The United States has 11 commissioned aircraft carriers as of October 2026. The fleet includes 10 Nimitz-class ships and one Gerald R. Ford-class carrier, all powered by nuclear reactors.
However, the number comes with an important qualification. Having 11 commissioned carriers does not mean the Navy can send all 11 into combat simultaneously.
Some undergo maintenance or lengthy overhauls, while others conduct training or prepare for deployment.
The count also excludes amphibious assault ships and carriers that have yet to enter commissioned service. Those distinctions matter as the Navy prepares to retire its oldest carrier and bring its next ship into the fleet.
Which aircraft carriers does the US have?
The Nimitz class accounts for most of the American carrier fleet.
Its ten ships are USS Nimitz, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, USS Carl Vinson, USS Theodore Roosevelt, USS Abraham Lincoln, USS George Washington, USS John C. Stennis, USS Harry S. Truman, USS Ronald Reagan, and USS George H.W. Bush.
Their hull numbers run consecutively from CVN-68 through CVN-77. The designation CVN identifies a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
The eleventh ship, USS Gerald R. Ford, is designated CVN-78. Commissioned in July 2017, it introduced the next generation of American aircraft carriers.
Ford uses electromagnetic catapults to launch aircraft, replacing the steam-powered catapults aboard Nimitz-class ships. Its design also incorporates new aircraft recovery equipment and weapons elevators.
Together, these carriers provide mobile airfields that allow the Navy to conduct aviation operations at sea. Their embarked aircraft perform missions ranging from strike operations and air defense to surveillance and electronic warfare.
Nuclear propulsion gives the ships considerable endurance, but it does not eliminate their supply requirements. Aircraft fuel, food, ammunition, and other supplies still need replenishment.
Why all 11 cannot be deployed together
A commissioned carrier remains part of the fleet even when maintenance prevents it from deploying. Consequently, the inventory total provides only part of the picture of American naval aviation capacity.
Carriers move through deployment, maintenance, and training periods. Major shipyard work can remove a vessel from operational availability for years without removing it from the commissioned fleet.
USS Harry S. Truman provides a current example. The ship departed Norfolk for Newport News Shipbuilding on September 30, 2026, to begin the shipyard phase of its refueling and complex overhaul.
According to the Navy’s announcement, the work includes reactor refueling and extensive modernization, with completion scheduled for November 2031.
Another source of confusion is the Navy’s amphibious assault fleet. These ships have large flight decks and can operate helicopters, tiltrotors, and short-takeoff and vertical-landing aircraft.
However, their primary role centers on supporting Marine expeditionary operations. The Navy classifies them separately as amphibious assault ships, designated LHA or LHD, rather than including them in its 11-carrier CVN fleet.
Will the carrier count change soon?
The transition between USS Nimitz and the future USS John F. Kennedy makes the date attached to any carrier count particularly important.
Nimitz, commissioned in May 1975, remains included in the fleet. Although earlier plans anticipated retirement in 2026, its service was extended into 2027.
Meanwhile, John F. Kennedy, designated CVN-79, has not yet joined the commissioned carrier fleet. The Navy announced its preliminary acceptance on September 29, 2026, with formal delivery scheduled for spring 2027.
That milestone permits additional at-sea testing and crew training while the shipbuilder completes remaining systems testing. It does not mean the carrier has been commissioned or is ready for deployment.
For now, the answer remains 11 commissioned carriers. How many are available for operations is a separate question, shaped by maintenance schedules, training requirements, and the transition between retiring ships and their replacements.