Since ancient times, people have traveled the seas, gradually improving their ships. Modern shipbuilding is very developed, and the range of ships has become extremely diverse. But the TOP of the largest ships in the world always attracts special attention, which will be discussed below.

1. Seawise Giant (Knock Nevis)

Deadweight - 564 700 tons.
. Length - 458.5 m.
. Year of construction - 1979.
. Last country of registration: Sierra Leone. Dismantled for scrap.

Until 2010, the largest ship in the world was the Knock Nevis supertanker, built in 1975 in the Japanese city of Yokosuka. Before changing several names, he had a simple number 1016. But the cyclopean dimensions actually ruined him - the tanker could not pass through either the Panama or the Suez Canal, even in the English Channel it would run aground, so move from ocean to ocean could only take a roundabout way.
During the Iran-Iraq war in 1988, an Iraqi missile hit him and seriously damaged him. As a result, the supertanker sank in the Persian Gulf near the shore. After the end of the conflict, he was raised from the bottom and towed to Singapore, where they were able to restore in 1991, giving him a new "optimistic" name "Happy Giant". But as a tanker, no one needed it, so it began to serve as a floating oil storage. Finally, in 2009, the "lucky one" was sent to last way to Indian shores, where it was cut up for scrap the following year.

2. Pierre Guillaumat

Deadweight - 555,000 tons.
. Length - 414.2 m.
. Year of construction - 1977.
. Last country of registration: France. Cut up for scrap.

In the family of twin ships of the Batillus series, this supertanker is the largest in terms of deadweight. It was built at French shipyards, worked for nothing at all - 5 years, after which it was mercilessly sent in 1983 to South Korea, where it turned into scrap metal. The rest of his brothers from the same series shared his fate. The reasons for such an inglorious death in all cases were the same problems with the impossibility of passing through the Suez and Panama canals.

3 Esso Atlantic

Deadweight - 516 900 tons.
. Length - 406.5 m.
. Year of construction - 1977.
. Last country of registration: Liberia. Cut up for scrap.

At one time, this oil supertanker was also a deadweight champion. It was built in Japan, and made its first commercial route from African Liberia, where the company owner Esso Tankers registered it under the Liberian flag. Most often, the tanker transported oil from the Middle East to Europe. But in 2002, the end came to him - in Pakistan, he was cut into scrap metal. He was practically a twin ship "Esso Pacific", but despite the "Pacific" name, he was smaller than the "Atlantic brother".

In order to conquer nature, man creates megamachines - the most incredible technology in the world, the possibilities and dimensions of which amaze the imagination. Their yes...

4. Emma Maersk

Deadweight - 156 900 tons.
. Length - 397 m.
. Year of construction - 2006.
. Last country of registration: Denmark. It is still in operation.

This is the first ship of eight identical container ships of the E-class series, built by the Danish holding Moller-Maersk Group. At the time of her first voyage in 2006, she was the world's largest floating ship. "Emma Maersk" carries a variety of cargo between Asia and America, following through the Suez Canal and the Strait of Gibraltar.
This ship has a not very successful history - when its construction was already being completed, a fire broke out on the upper deck, which seriously damaged the brand new ship. Needed some repairs which were done quickly. In 2013, a new misfortune happened - right in the middle of the Suez Canal, one of the dry cargo ship's power plants broke down, as a result of which it lost control. Fortunately, both the ship and the canal remained intact.
Europeans do not favor the giant for its use of sulfur-rich fuel. Like many giant ships, Emma does not fit into the Panama Canal, therefore Pacific Ocean it is closed for her (not around Cape Horn to sail there!).

5.TI Class

Deadweight - 441 600 tons.
. Length - 380 m.
. Year of construction - 2003.
. Last country of registration: Belgium. It is still in operation.

This double-hulled ship had the largest deadweight and gross tonnage of its time. In total, four completely identical ships were built: two "TI Africa" ​​and "TI Oceania" under the flag of the Marshall Islands, "TI Europe" under the Belgian flag and "TI Asia". But in 2010, floating platform-terminals for storage and shipment of oil products were made from "Asia" and "Afrika", since then they have been working on a layup near one of the Qatari offshore oil fields.

Dream up and imagine the wars of the future: there are no tanks and machine guns, and the opponents fire at each other with electromagnetic projectile guns...

6 Vale Sohar

Deadweight - 400 300 t.
. Length - 362 m.
. Year of construction - 2012.
. Last country of registration: Marshall Islands. It is still in operation.

This vessel belongs to the family of the largest bulk carriers and is owned by the mining company Vale from Brazil. It transports ore mined in Brazil to the United States. In total, 40 huge dry cargo ships ply along this route, the deadweight of which is in the range of 380-400 thousand tons. Sohar is the largest ship among them.

7. Allure of the Seas

Deadweight - 19 750 tons.
. Length - 362 m.
. Year of construction - 2008.
. Last country of registration: Bahamas. It is still in operation.

This vessel belongs to the class of cruise ships "Oasis", consisting of two twins (the second "Oasis in the Seas"), occupying a leading place for its type of ships in the world. They say that Allure is still 5 cm longer than Oasis, which is why it is presented here. This giant is able to take on board 6296 passengers and 2384 crew members. The types of entertainment offered on board are innumerable, this floating city has a golf course and an ice rink, a lot of bars and shops, there is even a park with exotic plants.

8. Queen Mary II

Deadweight - 19 200 t.
. Length - 345 m.
. Year of construction - 2002.
. Last country of registration: Bermuda. It is still in operation.

This beautiful transatlantic cruise ship is one of the largest passenger liners in the world. It is able to transport with maximum comfort from the Old to New World or back 2620 passengers. It was designed and built by the French company "Chantiers del" Atlantique ". On board there is a theater, a casino, 15 restaurants and the only planetarium on ships.

Formula 1 is not just the most expensive and spectacular sport. This is Newest technologies, these are the best design and engineering minds, this is any ...

9. Mozah

Deadweight - 128 900 tons.
. Length - 345 m.
. Year of construction - 2007.
. Last country of registration: Qatar. It is still in operation.

This vessel opens a new family of tankers of the Q-Max series, which specialize in the transportation of liquefied natural gas produced in fields off the coast of Qatar. It was designed and built in South Korea. In total, 14 tankers from this series are currently in operation.

10. USS Enterprise (CVN-65)

Length - 342 m.
. Year of construction - 1960.
. Last country of registration: USA. The aircraft carrier has been decommissioned.

This is the largest American nuclear strike aircraft carrier, the first to operate a nuclear power plant. He began acting in 1961. A series of six similar hulks was planned, but only the Enterprise was built. Its cost resulted in an incredible 451 million of those more dollars, so even the bottomless US budget could not afford such expenses. In length, it is the largest warship in the world. Having refueled once with nuclear fuel, the aircraft carrier acquired autonomy for 13 years of active service and could cover a million nautical miles during this time. In February 2017, the Enterprise was sent to an honorary retirement - for the US Navy, this was the first farewell to a nuclear aircraft carrier.

One of the main indicators of the military power of the state, as well as its influence and wealth, is the navy. Each country that has a navy strives to take a leading position in this area, and to surpass its opponents in this respect. Two of the well-known leaders - the United States and Russia, are armed with the largest ships in the world, which are presented in this rating.

# # #

10. Izumo

The country: Japan
Displacement: 19500 tons (standard)

Our list opens with a squadron destroyer of the type " Izumo", which was created to detect and destroy submarines and other objects.

The main Japanese helicopter carrier began operating in 2015. The length of the destroyer is 248 meters, the allowable number of people on board is about 1000. The ship is capable of carrying twenty helicopters. Izumo is one of the largest ships built by the Japanese.

In the near future (2017), another Kaga helicopter carrier is expected to be commissioned.

# # #

9. Nuclear cruiser "Peter the Great"

The country: Russia
Displacement: 23750 tons (standard)

The most powerful maritime power - Russia has created four nuclear-powered cruisers of the project 1144 - Orlan. The main cruiser currently in service with the Russian Federation was the cruiser " Peter the Great“, the length of which is 251 meters. Three other cruisers are currently under reconstruction ("Admiral Lazarev", "Admiral Nakhimov" and "Admiral Ushakov").

The main combat mission of "Peter" is the destruction of enemy aircraft carriers. The number of military on the flagship is 1035 people. The flagship is armed with six hundred combat missiles and a large number of other military supplies. And the heart of the cruiser is 2 nuclear reactors of the KN-3 type, producing 300 MW each. The cruiser has two turbines of 70,000 hp each. each, 4 power plants, 4 steam turbine generators and 4 gas turbine generators.

# # #

8. Landing ships of the "UOSP" type

The country: USA
Displacement: 28233 tons (standard)

These landing ships were created for the landing of American troops directly on enemy territory. In total, eight ships of this type were built, and they have been operating since 1989 to the present.

The length of the UOSP is 257 meters. This ship is capable of carrying about 2,000 naval personnel and about 40 aircraft with military air specifics.

At different times, these giants terrified the enemy. But the world will remember them not only as a formidable weapon of war. The names of the largest warships of their time are forever inscribed in golden letters in world history.

7. Nuclear cruiser project 1144 "Orlan"

Country Russia
length: 250 m
width: 28.5 m
displacement: 25,860 tons (full)
crew: 1035 people

"Peter the Great" - this is the proud name of the only heavy nuclear missile cruiser of project 1144 "Orlan" to date (four such ships were built in total). Project 1144 is iconic in every sense. Now "Peter the Great" is the largest warship in the world, not counting aircraft carriers. But the cruiser is famous not only for its size. In open combat, it outperforms any non-aircraft carrier. P-700 Granit cruise missiles with a range of up to 625 km pose a threat even to aircraft carriers (although, to be honest, the ship itself is a convenient target due to its size). Soon, Peter the Great may receive new Zircon hypersonic missiles, thus becoming even more dangerous.

6. Universal landing ships of the type "America"

Country: USA
length: 257.3 m
width: 32.3 m
displacement: 45,700 tons (gross)
crew: 1059 crew members + troops

Universal landing ships, as you might guess, were created for landing operations. But the Americans have thoroughly expanded this definition. The new UDC of the "America" ​​type is, in fact, a mini-aircraft carrier that is capable of carrying a solid aviation group of 22 fifth-generation F-35B fighters. These aircraft will take off from the deck using a short takeoff run and land vertically. But there are other configurations: the UDC can carry many V-22 convertiplanes, which can deliver troops by air much faster than conventional helicopters. The lead ship of the USS America (LHA 6) series was commissioned into the US fleet in 2014, and in total the Americans want to get twelve such ships. In the future, they will replace the UDC of the Wasp type.

5. Wasp-class amphibious assault ships

Country: USA
length: 257.30 m
width: 42.67 m
displacement: 40,532 tons (gross)
crew: 1147 crew members + troops

Until the advent of "America", ships of the "Wasp" type had no competitors in size among the UDC. They were created specifically to ensure transportation by sea and landing on an unequipped coast of an expeditionary battalion. marines, whose number can reach almost 1900 people. Support for the paratroopers can be provided by AV-8B Harrier II vertical takeoff and landing combat aircraft (their number can reach 20). The Marines also have AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters at their disposal. In the aft part of the Wasp there is a large room where equipment used for landing operations can be located. In total, the US Navy received eight such ships.

4. Clemenceau-class aircraft carriers

Country: Brazil
length: 265.0 m
width: 51.2 m
displacement: 32,780 tons (full)
crew: 1338 people

In fact, aircraft carriers of the Clemenceau type were created not in Brazil, but in France, and back in the 50s. After the advent of the much more modern Charles de Gaulle, they were removed from service, and one of the ships was transferred to the Brazilian Navy, where it continues to serve to this day. In Brazil, the ship was named "São Paulo". Even today, it remains a fairly formidable combat unit that can carry up to 40 aircraft, including fifteen French Super Étendard carrier-based attack aircraft.

3. Aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle"

Country: France
length: 261.5 m
width: 64.36 m
displacement: 42,000 tons (gross)
crew: 1200 people

This is the only nuclear aircraft carrier of the French Navy: the authorities wanted to lay down another one, but this idea was abandoned, given the huge cost of a warship. In any case, we have before us the largest European aircraft carrier. The basis of the power of this ship is the 4++ Rafale M generation fighters. In total, it can carry up to 40 aircraft. In terms of its combat potential, Charles de Gaulle loses to American aircraft carriers (they are larger in size and can carry more winged vehicles). However, the "Charles de Gaulle" also proved its combat capability more than once, in particular during the operation in Syria. British aircraft carriers of the Queen Elizabeth class will soon replace the Charles de Gaulle: when they are put into operation, they will become the largest warships in Europe.

2. Aircraft-carrying cruisers of project 1143

(characteristics correspond to TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov")
country Russia
length: 306.45 m
width: 71.96 m
displacement: 59,100 tons (full)
crew: 1980 people

Let's clarify: under the definition of "project 1143" there are several subtypes of aircraft carriers. Four of them ("Kyiv", "Minsk", "Novorossiysk", "Baku") could use Yak-38 vertical takeoff and landing attack aircraft. Later, on the basis of project 1143, the ship of project 1143.5 "Admiral Kuznetsov" was built, as well as two more aircraft-carrying cruisers ("Varyag" and "Ulyanovsk"), which received an extended take-off deck and the ability to use aircraft with conventional takeoff and landing, such as the Su- 33. The fate of all these ships was different. "Admiral Kuznetsov" became the only Russian aircraft carrier. But the Varyag turned into the Chinese Liaoning. The ship "Baku" was modernized and joined the ranks of the Indian Navy under the name "Vikramaditya". "Ulyanovsk" was never completed, although conceptually it was the most advanced of the entire series: it had a steam catapult and, in theory, could use AWACS aircraft.

1. Nimitz-class aircraft carriers

Country: USA
length: 332.8 m
width: 78.4 m
displacement: 106,300 tons
crew: 5680 people

Finally, the well-deserved first place in our rating went to the American giant Nimitz, the largest and most powerful warship of all that are currently in operation. It can accommodate almost 90 aircraft on board! For comparison, "Admiral Kuznetsov" can carry no more than 50 aircraft. The Nimitz air group includes F / A-18 fighters, EA-6B electronic warfare aircraft, E-2C early warning aircraft and other aircraft. The Americans commissioned ten such ships: they were actively used, in particular, during the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the Nimitz is not eternal, and soon this type of ship will be replaced by other aircraft carriers of the Gerald R. Ford type. They will be just as huge, and in addition, they will be able to carry fifth-generation F-35C fighters. In general, Ford will become more economical than its "big brother" while maintaining high combat capabilities.

Largest: Nimitz-class aircraft carriers

Country: USA
Launched: 1972
Displacement: 100,000 tons
Length: 332.8 m
Full stroke power: 260,000 hp
Full speed: 31.5 knots
Crew: 3184 people

Currently, the largest surface ship in the world is the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered heavy aircraft carrier. The lead USS Nimitz was launched on May 13, 1972 and entered service with the US Navy three years later. A total of ten ships were built, named after famous American politicians. Chester Nimitz, who gave his name to the entire series, was the Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet during World War II. In terms of its architecture, the Nimitz is a smooth-deck ship with an angled flight deck. Flight deck area - 18200 m2. The ship has surface and underwater structural protection. The bottom is protected by armored flooring of the second bottom and the third bottom. The four-shaft main power plant includes two pressurized nuclear reactors and four main turbo gear units.

Structurally, the Nimitz-class ships are the same, but the last six have increased displacement and draft. The period of fuel recharging of their nuclear reactors is up to 20 years. Aviation is the basis of the armament of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers: George Bush, the last, tenth ship of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, was commissioned by the US Navy on January 10, 2009. She became a "transitional" ship to a new generation of Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carriers.

The most original modern one: USS Independence trimaran

Country: USA
Launched: 2008
Displacement: 2784 t
Length: 127.4 m
Full speed: 44 knots
Crew: 40 people.

The most unusual warship in the world is, perhaps, the American trimaran Independence (LCS-2). By 2035, the Americans plan to build up to 55 ships of this class of two sizes - small (up to 1000 tons) and large (2500-3000 tons), but today only the first ship, the "founder" of the new class, is ready. It was launched in 2008 and entered service with the US Navy in January 2010. The peculiar design of the trimaran is dictated by the need to build the fastest possible warship; The hull was designed by Austral, which has already tested the concept on the civilian ferry Benchijigua Express, plying between the Canaries, Tenerife, Gomera, Hierra and Palma in the Atlantic Ocean. Independence is a coastal warship capable of accelerating up to 50 knots (90 km/h) and carrying out combat operations in five-point sea state (“turbulent sea”, wave height 2.5–4 m). The trimaran's main class competitor is the Freedom class ships developed by Lockheed Martin. The latter have a classic layout. Which is better - time will tell.

The largest of the non-aircraft carriers: "Peter the Great"

Country Russia
Launched: 1996
Displacement: 25,860 tons
Length: 250.1 m
Full stroke power: 140,000 hp
Full speed: 32 knots
Crew: 635 people

The most powerful non-aircraft-carrying ship today is the Russian nuclear-powered cruiser Peter the Great, which belongs to the Project 1114 Orlan cruiser series. The first ship of this project, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser (TARK) Kirov, was launched in 1977 and handed over to the fleet in 1980. Today, only Peter the Great is in service, the remaining three cruisers are undergoing modernization, and the fifth TARK of the project (Admiral of the Fleet Soviet Union Kuznetsov") was never founded due to the collapse of the USSR. "Peter the Great" is designed to destroy enemy aircraft carrier groups; it was laid down in 1986 and handed over to the fleet in 1998. Its cruising range is practically unlimited, and the P-700 Granit cruise missiles are capable of hitting a target at a distance of up to 550 km. The power plant of the cruiser is equipped with two fast neutron reactors with a thermal power of 300 MW each and two auxiliary oil steam boilers.

The most advanced missile cruiser: Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers

Country: USA
Launched: 1980
Displacement: 9750 tons
Length: 173 m
Full stroke power: 80,000 hp
Full speed: 32.5 knots
Crew: 387 people

Cruisers of the Ticonderoga class are considered the most dangerous among ships of this type. They are designed to work in conditions of mass destruction and are able to fight with a seven-point wave. On the Ticonderoga, two vertical launchers with 61 missile cells each are used; their typical load is 26 Tomahawk cruise missiles, 16 ASROC PLURs and 80Z Standard-2 missiles. From 1981 to 1992, 27 missile cruisers of this class were launched, five of them have already been decommissioned; by 2029, it is planned to completely replace the Ticonderoga class with a new generation of missile cruisers.

The most famous ship of World War II: the battleship "Bismarck"

Country: Germany
Launched: 1939
Displacement: 50 900 tons
Length: 251 m
Full stroke power: 150 170 hp
Full speed: 30.1 knots
Crew: 2092 people

The Bismarck was one of the most advanced and powerful ships of the Second World War, the lead ship of the Bismarck class (the second battleship of the series was the Tirpitz). Even today, the Bismarck class is one of the three largest battleships of all time, second only to the Iowa and Yamato, built a little later. Powerful weapons(including eight 380-mm guns) allowed the Bismarck to withstand any ship of this class. True, the very first raid of the new battleship turned into his death: after the Bismarck sank the flagship of the English fleet, the battleship Hood, a targeted hunt was opened for the German giant and destroyed by clearly superior forces.

Largest battleship: Iowa-class battleship

Country: USA
Launched: 1942
Displacement: 45,000 tons
Length: 270.43 m
Full speed: 33 knots
Crew: 2637 people.

The American Iowa-class battleship was the largest surface ship in the world prior to the era of attack aircraft carriers. Its creators have achieved the maximum combination of weapons, seaworthiness and protective equipment. In total, four battleships of this type were built: Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri and Wisconsin. Entered the US Navy in 1943, decommissioned in 1990. They took part in the Second World War, in the wars in Korea and Vietnam, and after modernization with the installation, in addition to the main caliber guns (406 mm), of the Harpoon anti-ship systems and Tomahawk-type cruise missiles, they delivered high-precision strikes against coastal targets during the operation " Desert Storm.

The most modern warship: Type 45 Daring

Country: UK
Launched: 2006
Displacement: 8100 t
Length: 152.4 m
Full speed: 29 knots or more
Crew: 195 people.

The most modern and advanced warship in the world today is the British type 45 destroyer ("Daring"). At the moment, the first two Darings, the Daring D32 and Dauntless D33, have entered the disposal of the British Navy. These ships are designed primarily for air defense in the area of ​​the fleet, and the ship's systems are capable of coordinating the actions of coastal aviation. On the other hand, a cruising range of over 5000 nautical miles allows the Type 45 to be a fairly mobile autonomous platform for deploying air defense systems anywhere in the world.

The very first mass-produced unmanned vehicle: Protector

Country: Israel
Launched in series: 2007
Length: 9 m
Full speed: 50 knots
Armament: weapon platform typhoon weapon system with the ability to install a 7.62 mm machine gun, 12.7 mm machine gun or 40 mm grenade launcher

In 2007, the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd launched a mass production unmanned boat Protector ("Defender"), which became the first unmanned combat watercraft to enter service, not only in Israel, but also in Singapore. The option of putting it into service in the US Navy is also being considered. The main purpose of the unmanned boat is reconnaissance and patrolling of coastal areas, when the use of conventional means is dangerous for personnel.

The best ship of the First World War: Steam turbine destroyer "Novik"

Country Russia
Launched: 1913
Displacement: 1260 t (1620 t after
modernization)
Length: 102.43 m
Full stroke power: 42,000 hp
Full speed: 37 knots
Crew: 117 (168 after modernization) people.

For many years, the destroyer Novik, launched in 1913, was considered the best ship of its class in the world - the fastest, most invulnerable, and maneuverable. On August 21, 1913 (even before the official presentation to the public), the ship reached a speed of 37.3 knots per measured mile - at that time this was a world record. Novik was originally designed to carry 60 ball mines without weight compensation, while its English competitors had to remove the stern gun and the stern twin-tube torpedo tube in order to take on board such a quantity.

Best heavy cruiser of World War II: Tone class cruisers

Country: Japan
Launched: 1937
Displacement: 15,443 tons
Length: 189.1 m
Full stroke power: 152,000 hp
Full speed: 35 knots
Crew: 874 people

Strange as it may seem, the best ships of the heavy cruiser class of all are considered not American or British developments, but the French Algeri and Japanese Tone-class cruisers. Two cruisers of this series ("Tone" and "Chikuma") entered service in 1937 and 1938, respectively. Compared to the original project (they were planned as light cruisers), the Tone were heavily overloaded, and the crew lived in close quarters, but in terms of the level of weapons, armor and anti-torpedo protection, and counter-flooding measures, they knew no equal in the world.

The French Navy has the second largest and most combat-ready aircraft carrier in Europe, the Charles de Gaulle. The total displacement of the ship is 42 thousand tons, up to 40 aircraft can be based on its board, the ship is equipped with a nuclear power plant. Nuclear submarines of the "Triumfan" type have great strike capabilities, the fleet has four such submarines in total.
The Triumfans carry M4S ballistic missiles with a range of 6,000 km. In the short term, they will be replaced by M51 missiles with a range of more than 10,000 km. In addition, there are six Ryubi-class multi-purpose nuclear submarines. In total, according to data from open sources, the French fleet has 98 warships and auxiliary vessels.

5. UK

Once Great Britain bore the proud title of "Mistress of the Seas", the fleet of this country was the largest and most powerful in the world. Now Her Majesty's Navy is only a pale shadow of its former power.

HMS Queen Elizabeth. Photo: i.imgur.com

Today, there is not a single aircraft carrier in the Royal Navy. Two, the Queen Elizabeth class, are under construction and due to enter the fleet in 2016 and 2018. The most interesting thing is that the British did not have enough funds for such important ships as aircraft carriers, so the designers had to abandon side armor and armored bulkheads. Today, according to data from open sources, the British Navy has 77 ships.
The most formidable units of the fleet are four Vanguard-class SSBNs armed with Trident-2 D5 ballistic missiles, each of which could be equipped with fourteen warheads of 100 kT each. Wanting to save money, the British military bought only 58 of these missiles, which was enough for only three boats - 16 each. Theoretically, each Vanguard can carry up to 64 missiles, but this is uneconomical.
In addition to them, destroyers of the Daring class, submarines of the Trafalgar class and the latest Estute class represent an impressive force.

4. China

The Chinese fleet is one of the largest, with 495 ships of various classes. The largest ship is the Liaoning aircraft carrier with a displacement of 59,500 tons (the former Soviet aircraft carrier Varyag, which was sold to China by Ukraine for the price of scrap metal).
Also in the fleet there are strategic missile carriers - nuclear submarines of project 094 "Jin". The submarines are capable of carrying 12 Juilang-2 (JL-2) ballistic missiles with a range of 8,000-12,000 km.
There are also many "fresh" ships, for example, destroyers of the 051C type, the Lanzhou type, the Sovremenny type, and the Jiangkai-class frigates.

3. Japan

In the Japanese navy, all capital ships are classified as destroyers, so real destroyers include aircraft carriers (two Hyuuga-class ships and two Shirane-class ships), cruisers, and frigates. For example, two Atago-class destroyers can boast a cruising displacement of 10,000 tons.
But these are not the largest ships - this year the fleet will include a 27,000-ton Izumo-class helicopter carrier, and another one will be produced in 2017. In addition to helicopters, F-35B fighters can be based on Izumo.
The Japanese submarine fleet, despite the absence of nuclear submarines, is considered the strongest in the world. It has five Soryu-class submarines, eleven Oyashio-class and one Harusio-class.
Now the Japan Maritime Self - Defense Force has approximately 124 ships . Experts note that the Japanese fleet has a balanced ship composition and is a combat system thought out to the smallest detail.

2. Russia

The Russian fleet has 280 ships. The most formidable are the heavy cruisers of project 1144 "Orlan" with a displacement of 25,860 tons, there are only three of them, but the firepower of these ships is simply amazing. No wonder NATO classifies these cruisers as battleships.

Three other cruisers are not inferior to them in armament - project 1164 "Atlant", with a displacement of 11,380 tons. But the largest aircraft carrier is the Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov, with a displacement of 61,390 tons. This ship is not only well protected by air defense systems, but also armored. Rolled steel is used as armor, and anti-torpedo three-layer protection 4.5 m wide can withstand 400 kg of TNT charge.

However, the fleet itself is being actively modernized: it is planned that by 2020 Navy Russian Federation will receive about 54 modern combat surface ships, 16 multi-purpose submarines and 8 strategic missile submarines of the Borey project.

1. USA

The US Navy has the largest fleet in the world, with 275 ships, including 10 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, no country has such an impressive force. It is in the Navy that the military power of the United States is mainly based.
Soon the Nimitz should be supplemented by even more advanced ships - aircraft carriers of the Gerald R. Ford type with a displacement of more than 100,000 tons.

The US submarine fleet is no less impressive: 14 Ohio-class nuclear submarines, each carrying 24 Trident-2 ballistic missiles. Three of the most advanced submarines of the Sea Wolf type, the price of which was exorbitant for the United States, so it was decided to abandon the construction of a large series. Instead, cheaper Virginia-class submarines are being built, while there are only 10 of them in the fleet.

In addition, 41 Los Angeles-class submarines remain in the Navy. The US Navy has a gigantic military power, which today is unlikely to be challenged by anyone.