UK and China joining the USA in the supercarrier club

The United States Navy has 11 active supercarriers. Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, typically those displacing over 70,000 long tons (71,000 metric tons).

China and the UK will each have two active supercarriers by 2021.

The United Kingdom’s first Queen Elizabeth-class carrier is undergoing sea trials and is expected to enter service in late 2017.

HMS Queen Elizabeth (shown above) is the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth-class of supercarrier, the largest warship ever built for the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom and capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft. The ship was named by Queen Elizabeth II in July 2014, began sea trials in June 2017 and will formally be commissioned in December 2017.

Existing US Supercarriers

New supercarriers under construction or fitting

China aircraft carriers and jets are catching up to current US level around 2025-2030

China will need to convert Shenyang J-31 fighters for carrier use. They are lighter at 28 tons vs the 33 tons of the J-15.

After the 80,000-85000 type 002 carrier is built by China and launched around 2021, there is a rumored Type 003 which would be 110,000 tons.