Aircraft carriers are the largest and arguably most important military naval vessels in the world. Effectively a floating air base, aircraft carriers play an indispensable role in power projection and strategic deterrence for many of the world’s major military powers. In the U.S. Navy, the newest Ford-class carriers are propelled by nuclear reactors, are over 1,000 feet long, 250 feet wide, and weigh in at 90,000 tons. These same Ford-class aircraft carriers have the capacity for over 70 aircraft—including F-18 fighter jets, radar planes, and cargo planes—and are staffed by a crew of over 4,500 sailors.
Key Points
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A key component of military operations since the Second World War, aircraft carriers remain an indispensable tool of warfare and diplomacy for the countries that have them.
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Aircraft carriers are not only the largest but also among the most sophisticated military vessels in the world, and they are expensive to build and maintain. As a result, the 52 aircraft and helicopter carriers on the seas today are sailing under the flags of only 15 countries.
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The U.S. Navy’s Ford-class aircraft carriers, the largest and most advanced warships in the world, are the latest result of decades of research and development. They are just one example among many aircraft carriers and their smaller helicopter carrier counterparts patrolling the world’s seas for over a dozen countries.
Although aircraft carriers were first developed during the First World War, they did not play a central combat role until World War II, when the Japanese used them to carry out the attack on Pearl Harbor. Today, aircraft carriers are instrumental in conducting combat operations from points across the globe, and their very presence in a given region can act as a deterrent to foreign aggression. In the case of the United States, aircraft carriers not only provide essential support to forward-operating forces, but are also instrumental in protecting commerce across the world’s oceans and confronting threats such as terrorism and piracy.
Using data from Global Firepower, 24/7 Wall St. identified the countries with the most aircraft carriers. We reviewed the estimated number of both aircraft and helicopter carriers in each country’s navy as of 2025 and ranked those countries by carrier fleet size. Supplemental data on annual military spending and annual military spending as a share of gross domestic product are from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and are for 2024, the latest available year.
Among the 15 countries on this list, the number of helicopter and aircraft carriers in service ranges from just one to 20. Essentially floating air bases designed to sustain thousands of sailors for indefinite periods of deployment, aircraft carriers are necessarily large and sophisticated vessels—and as a result, they are also expensive. Because of the high cost of building and maintaining aircraft carriers, the countries on this list tend to have relatively large defense budgets. Of the 11 countries with the largest annual military budgets, eight appear on this list. The latest Ford-class carriers being manufactured and commissioned by the U.S. Navy cost a reported $13 billion each.
While each of these countries has aircraft carriers for similar reasons, the capabilities of their carrier fleets vary significantly. France and the United States, for example, are the only countries with nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, allowing each of these vessels to operate for years without needing to refuel. For the other countries on this list, carriers are often powered by diesel engines and gas turbines—systems that require regular refueling.
These are the countries with the most aircraft carriers in service today.
Why It Matters
Aircraft carriers are a critical tool for both conducting combat operations and maintaining peace, making them essential vessels for the U.S. Navy and the navies of over a dozen other countries. Effectively floating airbases, aircraft carriers can deploy around the world to act as a deterrent or to support combat operations.. For all the versatility and advantages they offer, aircraft carriers are also expensive—prohibitively so for the vast majority of the world’s navies. Currently, there are an estimated 52 aircraft and helicopter carriers in service, sailing under the flags of just 15 countries.
15. Russia
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 1
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 1
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 0
- Total defense spending in 2024: $149.0 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 7.1%
14. Thailand
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 1
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 0
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 1
- Total defense spending in 2024: $5.5 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.1%
13. Turkey
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 1
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 0
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 1
- Total defense spending in 2024: $25.0 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.9%
12. Spain
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 1
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 1
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 0
- Total defense spending in 2024: $24.6 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.4%
11. Brazil
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 1
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 0
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 1
- Total defense spending in 2024: $20.9 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.0%
10. Egypt
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 2
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 0
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 2
- Total defense spending in 2024: $2.4 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 0.7%
9. India
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 2
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 2
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 0
- Total defense spending in 2024: $86.1 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.3%
8. South Korea
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 2
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 0
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 2
- Total defense spending in 2024: $47.6 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.6%
7. Italy
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 2
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 2
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 0
- Total defense spending in 2024: $38.0 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.6%
6. United Kingdom
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 2
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 2
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 0
- Total defense spending in 2024: $81.8 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.3%
5. Australia
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 2
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 0
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 2
- Total defense spending in 2024: $33.8 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.9%
4. Japan
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 4
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 0
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 4
- Total defense spending in 2024: $55.3 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.4%
3. France
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 4
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 1
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 3
- Total defense spending in 2024: $64.7 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.1%
2. China
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 7
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 3
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 4
- Total defense spending in 2024: $313.7 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.7%
1. United States
- Total carrier vessels in naval fleet as of 2025: 20
- Aircraft carriers in naval fleet: 11
- Helicopter carriers in naval fleet: 9
- Total defense spending in 2024: $997.3 billion (current USD)
- Defense spending as a share of GDP in 2024: 3.4%
The post The 15 Navies With the Most Aircraft Carriers in Service Today appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..
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Author: Sam Stebbins
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