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Cavour vs Queen Elizabeth

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Specifications
Cavour Queen Elizabeth
Origin 🇮🇹 Italy 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Category Aircraft carrier Aircraft carrier
Type Aircraft carrier Aircraft carrier
Manufacturer Fincantieri Aircraft Carrier Alliance
Year introduced 2008 2017
Number built 1 unit 2 units
Estimated unit price $1,466 million $4,850 million
Displacement 27,100 tons 70,600 tons
Maximum speed 29.0 knots 25.0 knots
Range 7,000 nm at 16 knots 10,000 nm at 15 knots
Length 244.0 m 284.0 m
Beam 39.0 m 73.0 m
Crew 486 679
Performance Radar Chart
Armament & Systems
Cavour Queen Elizabeth
Armament
  • 4 × 8-cell A-43 Sylver launchers carrying the MBDA Aster 15 surface-to-air missile
  • 2 × OTO Melara 76/62 mm Strales guns
  • 3 × OTO Melara 25/80 gun with Oerlikon KBA 25mm
  • 2 × ODLS-H/ODLS OTO Melara decoy launching systems
  • 3 × Phalanx CIWS
  • 4 × 30-mm DS30M Mk2 guns
  • 6 × 7.62 mm Miniguns
  • 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) Browning heavy machine guns
Propulsion COGAG scheme – 2 × shafts – 4 × General Electric/Avio LM2500+ gas turbines providing 88,000 kW (118,000 bhp) – 6 × diesel generators Wärtsila CW 12V200 13,200 kW (17,700 bhp) Integrated electric propulsion: 2 × Rolls-Royce Marine Trent MT30 36 MW gas turbine engines, 2 × Wärtsilä 16V38 and 2 x 12V38 marine diesel engines (40 MW), 4 × GE Power Conversion 20 MW Advanced Induction Motors

Overview

The Cavour and the Queen Elizabeth are both Aircraft carrier classes.

The Queen Elizabeth displaces 70,600 tons — 2.6x the Cavour's 27,100 tons. The Cavour reaches 29 knots vs 25 knots for the Queen Elizabeth. Operational range is 7,000 nautical miles for the Cavour vs 10,000 for the Queen Elizabeth. The Cavour carries a crew of 486 vs 679 for the Queen Elizabeth.

The Cavour was produced in 1 units vs 2 for the Queen Elizabeth. Cost per hull is $1,466M for the Cavour vs $4,850M for the Queen Elizabeth. The Cavour was commissioned in 2008, 9 years before the Queen Elizabeth (2017).

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Queen Elizabeth vs Charles de Gaulle Cavour vs Juan Carlos I Cavour vs George H. W. Bush Cavour vs Admiral Kuznetsov Cavour vs Gerald R. Ford Cavour vs Hyuga

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has greater displacement, the Cavour-class or Queen Elizabeth-class?
The Queen Elizabeth-class has greater displacement at 70,600 tons compared to the Cavour-class's 27,100 tons.
Which is faster, the Cavour-class or Queen Elizabeth-class?
The Cavour-class is faster with a maximum speed of 29 knots compared to the Queen Elizabeth-class's 25 knots.
Which has longer range, the Cavour-class or Queen Elizabeth-class?
The Queen Elizabeth-class has a longer range at 10,000 nautical miles compared to the Cavour-class's 7,000 nautical miles.
Which is longer, the Cavour-class or Queen Elizabeth-class?
The Queen Elizabeth-class is longer at 284.0 meters compared to the Cavour-class's 244.0 meters.
How many crew members do the Cavour-class and Queen Elizabeth-class have?
The Queen Elizabeth-class has a larger crew complement of 679 compared to the Cavour-class's 486 crew members.
Which is more expensive, the Cavour-class or Queen Elizabeth-class?
The Queen Elizabeth-class is more expensive at approximately $4.8 billion per unit compared to the Cavour-class at $1.5 billion.
Which has been built in greater numbers, the Cavour-class or Queen Elizabeth-class?
The Queen Elizabeth-class has been built in greater numbers with 2 vessels compared to 1 vessels of the Cavour-class.