All this aircraft carriers list is organized by country of origin and where it served or still serves. To be clear there may be a ship which may be listed under multiple countries.
Numbers of fleet aircraft carriers by country
Number of fleet aircraft carriers by operating nation
United Kingdom aircraft carriers
Active aircraft carriers:
N/A
Aircraft carriers under construction:
Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, STOVL ship of 70,600 tonnes
HMS Queen Elizabeth (2017), undergoing initial sea trials
HMS Prince of Wales (2020)
Aircraft carriers sunk:
Glorious class
HMS Glorious (1916), sunk by Scharnhorst and Gneisenau 8 June 1940
HMS Courageous (1916), sunk by U-29 17 September 1939
HMS Eagle (1918), sunk by U-73 11 August 1942
HMS Hermes (1923) – first purpose-designed aircraft carrier, sunk by Japanese aircraft 9 April 1942
HMS Ark Royal (1938), sunk 14 November 1941 after being torpedoed by U-81 on 13 November 1941
Aircraft carriers retired:
HMS Argus (1916)
HMS Furious (1916)
HMS Vindictive (1918) – converted to aircraft carrying cruiser 1925
HMS Unicorn fleet maintenance carrier (1943)
Illustrious class
HMS Illustrious (1939)
HMS Formidable (1939)
HMS Victorious (1939)
HMS Indomitable (1940)
Implacable class
HMS Implacable (1942)
HMS Indefatigable (1942)
Audacious class
HMS Eagle (ex-Audacious) (1946)
HMS Ark Royal (ex-Irresistible) (1950)
Colossus class
HMS Colossus (1943), to France 1946 as Arromanches
HMS Glory (1943)
HMS Ocean (1944)
HMS Theseus (1944)
HMS Triumph (1944)
HMS Venerable (1944) – to Netherlands 1948 as HNLMS Karel Doorman, to Argentina 1968 as ARA Veinticinco de Mayo
HMS Vengeance (1944) – to Brazil 1956 as Minas Gerais
HMS Warrior (1944) – to Canada 1946–1948, to Argentina 1958 as ARA IndependenciaHMS Perseus (1944)
HMS Pioneer (1944)
Majestic class
HMS Majestic (1945) – to Australia 1955 as HMAS Melbourne
HMS Hercules (1945) – to India 1957 as INS VikrantHMS Magnificent (1944) – sold to Canada as HMCS Magnificent
HMS Powerful (1945) – to Canada 1952 as HMCS Bonaventure
HMS Terrible (1944) – to Australia in 1948 as HMAS Sydney
Centaur class
HMS Centaur (1947)
HMS Albion (1947)
HMS Bulwark (1948)
HMS Hermes (ex-Elephant) (1953), to India 1986 as INS Viraat
Invincible class
HMS Invincible (1977)
HMS Illustrious (1982)
HMS Ark Royal (1985)
Aircraft carriers never completed:
Audacious class
Eagle – cancelled
Africa – to Malta class then cancelled
Majestic class
HMS Leviathan (1945) – was never completed
Centaur class
Hermes – cancelled
Arrogant – cancelled
Monmouth – cancelled
Polyphemus – cancelled
Malta class – cancelled 1946
Malta
New Zealand
Gibraltar
Africa
CVA-01 – cancelled 1966
Queen Elizabeth
Duke of Edinburgh