In its strictest sense, a flagship is any naval vessel on which a flag officer is embarked. Some navies have permanent flagships, a designation which may be either functional (ships specifically intended for use by a fleet commander) or ceremonial (a fleet's most prestigious vessel due to its age, size, or some special characteristic).
Current permanent flagships Fleet Ship Class Notes References Algerian National Navy Kalaat Béni Abbès Amphibious assault ship Argentine Navy ARA Libertad Barque Royal Australian Navy Canberra Landing helicopter dock Canberra was designated flagship of the Royal Australian Navy in March 2015.[ 1] Royal Bahamas Defence Force HMBS Bahamas Patrol ship Royal Bahrain Naval Force RBNS Sabha Frigate Bangladesh Navy BNS Bangabandhu Frigate Belgian Naval Component Leopold I Frigate Brazilian Navy Atlântico Amphibious assault ship Royal Brunei Navy KDB Darussalam Patrol ship Royal Canadian Navy (Ceremonial)Haida Destroyer Haida is a WW II era Tribal Class Destroyer. She was designated flagship of the Royal Canadian Navy in May 2018. She is not an operational ship.[ 2] Canadian Coast Guard Louis S. St-Laurent Icebreaker Chilean Navy Almirante Williams Frigate People's Liberation Army Navy Liaoning Aircraft carrier Republic of China Navy ROCS Panshih Fast combat support ship Colombian Navy Gloria Barque [ 3] Royal Danish Navy HDMS Absalon Frigate Dominican Navy Almirante Didiez Burgos Patrol ship Ecuadorian Navy BAE Guayas Barque Egyptian Navy ENS Gamal Abdel Nasser Amphibious assault ship Estonian Navy EML Admiral Cowan Minehunter Finnish Navy Hämeenmaa Minelayer French Navy Charles de Gaulle Aircraft carrier [ 4] German Navy Gorch Fock Barque [ 5] Ghana Navy Achimota Fast attack craft Hellenic Navy (Ceremonial)HS Georgios Averof Cruiser Georgios Averof is a ceremonial ship in service as the flagship of the Hellenic Navy. Guyana Coast Guard GDFS Essequibo Minesweeper Icelandic Coast Guard ICGV Þór Patrol ship Indian Navy INS Vikramaditya Aircraft carrier Indonesian Navy KRI Banda Aceh Landing platform dock Italian Navy Cavour Aircraft carrier Islamic Republic of Iran Navy IRIS Jamaran Frigate Iraqi Navy Fateh Patrol ship [ 6] Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force JS Izumo Aircraft carrier Latvian Naval Forces Virsaitis Minelayer Libyan Navy Al Hani Frigate Al Hani was captured by Libyan rebels in 2011 following the death of Muammar Gaddafi and assumed the role as Libya's new flagship. Lithuanian Naval Force Jotvingis Minelayer Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta P61 Patrol ship Montenegrin Navy Jadran Barque Royal Moroccan Navy Mohammed VI Frigate Myanmar Navy UNS Aung Zeya Frigate Royal Netherlands Navy HNLMS Karel Doorman Multi-role support ship Royal New Zealand Navy HMNZS Aotearoa Replenishment ship Nigerian Navy NNS Thunder High endurance cutter [ 7] Royal Norwegian Navy HNoMS Maud Replenishment ship Royal Navy of Oman RNOV Shabab Oman Barquentine Paraguayan Navy ARP Humaitá Gunboat ARP Humaitá has remained the Paraguayan flagship since her commissioning in 1931. Peruvian Navy BAP Almirante Grau Frigate The frigate BAP Montero was rechristened Almirante Grau following the decommissioning of the cruiser BAP Almirante Grau in 2017. Under Peruvian law, there must always be a ship named for Admiral Miguel Grau Seminario active in the Peruvian Navy, and it must assume the role as the flagship. [ 8] Philippine Navy BRP Miguel Malvar Frigate Commissioned on May 20 2025 and built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan South Korea, the BRP Miguel Malvar is the Philippine Navy's newest frigate and the most capable in its fleet. She is the successor of the Navy's previous frigate, BRP Jose Rizal . Despite outweighing the Jose Rizal-class frigate by 600 tons, the Miguel Malvar-class was previously designated as corvettes. Philippine Coast Guard BRP Teresa Magbanua Patrol ship Polish Navy (Ceremonial)ORP Błyskawica Destroyer Błyskawica is Poland's ceremonial flagship, with an active duty crew, but no longer has functioning boilers. Portuguese Navy NRP Sagres Barque Romanian Naval Forces Regele Ferdinand Frigate Russian Navy Admiral Kuznetsov Aircraft carrier [ 9] Russian Navy (Ceremonial)Aurora Cruiser In 2013, the Russian Navy recommissioned Aurora and made her the ceremonial flagship of the Russian Navy. [ 10] Serbian River Flotilla Kozara Command ship South African Navy SAS Amatola Frigate Republic of Korea Navy ROKS Dokdo Amphibious assault ship Spanish Navy Juan Carlos I Amphibious assault ship Juan Carlos I assumed the role as Spain's flagship following the decommissioning of the Príncipe de Asturias Sri Lankan Navy SLNS Sayurala Patrol ship Swedish Royal Navy HSwMS Carlskrona Patrol ship Royal Thai Navy HTMS Chakri Naruebet Aircraft carrier Tongan Maritime Force Ngahau Koula Patrol ship Turkish Naval Forces TCG Anadolu Amphibious assault ship She is a drone-carrying amphibious assault ship. [ 11] Royal Navy HMS Prince of Wales Aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales took over as the Royal Navy's flagship on Wednesday 2 December 2024. Flagship title will rotate between her and HMS Queen Elizabeth every few years.[ 12] Royal Navy (Ceremonial)HMS Victory Ship of the line HMS Victory is the oldest commissioned warship in the world, and although no longer sails, remains the flagship of the First Sea Lord . United States Coast Guard Eagle Barque Eagle is one of only two commissioned sailing vessels in the United States armed forces, the other being the U.S. Navy's USS Constitution [ 13] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (United States)Ronald H. Brown Research vessel in NOAA fleet .[ 14] United States Navy (Ceremonial)USS Constitution Sailing Frigate Commissioned in 1797, oldest active warship in the US Navy and afloat in the world. Designated officially as America's Ship of State under the National Defense Authorization Act of 2009.[ 15] National Navy of Uruguay General Artigas Replenishment ship Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela ARV Mariscal Sucre Frigate
Fleet Ship Class Notes References Argentine Navy Rivadavia Battleship 1914-1952 Argentine Navy Independencia Aircraft carrier 1958-1969 Argentine Navy Veinticinco de Mayo Aircraft carrier 1969-1997 Royal Australian Navy Australia Battlecruiser 1913-1921 Royal Australian Navy Sydney Aircraft carrier 1948-1955 Royal Australian Navy Melbourne Aircraft carrier 1955-1982 [ 16] Belgian Navy Lieutenant ter zee Victor Billet Frigate 1947-1958 Brazilian Navy Riachuelo Battleship 1889-1910 Brazilian Navy Minas Geraes Battleship 1910-1951 Brazilian Navy Almirante Tamandaré Cruiser 1951-1976 Brazilian Navy Minas Gerais Aircraft carrier 1976-2001 Brazilian Navy São Paulo Aircraft carrier 2001-2017 Royal Canadian Navy HMCS Uganda Cruiser 1944-1946 Royal Canadian Navy Warrior Aircraft carrier 1946-1948 Royal Canadian Navy Magnificent Aircraft carrier 1948-1957 Royal Canadian Navy Bonaventure Aircraft carrier 1957-1970 Royal Canadian Navy Iroquois Destroyer 1972-2015 Royal Canadian Navy Athabaskan Destroyer 2015-2017 Chilean Navy Capitán Prat Battleship 1893-1920 Chilean Navy Almirante Latorre Battleship 1920-1958 Chilean Navy O'Higgins Cruiser 1958-1992 Chilean Navy Blanco Encalada Destroyer 1992-2003 Imperial Chinese Navy Dingyuan Battleship 1885-1895, sunk in action Republic of China Navy Ning Hai Cruiser 1932-1937, sunk in action Republic of China Navy Chung King Cruiser 1948-1949, sunk in action Dominican Navy Presidente Trujillo / Mella Frigate 1946-1998 Royal Danish Navy Niels Juel Coastal defense ship 1923-1943, sunk in action Ethiopian Navy Ethiopia Frigate 1962-1991 Estonian Navy Lembit Submarine 1994-2011 Estonian Navy Admiral Pitka Frigate 2000-2013 Finnish Navy Väinämöinen Coastal defense ship 1932-1947 French Navy Béarn Aircraft carrier 1940-1943 French Navy Richelieu Battleship 1943-1946 French Navy Arromanches Aircraft carrier 1946-1961 French Navy Clemenceau Aircraft carrier 1961-1997 French Navy Foch Aircraft carrier 1997-2000 Royal Hellenic Navy Elli Cruiser 1951-1965 Indian Navy Delhi Cruiser 1948-1961 Indian Navy Vikrant Aircraft carrier 1961-1987 Indian Navy Viraat Aircraft carrier 1987-2013 [ 17] Indonesian Navy Irian Cruiser 1963-1970 Irish Naval Service Eithne Patrol ship 1984-2022 [ 18] Italian Navy Giuseppe Garibaldi Cruiser 1961-1969 Italian Navy Vittorio Veneto Cruiser 1969-1985 Italian Navy Giuseppe Garibaldi Aircraft carrier 1985-2008 Imperial Japanese Navy Mikasa Battleship 1904-1905 Imperial Japanese Navy Yamato Battleship 1942-1943, 1944-1945, sunk in action Imperial Japanese Navy Musashi Battleship 1943-1944, sunk in action Latvian Naval Forces LVNS Virsaitis Minesweeper 1919-1940 Lithuanian Navy LNS Prezidentas Smetona Minesweeper 1927-1940 Royal Netherlands Navy Karel Doorman Aircraft carrier 1948-1968 Royal Norwegian Navy Norge Coastal defense ship 1900-1940, sunk in action Royal Norwegian Navy HNoMS Stord Destroyer 1943-1959 Pakistan Navy Babur Cruiser 1956-1985 Peruvian Navy Almirante Grau Cruiser 1906-1958 Peruvian Navy Almirante Grau Cruiser 1959-1973 Peruvian Navy Almirante Grau Cruiser 1973-2017 Portuguese Navy Vasco da Gama Cruiser 1876-1935 Romanian Naval Forces Mărășești Destroyer 1985-2001. Still in active service. Spanish Navy Pelayo Battleship 1888-1914 Spanish Navy España Battleship 1914-1923 Spanish Republican Navy Jaime I Battleship 1933-1937, sunk in action Spanish Navy Canarias Cruiser 1939-1967 Spanish Navy Dédalo Aircraft carrier 1967-1989 Spanish Navy Príncipe de Asturias Aircraft carrier 1989-2013 Swedish Royal Navy Gustav V Coastal defense ship 1939-1945, 1947-1957 Turkish Naval Forces Yavuz Battlecruiser 1914-1950 Ukrainian Navy Hetman Sahaidachniy Frigate 1993-2022. Scuttled during the Russian Invasion of Ukraine . Final Status TBD Royal Navy HMS Iron Duke Battleship 1914-1917 Royal Navy HMS Queen Elizabeth Battleship 1917-1919 Royal Navy HMS Hermes Aircraft carrier 1982 Royal Navy HMS Invincible Aircraft carrier 1993-2005 Royal Navy HMS Ark Royal Aircraft carrier 2005-2007, 2009-2010 Royal Navy HMS Illustrious Aircraft carrier 2007-2009 Royal Navy HMS Albion Amphibious transport dock 2010-2011, 2018-2021 Royal Navy HMS Bulwark Amphibious transport dock 2011-2015 Royal Navy HMS Ocean Amphibious assault ship 2015-2018 Royal Navy HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft carrier 2021-2024 Will rotate out as flagship with HMS Prince of Wales every few years. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (United States)Oceanographer Research vessel Prior to serving as flagship of the NOAA fleet , Oeanographer was flagship of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey . [ 19] Uruguayan Navy ROU Uruguay Frigate 2008-2022 Royal Yugoslav Navy Dubrovnik Destroyer leader 1932-1941, captured in action Yugoslav Navy Split Destroyer leader 1958-1980
See also
References ^ "HMAS Canberra (III)" . navy.gov.au . Royal Australian Navy . Retrieved March 23, 2019 .^ "Canadian World War II destroyer becomes ceremonial flagship" . navaltoday.com . Naval Today. 28 May 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2019 .^ Crampton, Liz (July 1, 2014). "Crowd of hundreds greets Tampa arrival of tall ship 'Gloria' . Tampa Bay Times . Retrieved March 23, 2019 . ^ "Everything you need to know about the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier" .^ " . Yacht Online . January 14, 2019. Retrieved March 24, 2019 .^ "Italian vessel to be Iraqi navy's flagship" .^ "allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Navy Flagship Leaves Calabar for Military Exercise in Australia" . Archived from the original on 2013-08-26.^ "Janes | Latest defence and security news" . Archived from the original on 2017-09-28.^ Gady, Franz-Stefan (April 2, 2018). "Modernization of Russia's Sole Aircraft Carrier Still Facing Delays" . The Diplomat . Retrieved March 23, 2019 . ^ http://2-news.ru/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi ^ Trevithick, Joseph (2024-11-19). "TB3 Operates From Turkey's 'Drone Carrier' Amphibious Assault Ship For The First Time" . The War Zone . Retrieved 2024-11-19 . ^ https://www.navylookout.com/hms-prince-of-wales-becomes-the-royal-navys-flagship/#:~:text=HMS%20Prince%20of%20Wales%20arrived,inclement%20weather%20forecast%20for%20today .^ "Tall Ship Eagle" . uscga.edu . United States Coast Guard Academy . Retrieved March 23, 2019 .^ "Ronald H. Brown" . washington.edu . University of Washington . Retrieved March 23, 2019 .^ [1] . navy.mil]^ Hall, Timothy (1982). HMAS Melbourne ISBN 0-86861-284-7 . OCLC 9753221 . ^ Mambra, Shamseer (November 17, 2017). "INS Viraat – 'Mother' Air Craft Carrier Of Indian Navy" . Marine Insight . Retrieved March 23, 2019 . ^ "Ageing Naval Service Flaghip LÉ Eithne to Be Replaced By MRV, Opens to Public This Saturday" . afloat.ie . Afloat. Retrieved March 23, 2019 .^ "Oceanographer" . noaa.gov . National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Retrieved March 23, 2019 .
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