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U.S. Navy

Aircraft Carrier Classes

From the converted battlecruiser hulls of the Lexington-class to the electromagnetic catapults of the Gerald R. Ford-class, explore 100 years of American naval aviation.

Pre–World War II 1927 – 1941
Langley-Class
Interwar
CV-1
Langley-Class
Experimental Ship
1
Ship
1922
Commissioned
19K
Tons
36+
Aircraft
U.S. Navy's first aircraft carrier Read more
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Lexington-Class
Interwar
CV-2 – CV-3
Lexington-Class
Battlecruiser Conversions
2
Ships
1927
Commissioned
36K
Tons
78+
Aircraft
First true fleet-carriers - converted from battlecruiser hulls under the Washington Naval Treaty Read more
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Yorktown-Class
Pre-War
CV-5 – CV-8
Yorktown-Class
Treaty Carriers
3
Ships
1937
Commissioned
20K
Tons
90+
Aircraft
Turned the tide at Midway - The Yorktown and Enterprise defined carrier warfare Read more
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WWII
CV-9 – CV-47
Essex-Class
Fleet Carriers
24
Ships
1942
Commissioned
27K
Tons
90
Aircraft
Most decorated class in naval history Read more
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Wasp-Class
Pre-War
CV-7
Wasp-Class
Modified Yorktown-class
1
Ship
1940
Commissioned
19K
Tons
100+
Aircraft
Sole ship of a class built to use up the remaining tonnage allowed to the U.S. for aircraft carriers under the treaties of the time Read more
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World War II 1927 – 1945
Essex-Class
WWII
CV-9 – CV-47
Essex-Class
Backbone of the Fast Carrier Task Force
24
Ships
1942
Commissioned
27K
Tons
90+
Aircraft
Most decorated class in naval history - 24 hulls that crushed the Imperial Japanese Navy Read more
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Independence-Class
WWII
CVL-22 - CVL-30
Independence-Class
Light Carriers
9
Ships
1943
Commissioned
11K
Tons
30+
Aircraft
Cruiser hulls converted to fill the carrier gap - fast, light, and in the fight by '43 Read more
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Cold War 1955 – 1968
Midway-Class
Cold War
CV-41 – CV-43
Midway-Class
Fleet Carriers
3
Ships
1945
Commissioned
45K
Tons
130+
Aircraft
This class was one of the longest lived carrier designs in history Read more
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Saipan-Class
Cold War
CVL-48 – CVL-49
Saipan-Class
Light Carriers
2
Ships
1946
Commissioned
14K
Tons
42+
Aircraft
Built on modified Baltimore-class cruiser hulls Read more
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Forrestal-Class
Cold War
CV-59-CV-62
Forrestal-Class
Supercarriers
4
Ships
1955
Commissioned
75K
Tons
92+
Aircraft
The Forrestal class was the first class of "supercarriers" of the Navy, so called because of their then-extraordinarily high tonnage Read more
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Kitty-Hawk-Class
Cold War
CV-63 – CV-66
Kitty-Hawk-Class
Supercarriers
3
Ships
1961
Commissioned
83K
Tons
90+
Aircraft
Sometimes called "Improved Forrestal class" Sometimes mistaken as a four-ship class Read more
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Enterprise-class
Cold War
CVN-65
Enterprise-class
Supercarriers
1
Ship
1961
Commissioned
94K
Tons
90+
Aircraft
First nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, using eight A2W reactors. Read more
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John F. Kennedy-Class
Cold War
CV-67
John F. Kennedy-Class
Supercarriers
1
Ship
1968
Commissioned
83K
Tons
80+
Aircraft
Last conventionally powered aircraft carrier built Read more
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Nimitz-Class
Cold War
CVN-68-CVN-77
Nimitz-Class
Supercarriers
10
Ships
1975
Commissioned
112K
Tons
90+
Aircraft
A line of nuclear-powered supercarriers in service with the US Navy using two A4W reactors, and the largest capital ships in the world Read more
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Next Generation 2017 - Present
Gerald R. Ford-class
Present Day
CVN-78
Gerald R. Ford-class
Supercarriers
10 Planned
Ships
2017
Commissioned
100K
Tons
75+
Aircraft
The next generation supercarrier for the United States Navy Read more
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11
Classes