Which Countries Have Aircraft Carriers? (2026)
The US operates 11 aircraft carriers, nearly as many as every other navy combined. Every country with a carrier in 2026, and what each one can do.
Aircraft carriers are the most visible symbol of naval power: floating airbases that let a country project air power far from home. They are also enormously expensive to build, operate and protect, which is why only a handful of countries have them.
Among the 24 militaries we track, eight operate aircraft carriers by Global Firepower’s 2026 count, with 23 between them.
| # | Country | Aircraft carriers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇺🇸 United States | 11 |
| 2 | 🇨🇳 China | 3 |
| 3 | 🇮🇳 India | 2 |
| 4 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 2 |
| 5 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2 |
| 6 | 🇷🇺 Russia | 1 |
| 7 | 🇫🇷 France | 1 |
| 8 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 1 |
The United States: 11
The US Navy’s 11 nuclear-powered supercarriers are in a class of their own. Each carries a full air wing of roughly 60 to 75 aircraft and can operate for years without refuelling its reactors. No other navy has a carrier of comparable size. America’s carriers are also backed by nine large amphibious assault ships, counted separately as helicopter carriers, which can operate F-35B jets and are bigger than many other countries’ carriers.
China: 3
China has moved from no carriers to three in little more than a decade. Its first two, the Liaoning and Shandong, launch aircraft from a ski-jump ramp, which limits how much fuel and weaponry their jets can carry. The third, the Fujian, commissioned in November 2025, uses electromagnetic catapults like the newest American carriers, a major step up in capability.
India, Italy and the United Kingdom: 2 each
India operates INS Vikramaditya, a former Soviet ship, and INS Vikrant, its first domestically built carrier. The United Kingdom has two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy, which fly F-35B jets. Italy is counted with two carriers capable of operating short take-off jets.
France, Russia and Spain: 1 each
France’s Charles de Gaulle is the only nuclear-powered carrier outside the US Navy, and one of only two non-American carriers, alongside China’s Fujian, that launch fighters with catapults. Russia’s Admiral Kuznetsov has spent most of the past several years in a long and troubled refit, so its real availability is doubtful. Spain’s Juan Carlos I is an amphibious assault ship that also operates Harrier jump jets.
Carriers by another name
Several countries operate large flat-deck ships that are not counted as aircraft carriers but do some of the same work. Japan’s Izumo-class ships, listed among its four helicopter carriers, are being modified to fly F-35B fighters. Australia, South Korea, Egypt, France, Turkey and Brazil all operate helicopter carriers or amphibious assault ships.
| # | Country | Helicopter carriers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇺🇸 United States | 9 |
| 2 | 🇨🇳 China | 4 |
| 3 | 🇯🇵 Japan | 4 |
| 4 | 🇫🇷 France | 3 |
| 5 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 2 |
| 6 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 2 |
| 7 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 2 |
| 8 | 🇹🇷 Turkey | 1 |
| 9 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1 |
Are carriers still worth it?
Carriers have become more vulnerable as long-range anti-ship missiles, drones and submarines improve, particularly near the coast of a well-armed opponent. Supporters argue they remain unmatched for projecting power, protecting shipping and responding to crises far from home. The fact that China, India and Japan are all investing in carriers suggests most navies still see them as worth the cost.
Compare carrier fleets and full navies side by side, for example the UK vs France or China vs India.