J transport, the Phoenix II will replace the jet-powered E-6B Mercury fleet that allows for remote command of the US Navy's ...

Still, the U.S. maintains an active fleet of 11 aircraft carriers and nine smaller carriers of various classes for a grand total of 20 active flat tops in the U.S. Navy's inventory.

An F-35C fighter jet lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington in the Celebes Sea on July 13, 2025. Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Ana Souza Young/U.S. Navy ...

The U.S. Navy said in a fact sheet last updated on February 27: "Often the presence of an aircraft carrier has deterred potential adversaries from striking against U.S. interests.

Following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas in southern Israel, the US Navy has rotated several of its nuclear-powered supercarriers to the Middle East.