A brief history of the world's largest warship

In 1911, the British launched the HMS Dreadnought, a massive warship that was so powerful that other nations essentially scrapped their existing battleship programs and started over. The Dreadnought was not only the largest ship in the world but also the fastest and most technologically advanced.<br><br>Over the next decade, the British continued to improve the design of the Dreadnought, adding thicker armor plating and larger guns. In 1915, they launched the HMS Tiger, which was even bigger and more powerful than its predecessor. The Tiger was armed with eight 13-inch guns and had 11 inches of armor plating on its belt. It was capable of reaching speeds of up to 30 knots.<br><br>World War I saw the Tiger play a significant role in several key battles, including Jutland in 1916 and the Dardanelles in 1915. After the war, the British continued to build massive warships, including the Nelson and Rodney, which were launched in the early 1930s. The Nelson was armed with nine 14-inch guns and had 14 inches of armor plating on its belt, while the Rodney was armed with nine 16-inch guns and had 17 inches of armor plating.<br><br>World War II saw the Tiger and its successors play a significant role in the Atlantic and Mediterranean theaters. The Tiger was involved in several battles against German battleships and heavy cruisers, including the Battle of the Denmark Strait in 1940 and the Battle of the Cape Matapan in 1941. The Nelson and Rodney were involved in several battles against Italian warships, including the Battle of Cape Teulada in 1942 and the Battle of Cape Spada in 1941.<br><br>After the war, the British continued to build massive warships, including the Lion and the Colossus. The Lion was launched in 1947 and was the largest warship in the world, measuring over 900 feet in length. The Colossus was launched in 1950 and was armed with nine 16-inch guns and had 18 inches of armor plating.<br><br>In the 1960s, the British began to build even larger warships, including the Vanguard and the Edinburgh. The Vanguard was launched in 1966 and was the largest warship in the world, measuring over 1,000 feet in length. It was armed with nine 16-inch guns and had 20 inches of armor plating.<br><br>The Edinburgh was launched in 1969 and was designed as a multi-purpose warship, capable of serving as both a battleship and a carrier. It had nine 16-inch guns and was equipped with a ski ramp for launching helicopters.<br><br>The Vanguard and Edinburgh continued to serve as the backbone of the Royal Navy until the 1980s, when they were replaced by the new Invincible class carriers. The Invincible was launched in 1980 and was designed as a multi-purpose warship, capable of serving as a carrier, battleship, and amphibious assault ship. It was armed with eight 16-inch guns and had 22 inches of armor plating.<br><br>The Invincible continued to serve as a key component of the Royal Navy until 1996, when it was retired and replaced by the new Ark Royal. The Ark Royal was launched in 2003 and is the largest warship in the world, measuring over 1,100 feet in length. It is armed with 16 16-inch guns and has 25 inches of armor plating.<br><br>Today, the Royal Navy is one of the most powerful navies in the world, with a fleet of over 100 warships and submarines. The Ark Royal remains a key component of the fleet, serving as both a battleship and a carrier.<br><br>&#x200B;