How Fast Can Aircraft Carriers Travel & Which Country Has The Fastest?

Aircraft carriers are often the most advanced vessels in any navy, and they're considered the tip of the spear of any fleet. Because of this, these ships have high top speeds, allowing them to reach their stations as quickly as possible. But how fast are these ships exactly?

Unfortunately, most navies do not disclose the technical specs of their ships, so we will have to rely on estimates and reports for most carriers. Even the U.S military, which publishes the exact specifications of jets like the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II, is mum on aircraft carrier speeds; most official listings only say that the carriers can do more than 30 knots. There has been conjecture that the USS Nimitz, the oldest American carrier still in service, can reach 31.5 knots, or more than 36 mph, but this has not been officially confirmed. Even the USS Gerald R. Ford, the most advanced aircraft carrier in the world, is only listed as being capable of more than 30 knots.

China has the second-largest carrier fleet in the world, with the upcoming Fujian giving it three operational ships. As expected, China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) does not reveal the top speeds of its carriers. That said, the Philippine government estimates that the Shandong can achieve 31 knots, while the Indian Defence Review suggests a 32-knot top speed for the Liaoning. These numbers put the U.S. and China neck-and-neck when it comes to having the fastest carriers. The Fujian is still undergoing testing; thus, we don't know how fast it can go. However, it's expected to enter service soon, so we may not have to wait for long.

India currently operates two aircraft carriers — the INS Vikramaditya and the INS Vikrant. The former was an old Soviet ship before it was sold to India in 2004. Commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2013 and first deployed in 2014, the Vikramaditya has a reported top speed of 30 knots thanks to new engines installed in 2014. On the other hand, the Vikrant is the country's first homegrown carrier and boasts a top speed of 28 knots. The U.K. is another nation with two carriers — the Queen Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales. These ships have a published top speed of 25 knots, making them a bit slower than China's three carriers.

France, Italy, and Russia each have a single carrier, with France the only nation besides the U.S. to operate a nuclear-powered carrier. The French Navy's sole carrier is the Charles de Gaulle, which has a reported top speed of 27 knots. Italy used to have two carriers — the Cavour and the Giuseppe Garibaldi — but the latter was placed in reserve in October 2024. The former is still in service and can hit a sustained speed of 27 knots. Lastly, Russia's Admiral Kuznetsov is noted to have a top speed of 29 knots.

So, while China and the U.S. are currently vying for having the fastest carrier, India is close behind with the INS Vikramaditya. But given the sensitivity of these military vessels, we may likely never know the true top speed of these ships.