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This page last updated:
25 January 2009

Dedication


To be determined


Technical Comparison of Carrier Classes


Basic Data
Class Type First Commission Ships in Class Disposition Crew Aircraft Weapons
Langley Fleet 1922 1 [ ship sinking icon ] 1 350 34 4 x 5"
Lexington Fleet 1927 2 [ ship sinking icon ] 1
[ mushroom cloud icon ] 1		 2,122 80 8 x 8"
12 x 5"
Ranger Light Fleet 1934 1 [ welding torch icon ] 1 1,788 76 8 x 5"
Yorktown Fleet 1937 3 [ ship sinking icon ] 2
[ welding torch icon ] 1		 1,890 96 8 x 5"
Wasp Fleet 1940 1 [ ship sinking icon ] 1 1,889 84 8 x 5"
Long Island Escort 1941 1 [ welding torch icon ] 1 970 16 1 x 4"
2 x 3"
4 x 0.5"
Essex Fleet 1942 30 [ museum sign icon ] 4
[ welding torch icon ] 17
[ fish icon ] 1
[ keel laid icon ] [ cancellation icon ] 2
[ cancellation icon ] 6		 2,682 91 12 x 5"
32 x 40mm
46 x 20mm
Charger Escort 1942 1 [ question mark icon ] 1 856 36 3 x 4"
10 x 20mm
Bogue Escort 1942 11 [ ship sinking icon ] 1
[ welding torch icon ] 10		 890 28 2 x 5"
10 x 20mm
Sangamon Escort 1942 4 [ welding torch icon ] 4 1,080 30 2 x 5"
8 x 40mm
12 x 20mm
Wolverine/Sable Training 1942 2 [ welding torch icon ] 2 270 None None
Casablanca Escort 1943 50 [ ship sinking icon ] 5
[ targeting reticle icon ] 1
[ welding torch icon ] 44		 860 28 1 x 5"
8 x 40mm
12 x 20mm
Independence Light 1943 9 [ ship sinking icon ] 1
[ welding torch icon ] 8		 1,569 30 2 x 5"
16 x 40mm
10 x 20mm
Commencement Bay Escort 1944 35 [ welding torch icon ] 19
[ cancellation icon ] 16		 1,066 33 2 x 5"
36 x 40mm
20 x 20mm
Midway Fleet 1945 6 [ museum sign icon ] 1
[ welding torch icon ] 1
[ subdued U. S. flag icon ] 1
[ cancellation icon ] 3		 2,510 137 18 x 5"
84 x 40mm
68 x 20mm
Saipan Light 1946 2 [ welding torch icon ] 2 1,553 48 40 x 40mm
32 x 20mm
United States Fleet N/A 1 [ keel laid icon ] [ cancellation icon ] 1 4,127 72 8 x 5"
12 x 3"
20 x 20mm
Forrestal Fleet 1955 4 [ subdued U. S. flag icon ] 4 4,142 90 8 x 5"
Kitty Hawk Fleet 1961 3 [ Flag of United States ] 1
[ subdued U. S. flag icon ] 1
[ targeting reticle icon ] 1		 4,500 87 4 x Mk-10 Terrier twin missile launchers
Enterprise Fleet 1961 1 [ Flag of United States ] 1 5,500 99 None
Iwo Jima Amphib 1961 7 [ welding torch icon ] 1
[ targeting reticle icon ] 4
[ question mark icon ] 1 (transferred to US Army)
[ subdued U. S. flag icon ] 1		 900 20 8 x 3"
Kennedy Fleet 1968 1 [ Flag of United States ] 1 4,500 87 3 x Mk 25 BPDMS 8-tube Sea Sparrow box launchers
Nimitz Fleet 1975 10 (to date) [ Flag of United States ] 9
[ keel laid icon ] 1		 6,400 89 24 Sea Sparrow missiles
Tarawa Amphib 1975 5 [ Flag of United States ] 4
[ targeting reticle icon ] 1		 902 + Marine strike force 25 3 x 5"
6 x 20mm
16 Sea Sparrow missiles
Wasp Amphib 1988 8 (to date) [ Flag of United States ] 8 1,082 + 1,875 troops 36 2 x Mk 29 8 cell Sea Sparrow
2 x 21 cell RAM
3 x Mk 15 Phalanx CIWS
8 x Mk 33 .50 cal MG
America Amphib (2012) 1 (to date) [ keel laid icon ] 1
Gerald R. Ford Fleet (2015)

Dimensions
Class Displacement (tons) Length (feet) Beam (ft) Draft (ft)
Standard Deep Load Waterline Flight Deck Overall Maximum Mean Deep Load
Langley 12,700 unk. 519 534 542 65.5 16.5 22
Lexington 38,500 47,700 850 830 888 105 2/3 27.5 32.5
Ranger 14,000 17,577 730 710 769 87.5 19 2/3 22.5
Yorktown 19,872 25,500 770 802 809.5 86 21.5 26
Wasp 14,700 18,500 688 727.5 741.25 93 20 24.5
Long Island 7,886 14,050 465 360 492 78 25.5 unk.
Essex 27,200 34,880 820 860 872 96 23 27.5
Charger 11,800 15,126 465 440 492 78 21.5 25
Bogue 8,390 13,980 465 440 496 82 23.25 26
Sangamon 10,500 23,875 525 495 553 75.5 unk. 30.5
Wolverine/Sable 7,200 unk. 484.5 unk. 500 98 15.5 unk.
Casablanca 8,200 10,900 490 475 512.25 85 20.75 unk.
Independence 10,662 14,750 600 544 622.5 73 21 24.25
Commencement Bay 18,908 21,397 525 495 557 80 unk. 28
Midway 47,387 59,901 900 932 968 113 32.75 34.5
Saipan 14,500 18,750 664 600 683.5 80 24.5 27
United States 66,850 78,500 1,030 1,025 1,090 190 unk. 34.5
Forrestal 60,000 79,248 990 1,015 1,039 240 unk. 37
Kitty Hawk 60,100 78,250 990 1,040 1,062.5 252 unk. 35
Enterprise 75,700 89,600 1,040 1,100 1,123 252 unk. 36
Iwo Jima 17,000 18,644 unk. unk. 592 105 25 26.5
Kennedy 61,000 82,000 990 1,040 1,052 252 unk. 36
Nimitz 81,600 93,400 1,040 1,070 1,092 252 unk. 37
Tarawa unk. 39,300 778 unk. 820 106 unk. 27.5
Wasp unk. 40,530 778 unk. 844 106 unk. 26.6
America
Gerald R. Ford

Engineering
Class Machinery Type Fuel Speed (knots) Range/Endurance
Langley Turbo-Electric Oil 14 2,300 tons fuel
Lexington Turbo-Electric Oil 33.25 10,000 nm at 15 kts.
Ranger Geared turbine Oil 29 10,000 nm at 15 kts.
Yorktown Geared turbine Oil 32.5 12,000 nm at 15 kts.
Wasp Geared turbine Oil 29.5 12,000 nm at 15 kts.
Long Island Diesel Diesel 16 1,429 tons fuel
Essex Geared turbine Oil 32.7 15,000 nm at 15 kts.
Charger 6-cyl Diesel Diesel 17 3,200 tons fuel
Bogue Geared turbine Oil 18 26,300 nm at 15 kts.
Sangamon Geared turbine Oil 18 24,000 nm at 15 kts.
Wolverine/Sable Inclined compound Coal 16 N/A
Casablanca Triple-expansion reciprocating Oil 19 10,200 nm at 15 kts.
Independence Turbo-Electric Oil 31 13,000 nm at 15 kts.
Commencement Bay Geared turbine Oil 19 3,134 tons fuel
Midway Geared turbine Oil 33 15,000 nm at 15 kts.
Saipan Geared turbine Oil 33 10,000 nm at 15 kts.
United States Geared turbine Oil 33 12,000 nm at 10 kts.
Forrestal Geared turbine Oil 33 12,000 nm at 20 kts.
Kitty Hawk Geared turbine Oil 33 12,000 nm at 20 kts.
Enterprise Geared turbine Nuclear 35 400,000 nm at 20 kts.
Iwo Jima Geared turbine Oil 20 unk.
Kennedy Geared turbine Oil 33 12,000 nm at 20 kts.
Nimitz Geared turbine Nuclear 33 1,000,000 nm at 20 kts.
Tarawa Geared turbine Oil 24 8,500 nm at 20 kts.
Wasp Geared turbine Oil 22 unk.
America Oil
Gerald R. Ford Nuclear

All figures based on design specifications. Individual ships may vary.

Sources

Most data from Aircraft Carriers of the World by Roger Chesneau
 Data for Wasp-class amphibious assault ships from:
Federation of American Scientists
Haze Gray & Underway

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