Most nations don’t reveal the top speeds of their carriers; however, it’s likely that the U.S. and China have the fastest, capable of 30 knots or more.
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.
