capital ship
A naval term for the most important warships in a fleet, such as battleships and aircraft carriers. Used in historical and modern military contexts.
Capital ships are the core combat power of a fleet.
During World War II, gunnery battles between capital ships took place.
航空母艦 is an aircraft carrier, which is a type of capital ship in modern navies. 主力艦 encompasses both battleships and aircraft carriers.
Compound of 主力 (shuryoku, 'main force') and 艦 (kan, 'warship'). The term is a direct translation of the English 'capital ship' and has been used in Japanese naval terminology since the early 20th century.