As is the case with almost any global fighting force, the largest and most capable assets of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy are the organization’s two aircraft carriers. While the United States Navy stands alone with more than ten massive, extremely capable aircraft carriers, the vast majority of leading global naval fighting forces have just a couple of aircraft carriers. As a result, these ships are often the backbone of a navy and their most important weapons in the event of any conflict. The French Navy, for example, operates just a single aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, which has long served as the fleet’s global flagship.