Top 10 warships. The largest warships in the world. Submarine "Severodvinsk"
One day I came across a ranking of the 10 best ships of the 20th century compiled by the Military Channel. On many points it is difficult to disagree with the conclusions of American experts, but what was unpleasantly surprising was that there was not a single Russian (Soviet) ship in the rating.
What is the meaning of such a rating, you ask. What practical significance does it have for the real Navy? A colorful show with boats for the average person, nothing more.
No, it's much more serious. Firstly, the creators of those very “ships” will not agree with you. The fact that their ships were chosen among thousands of other designs is recognition of the work of their team, and often the main achievement of their entire lives. Secondly, these unique standards show in which direction progress is moving, which naval forces are the most effective. And thirdly, such a rating is a hymn to the achievements of Mankind, because many of the warships presented on the list are masterpieces of marine engineering. In today’s article I will try to correct some, in my opinion, erroneous conclusions of the Military Channel experts, or better yet, let’s think together in the form of such a somewhat informational and entertainment debate on the topic of the 10 best warships of the 20th century.
Now the most important point is the evaluation criteria. As you can see, I deliberately do not use the phrases “largest”, “fastest” or “most powerful”... Only the type of ship that brought maximum benefit your country, while remaining interesting from a technical point of view. Combat experience is extremely highly valued. Tactical and technical characteristics are of great importance, as well as such seemingly invisible parameters as the number of units in the series and the period of active service in the fleet. Plus a bit of common sense. For example, Yamato is the largest battleship ever built by man, the most powerful battleship of its time. Was he the best? Of course not. The creation of the Yamato-class battleships was a monumental failure of the Imperial Navy in terms of cost/effectiveness; its presence did more harm than good. Yamato was late, the time of the dreadnoughts was over.
Well, now, actually, the list itself:
10th place - series of frigates "Oliver Hazard Perry".
One of the most common types of modern warships. The number of units of the series built is 71 frigates. They have been in service for 35 years naval forces 8 countries of the world.
Total displacement - 4200 tons
The main armament is the Mk13 launcher for launching the Standard missile defense system and the Harpoon anti-ship missile system (ammunition load - 40 missiles).
There is a hangar for 2 LAMPS helicopters and 76 mm artillery.
The main goal of the Oliver H. Perry program was to create inexpensive URO escort frigates, hence the transoceanic range: 4,500 nautical miles at 20 knots.
Why is such a wonderful frigate in last place? The answer is simple: little combat experience. The combat clash with Iraqi aircraft did not turn out in favor of the frigate - the USS "Stark" crawled away from the Gulf of Hormuz barely alive, having received two Exocets on board. But, in general, the Oliver Perrys have been continuously keeping watch for many years at the most tense points on the Earth - in Persian Gulf, off the coast of Korea, in the Taiwan Strait...
9th place - Nuclear cruiser "Long Beach"
USS" Long Beach"(CGN-9) became the world's first missile cruiser, as well as the first cruiser with a nuclear power plant. The quintessence of advanced technical solutions of the 60s: phased array radars, digital control system and 3 new missile systems. Created for joint operations with The first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Enterprise, was intended to be a classic escort cruiser (which did not prevent it from being equipped with Tomahawks during modernization).
For several years (launched in 1960), it honestly “cut circles” around the Earth, setting records and entertaining the public. Then he took up more serious things - until 1995 he went through all the wars from Vietnam to Desert Storm. For several years he was on the front line in the Gulf of Tonkin, controlling the airspace over North Vietnam, and shot down 2 MiGs. He conducted radio reconnaissance, covered ships from air raids of the DRV, and rescued downed pilots from the water.
The ship with which the new nuclear missile era of the fleet began has the right to be on this list.
8th place - Bismarck
Pride of the Kriegsmarine. The most advanced battleship at the time of launch. He distinguished himself in his first military campaign, sending the Royal Navy flagship Hood to the bottom. He fought with the entire British squadron and died without lowering the flag. Of the 2,200 crew members, only 115 survived.
The second ship of the series, the Tirpitz, did not fire a single salvo during the war years, but with its very presence it pinned down the huge forces of the Allies in North Atlantic. British pilots and sailors made dozens of attempts to destroy the battleship, losing a huge number of people and equipment.
7th place – Battleship “Marat”
The only dreadnoughts Russian Empire– 4 battleships of the “Sevastopol” type - became the cradle of the October Revolution. They went through the whirlwinds of the First World War and the Civil War with dignity, and then played their role in the Great Patriotic War. The Marat (formerly Petropavlovsk, launched in 1911) especially distinguished itself - the only Soviet battleship that took part in a naval battle. Member of the Ice Campaign. In the summer of 1919 he suppressed the uprising in the Kronstadt fortified area with his fire. The first ship in the world to test a magnetic mine protection system. Took part in the Finnish War.
September 23, 1941 became fatal for the Marat - having come under attack from German aircraft, the battleship lost its entire bow and lay on the ground. The battleship, seriously wounded but not destroyed, continued to defend Leningrad. In total, during the war years, the Marat fired 264 main caliber rounds, firing 1,371 305-mm shells, which made it one of the best-firing battleships in the world.
6 – “Fletcher” type
The best destroyers of the Second World War. Due to their manufacturability and simplicity of design, they were built in a huge series - 175 units (!)
Despite their relatively low speed, the Fletchers had an ocean-going range (6,500 nautical miles at 15 knots) and solid armament, including five 127-mm guns and several dozen anti-aircraft artillery barrels.
During the fighting, 23 ships were lost. In turn, the Fletchers shot down 1,500 Japanese aircraft.
Having undergone post-war modernization, they remained combat-ready for a long time, serving under the flags of 15 states. The last Fletcher was decommissioned in Mexico in 2006.
5th place - Essex-class aircraft carriers
24 attack aircraft carriers of this type became the backbone of the US Navy during the war. They actively participated in all combat operations in the Pacific theater of operations, traveled millions of miles, were a tasty target for kamikazes, but, nevertheless, not a single “Essex” was lost in battle.
The ships, huge for their time (total displacement - 36,000 tons), had a powerful air wing on their decks, which made them the dominant force in the Pacific Ocean.
After the war, many of them were modernized, received a corner deck (Oriskany type) and remained in the active fleet until the mid-70s.
4th place – “Dreadnought”
Built in just 1 year, a huge ship with a total displacement of 21,000 tons revolutionized world shipbuilding. One salvo from HMS "Deadnought" was equal to a salvo from an entire squadron of battleships from the Russo-Japanese War. The piston steam engine was replaced by a turbine for the first time.
The Dreadnought won its only victory on March 18, 1915, returning to base with a squadron of battleships. Having received a message from the battleship Marlboro about a submarine in sight, he rammed it. For this victory, the captain of the Dreadnought, who had allowed himself to fall out of the wake formation, received from the flagship the highest approval that a HMS captain can receive in the English fleet: “Well done.”
“Dreadnought” has become a household name, which allows us to talk in this paragraph about all ships of this class. It was the Dreadnoughts that became the basis of the fleets of the leading countries of the world, appearing in all naval battles First World War.
3rd place – Orly Burke-class destroyers
As of 2012, the US Navy has 61 Aegis destroyers, and every year the fleet receives another 2-3 new units. Together with its clones - the Japanese guided missile destroyers of the Atago and Kongo type, the Orly Burke is the most massive warship with a displacement of over 5,000 tons.
Today's most advanced destroyers are capable of striking any ground and surface targets, fighting submarines, aircraft and cruise missiles, and even firing at space satellites.
The destroyer's armament complex includes 90 vertical launchers, of which 7 are “long” modules, which allows the deployment of up to 56 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
2nd place - Iowa-class battleships
The standard of a battleship. The creators of the Iowas managed to find the optimal combination of firepower, speed and security.
9 guns of 406 mm caliber
Main armor belt – 310 mm
Speed – over 33 knots
4 battleships of this type managed to take part in the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Then came a long respite. At this time, active modernization of the ships was underway, modern air defense systems were installed, and 32 Tomahawks further enhanced the strike potential of the battleships. The full set of artillery barrels and armor were left unchanged.
In 1980, off the coast of Lebanon, the giant New Jersey guns began to speak again. And then there was Desert Storm, which finally put an end to the more than 50-year history of ships of this type.
Now the Iowas have been withdrawn from the fleet. Their repair and modernization were considered impractical; the battleships had completely exhausted their service life in half a century. Three of them have been turned into museums, the fourth, the Wisconsin, is still quietly rusting as part of the Reserve Fleet.
1st place – Nimitz-class aircraft carriers
A series of 10 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers with a total displacement of 100,000 tons. The largest warships in human history. Recent events in Yugoslavia and Iraq have shown that ships of this type are capable of wiping out even the smallest countries from the face of the earth in a matter of days, while the Nimitzes themselves will remain immune to any anti-ship weapons, with the exception of nuclear charges.
Only the Navy of the Soviet Union, at the cost of enormous effort and expense, could resist aircraft carrier strike groups using supersonic missiles with nuclear warheads and orbital constellations of reconnaissance satellites. But even the most modern technologies did not guarantee accurate detection and destruction of such targets.
At the moment, the Nimites are the rightful masters of the World Ocean. Regularly undergoing modernization, they will remain in the active fleet until the middle of the 21st century.
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. She was launched in 2008 and entered service with the US Navy in January 2010.
Largest: Nimitz-class aircraft carriers
Country: USA
Launched: 1972
Displacement: 100,000 t
Length: 332.8 m
Full speed 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 political figures. Chester Nimitz, who gave his name to the entire series, was the commander in chief Pacific Fleet USA during World War II.
In terms of its architecture, the Nimitz is a smooth-deck ship with an angled flight deck. The flight deck area is 18,200 m2. The ship has surface and underwater structural protection. The bottom is protected by an armored flooring of the second bottom and the third bottom. The four-shaft main power plant includes two pressurized water nuclear reactors and four main turbo-gear units.
Structurally, the ships of the Nimitz class are the same, but the last six have increased displacement and draft. The period of recharging them with fuel nuclear reactors– up to 20 years. The basis of the armament of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers is aviation: George W. Bush, the last, tenth ship of the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, was commissioned into service with the US Navy on January 10, 2009. She became a “transitional” ship to the new generation of Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carriers.
The most original of the modern: trimaran USS Independence
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. She 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 developed by Austral, which has already tested this concept on the civilian ferry Benchijigua Express, plying between the Canaries, Tenerife, Gomera, Hierra and Palma in the Atlantic Ocean.
Independence is a littoral combat ship capable of accelerating to 50 knots (90 km/h) and conducting combat operations in force 5 seas (“heavy seas”, 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. Time will tell which is better.
The largest non-aircraft carrier: “Peter the Great”
Country: Russia
Launched: 1996
Displacement: 25,860 t
Length: 250.1 m
Full speed power: 140,000 hp.
Full speed: 32 knots
Crew: 635 people.
The most powerful non-aircraft carrier ship today is the Russian nuclear-powered cruiser "Peter the Great", belonging to the series of Project 1114 cruisers. "Orlan". The first ship of this project, the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser (TARK) Kirov, was launched in 1977 and transferred to the fleet in 1980. Today only “Peter the Great” is in service, the other three cruisers are undergoing modernization, and the fifth TARK of the project (“Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov”) was never laid down 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 transferred 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 cruiser's power plant 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 t
Length: 173 m
Full speed power: 80,000 hp.
Full speed: 32.5 knots
Crew: 387 people.
Ticonderoga class cruisers are considered the most dangerous among ships of this type. They are designed to operate in conditions where weapons of mass destruction are used and are capable of fighting in storm conditions of seven degrees.
The Ticonderogas use two vertical launch systems with 61 missile cells each. Their typical load is 26 Tomahawk cruise missiles, 16 ASROC PLURs and 80 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: 50900 t
Length: 251 m
Full speed power: 150170 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 in 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, which were built somewhat later.
Powerful weapons (including eight 380-mm cannons) allowed the Bismarck to withstand any ship of its class. True, the very first raid of the new battleship turned into its death: after the Bismarck sank the flagship of the English fleet, the battleship Hood, a targeted hunt was opened for the German giant and it was destroyed by clearly superior forces.
The largest battleship: the Iowa-class battleship
Country: USA
Launched: 1942
Displacement: 45000 t
Length: 270.43 m
Full speed: 33 knots
Crew: 2637 people.
The American Iowa-class battleship is the largest surface ship in the world before the era of attack aircraft carriers. Its creators achieved the maximum combination of weapons, seaworthiness and protective equipment. A total of four battleships of this type were built: Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri and Wisconsin. They entered service with the US Navy in 1943 and were withdrawn from service in 1990.
They took part in World War II, in the wars in Korea and Vietnam, and after modernization with the installation of Harpoon anti-ship systems and Tomahawk-type cruise missiles in addition to the main caliber guns (406 mm), they carried out high-precision strikes on coastal targets during 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 British Type 45 destroyer (Daring) is considered the most modern and advanced warship in the world today. On at the moment The British Navy received the first two Darings - Daring D32 and Dauntless D33.
These ships are primarily intended for air defense in the fleet's coverage area, and the ship's systems are capable of coordinating the actions of coastal aviation. On the other hand, a cruising range of over 5,000 nautical miles allows the 45 type to be a sufficiently mobile autonomous platform for deploying air defense systems anywhere on the planet.
The very first production drone: Protector
Country: Israel
Launched into series: 2007
Length: 9 m
Full speed: 50 knots
Armament: 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 the Protector unmanned boat into serial production, 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 an 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: the steam turbine destroyer Novik
Country: Russia
Launched: 1913
Displacement: 1260 t (1620 t after modernization)
Length: 102.43 m
Full speed 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), at a measured mile the ship reached a speed of 37.3 knots - at that time this was a world record.
The destroyer Novik was initially designed to carry 60 ball mines without weight compensation, while its English competitors, in order to take on board such a quantity, had to remove the stern gun and the stern twin-tube torpedo tube.
The best heavy cruiser of World War II: Tone-class cruisers
Country: Japan
Launched: 1937
Displacement: 15443 t
Length: 189.1 m
Full speed power: 152,000 hp.
Full speed: 35 knots
Crew: 874 people.
Strangely enough, the best ships of the heavy cruiser class in history are considered not to be American or English designs, but the French Algerie and Japanese Tone-class cruisers. Two cruisers of this series (Tone and Chikuma) entered service in 1937 and 1938, respectively.
In comparison with the original project (they were planned as light cruisers), the Tone were heavily overloaded, and the crew lived in very close quarters, but in terms of the level of armament, armor and torpedo protection, and counter-flooding measures, they had no equal in the world.
Since ancient times, a powerful and well-organized navy was crucial for any country that fought for world domination and took care of its own security. Therefore, over the past 100 years, thousands of powerful battleships and aircraft carriers have been built in different countries around the world. This review is about the largest warships in the world.
1. "Akagi"
Akagi is an aircraft carrier that was built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. She was in service from 1927 to 1942 and took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Then the Akagi was heavily damaged during the Battle of Midway in June 1942 and was then deliberately scuttled. The length of the ship was 261.2 m.
2. "Yamato"
The Yamato-class battleships were built for the Imperial Japanese Navy and served during World War II. With a displacement of 73,000 tons, they were the heaviest battleships in history. The length of such a ship was 263 m. Although it was originally planned to build 5 Yamato-class ships, only 3 were completed.
3. "Essex"
The backbone of the US Navy's combat power during World War II was the Essex-class aircraft carrier. There were once 24 of these ships, but today only 4 survive and are used as museum ships.
4. "Nimitz"
Nimitz-class supercarriers are 10 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers built for the US Navy. These ships, 333 m long and weighing more than 100,000 long tons when fully loaded, were the largest warships in history. The ships have participated in many battles and operations around the world, including Operation Eagle Claw in Iran, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan.
5. "Shinano"
"Shinano" - a ship with a length of 266.1 m and a displacement of 65,800 tons, which was the most large aircraft carrier, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. However, with deadlines pressing, the warship was sent into battle without correcting several serious design and construction flaws. She eventually sank just 10 days after she was commissioned on November 29, 1944.
6. "Iowa"
In 1939-1940, by order of the US Navy, 6 battleships Iowa class, but only 4 were ultimately completed. They served in several major American wars, including World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The length of these battleships was 270 m, and the displacement was 45,000 “long” tons.
7. Lexington
Two Lexington-class aircraft carriers were built for the US Navy during the 1920s. The warships proved extremely successful and served in many battles. One of them, the Lexington, was sunk in the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942, and the other, the Saratoga, was destroyed during an atomic bomb test in 1946.
8. "Kyiv"
Also known as Project 1143 Krechet, the Kyiv-class aircraft carriers were the first aircraft-carrying anti-submarine cruisers built in the Soviet Union. Of the 4 Kiev class vessels that were completed, 1 was decommissioned, 2 were mothballed, and the last one (Admiral Gorshkov) was sold to the Indian Navy, where it is still in service.
9. "Queen Elizabeth"
The Queen Elizabeth is a 2 aircraft carrier currently under construction for the British Royal Navy. The first, Queen Elizabeth, will be ready for use in 2017, and the second, Prince of Wales, is scheduled for completion in 2020. The length of the ship is 284 meters, and the displacement is about 70,600 tons.
10. “Admiral Kuznetsov”
The Kuznetsov class ships are the last 2 aircraft carriers built in the Soviet Navy. Today, one of them, Admiral Kuznetsov (built in 1990), is in service with the Russian Navy, and the second, Liaoning, was sold to China and completed only in 2012. The length of the ship is a staggering 302 m.
11. "Midway"
The Midway-class aircraft carriers were among the longest-serving aircraft carriers in history. The first one entered service in 1945 and was decommissioned only in 1992, shortly after participating in Operation Desert Storm.
12. "John F. Kennedy"
Nicknamed "Big John", the USS John F. Kennedy is the only ship in her class. It was a 320 m long aircraft carrier that was even capable of effectively fighting submarines.
13. "Forrestal"
In the 1950s, 4 Forrestal-class aircraft carriers (Forrestal, Saratoga, Ranger and Independence) were designed and built for the US Navy. It was the first supercarrier to combine high tonnage, aircraft lifts and a corner deck. The ships were 325 m long and had a displacement of 60,000 tons.
14. "Gerald R. Ford"
The Gerald R. Ford is a supercarrier that is being built to replace some of the existing Nimitz-class carriers. Although the new ships have a hull similar to the Nimitz aircraft carriers, they have introduced new technologies, such as an electromagnetic aircraft launch system, as well as other design features intended to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs. Also, the Gerald R. Ford warships will be slightly larger than the Nimitz (their length will be 337 m).
15. "USS Enterprise"
The world's first ship to carry nuclear-armed aircraft, the Enterprise (342 m long) was the longest and perhaps also the most famous warship in history. She remained in service for 51 consecutive years, longer than any other American warship, and was used in numerous battles and wars, including the Cuban Crisis, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and more.
Japan's most powerful aircraft carrier, Izumo, was launched.
The length of the ship reaches 250 meters, and it can accommodate 14 combat helicopters. Izumo is Japan's largest aircraft carrier since World War II.
The government of the country declares that it is not going to fight with anyone. However, the Chinese are frightened by the launch of the sea monster, since the guys cannot share the islands located in the South China Sea with their neighbors. Looking at the power of Izumo, it becomes clear why the Japanese opponents panicked.
The new Japanese aircraft carrier is far from the limit of perfection of the combat power of the world fleet. There are ships that Izumo is not even close to.
Frigates of the Oliver Hazard Perry series
One of the most insignificant naval squires is the frigate of the Oliver Hazard Perry series. The ship weighs only 4,200 tons, and has a hangar for two helicopters and 76 mm artillery on board. Without refueling, the squire can travel 8334 kilometers at a speed of 40 km/h. Therefore, the frigate Oliver Hazard Perry is still in service with 8 countries around the world.
Source: forums.civfanatics.com
Nuclear cruiser Long Beach
The nuclear-powered cruiser Long Beach is a distinguished veteran of the United States. The ship was launched in the 1960s. He took part in all wars, from Vietnam to Desert Storm, shot down 2 planes, conducted electronic reconnaissance and protected ships from air raids. Another medal for the cruiser for being the first ship to be armed with the latest missile systems and a nuclear power plant.
Source: f-16.net
Bismarck
The Bismarck is a hero ship that distinguished itself in its first battle, sinking the Royal Navy's menace Hood during World War II. The British did not like this outcome of events, after which the guys started a hunt for a German ship, named after the Chancellor of the German Empire, Otto von Bismarck. Result: three days after Hood, Bismarck himself sank to the bottom.
Source: globaldefenceanalysis.com
Battleship Marat
Battleship Marat is a ship that belongs to the Russian Empire. After the fleet was launched in 1911, Marat went through both the First World War and Civil War, and the Great Patriotic War and the Finnish War. This battleship also became the first ship to test a magnetic mine protection system.
Source: blogs.militarytimes.com
Fletcher
Fletcher is one of the most successful warships. The destroyer is capable of traveling over 12 thousand kilometers at a speed of 30 km/h, and on board it has five 127 mm guns and dozens of anti-aircraft artillery guns. During World War II, the Fletchers shot down 1,500 Japanese aircraft. That is why 175 ships of this series were produced. They were in service with 15 countries for a long time. The last Fletcher was decommissioned in Mexico in 2006.
Source: military38.com
Essex
Essex is the threat of the American fleet. These are huge ships that could travel millions of kilometers. The Essexes had the most powerful aircraft on their decks, which turned the ships into the dominant force of the oceans. 24 aircraft carriers were produced. They were constantly modernized, but this did not save the storm of the seas from being written off. The last Essex remained operational in the US Navy until the mid-70s.
Source: hlj.com
Dreadnought
The Dreadnought's 21 thousand tons of weight speaks for itself. One salvo of the sea monster was equal to the salvo of all the battleships of the Russo-Japanese War. Its power was so indescribable that over time the name Dreadnought became a household name, and people began to write legends about this ship.
