Modern aircraft carriers are among the largest ships ever built. Costing billions of dollars to build, housing dozens of aircraft, and with crews often in the thousands, aircraft carriers are essentially miniature island cities—enormous warships that powerful navies use to project power well beyond their shores.

Aircraft carriers are diverse in size and shape—with displacements ranging from around 10,000 tons, in the case of Thailand’s small Chakri Naruebet, to more than 100,000 tons in the case of the US Navy’s newest supercarriers. They can be powered either by conventional means or by nuclear reactors. Their design also varies based on their air wing; smaller and more affordable carriers typically utilize a “ski jump” ramp to aid aircraft in takeoff, while the most advanced carriers use steam- or electromagnet-powered launch catapults.

The vast resources required to operate an aircraft carrier necessarily limits their user base. Though many mid-sized countries can afford smaller carriers, only a handful of powerful nations can operate the far larger supercarriers found below. Indeed, one nation in particular dominates in carrier construction and operation—the United States, which operates 11 gargantuan supercarriers, far outstripping second-place contender China.

Note that carrier size is typically measured by displacement, or the total volume of water pushed out of the way when a ship enters the ocean. This measurement is inherently flexible, as it also depends on how heavily the ship is equipped and provisioned.

France’s Charles de Gaulle is the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ever built outside the United States, although one is currently under construction in China. Commissioned in 2001, it is equipped with a steam catapult, allowing it to launch large conventional fighters like the Dassault Rafale.

While smaller than US super carriers, the de Gaulle punches above its weight strategically, giving France indecent power-projection capability. The ship struggled with propulsion issues early in its career, but subsequent upgrades have stabilized operations. The de Gaulle has been used extensively for combat in the Middle East, aiding French ground troops in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

The French Navy recently announced its intention to build a replacement for the de Gaulle, meaning the venerable carrier is likely entering its twilight........

© The National Interest