.
