How Many Aircraft Carriers Does the US Have? Nimitz and Ford Classes

The United States has 11 aircraft carriers in commission, all nuclear-powered: ten ships of the Nimitz class and one of the newer Ford class, USS Gerald R. Ford. A second Ford-class ship, John F. Kennedy, is due to be delivered in March 2027, as the 51-year-old USS Nimitz retires.

No other navy operates more than three. This guide lists every American carrier, explains how the two classes differ, what flies from them and why the number 11 is written into law.

How many aircraft carriers does the US have?

Eleven. A law passed in 2011 requires the Navy to keep at least that many operational. In practice about a third are deployed or ready to sail at any time, a third are working up and a third are in maintenance, including one in the multi-year refuelling that every carrier undergoes at the midpoint of its 50-year life.

The Navy also has nine big-deck amphibious assault ships of the Wasp and America classes. They are as large as other countries’ carriers and can operate about 20 F-35B fighters each, but they are not counted in the 11. Where the fleet as a whole ranks is shown in our top 10 navies.

Nimitz class: ten ships built over 34 years

The Nimitz class has been the core of American naval power since 1975. Each ship is 333 metres long, displaces about 100,000 tonnes fully loaded, and is driven by two nuclear reactors that need refuelling only once. Four steam catapults launch the aircraft. With its air wing embarked a ship carries more than 5,000 people.

The oldest are reaching the end. USS Nimitz was to be retired in May 2026. In March the Navy extended it to March 2027 so that the fleet would not drop to ten before its replacement arrived. Eisenhower is next. At the other end of the class, USS Harry S. Truman is entering its mid-life refuelling under a $5.1 billion contract, covered in our report on the award.

Ford class: the new generation

USS Gerald R. Ford is the first new American carrier design in 40 years. It is about the same size as a Nimitz but different inside. Electromagnetic catapults replace steam. New arresting gear, 11 weapons elevators and a redesigned flight deck are meant to launch about a third more sorties a day, with a smaller crew and more electrical power for future weapons. The ship cost $13.3 billion and took years to make reliable.

Kennedy was meant to arrive in 2020. Trouble with the arresting gear and weapons elevators, and a decision to fit it for the F-35C before delivery, pushed that back by seven years, as we reported in Kennedy reaches preliminary acceptance. All American carriers are built at one yard, Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia.

What flies from a US carrier?

A carrier’s weapon is its air wing of 60 to 75 aircraft. Today that means four squadrons of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and F-35C stealth fighters, EA-18G Growler jammers, E-2D Hawkeye radar aircraft, MH-60 helicopters and CMV-22B Ospreys for deliveries. The types are described in what fighter jets the US has.

Two additions are coming. The MQ-25 Stingray, an uncrewed tanker, will extend the range of the fighters and has entered low-rate production, as reported in our article on the first production lot. In September 2026 Boeing won the contract for the F/A-XX, the Super Hornet’s successor, covered in the F/A-XX award.

Are carriers still worth the cost?

The case against is simple. A carrier costs $13 billion, carries 5,000 people and can be targeted by missiles that cost a fraction of that. China’s DF-21D and DF-26 were built for exactly this, a problem we examined in the carrier-killer dilemma.

The case for is what happened in 2026. When the war with Iran began, carrier air wings could strike from international waters without asking permission from any host country, as described in our account of the carrier build-up. China has drawn the same conclusion and commissioned its third carrier, Fujian, in November 2025. The debate in Washington is about the number: press reports of a draft fleet plan in late 2025 suggested a goal of nine carriers instead of 12.

Frequently asked questions

How many aircraft carriers does the US have?

Eleven nuclear-powered carriers: ten Nimitz class and one Ford class. A twelfth ship, John F. Kennedy, is due for delivery in March 2027.

What is the newest US aircraft carrier?

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), commissioned in 2017. John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) is in final trials.

How much does a US aircraft carrier cost?

USS Gerald R. Ford cost $13.3 billion. The air wing costs several billion dollars more.

How many aircraft does a US carrier carry?

Typically 60 to 75, including about 44 strike fighters.

Which country has the most aircraft carriers?

The United States, with 11. China is second with three.