HMForces.co.uk

Education >> Browse Articles >> The Royal Navy Fleet

Aircraft Carriers of the Royal Navy

Up until mid 2011 the Royal Navy had three Invincible Class Aircraft Carriers but due to the 2010 SDSR (Startegic Defence and Security Review) severe cuts were made in order to pave the way for a more rapid reaction force.

This meant the loss of HMS Ark Royal, in preparation for the completion of the new Super Carriers. The decision was and is still highly controversial as it currently leaves the UK without operational carriers (the RAF Harriers were also dropped in favour of the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) ):

• HMS Invincible was laid down at Vickers Shipbuilding at Barrow-in-Furness in July 1973 and was commissioned on 11th July 1980 then decommissioned in 2005, and scrapped in 2011.

• HMS Illustrious was laid down at Swan Hunter at Wallsend on 7th October 1976 and was commissioned on 4th June 1981. Currently she is the last remaining aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy.

• HMS Ark Royal was laid down at Swan Hunter at Wallsend on 7th December 1978 and was commissioned on 1st November 1985. She was eventually decommissioned March 2011 but currently up for sale to the highest bidder.

With the cancellation of the Royal Navy’s CVA-01 Fleet Carrier replacement in 1966 plans were made for a Command Cruiser of some 12,500 tons that was capable of carrying six Sea King helicopters. It was later decided to increase the number of helicopters being carried to nine with the design of the ship being revised to that of a 19,500 ton ‘Through Deck Cruiser’.

The reason for the use of the term ‘Through Deck Cruiser’ was because at the time the use of the name ‘Aircraft Carrier’ was considered to be politically insensitive because of deep defence cuts being implemented by the then Labour government. With the decision made in later years that these ‘Through Deck Cruisers’ would carry the Sea Harrier they were eventually accepted as Aircraft Carriers.

At manufacture the carriers weighed approximately 20,700 tons and were nearly 700 feet long. They are powered by four Rolls Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbine engines capable of producing 97,000 horsepower giving a top speed of some 28 to 30 knots.

All three ships are fitted with a ‘Ski’ Jump to allow the Sea Harriers, or currently the RAF Harrier GR7, to take off fully loaded, Without the ‘Ski’ Jump it would not be possible for the Harrier to take off vertically at maximum all up weight. When built Invincible and Illustrious were fitted with 7° ski jumps while Ark Royals’ is angled at 12°.

The Royal Navy Invincible Class Aircraft Carriers were conceived during the ‘Cold War’ when the ‘threat’ came from Russia, especially the threat projected by the Russian submarine fleet. It was with this threat in mind that the Invincible Class were initially designed for Anti-Submarine Warfare. In addition, nuclear weapons were carried on board for delivery by the Sea Harrier should the need arise!

With the end of the ‘Cold War’ there was a need for these ships to be employed in alternative roles. These roles include:

• The ability to project power with the Harrier.
• The use of Harriers to carry out reconnaissance missions or to be used as attack aircraft in support of ground troops, or, by their presence to enforce ‘no fly’ or ceasefire zones.
• The use of excellent ‘onboard’ Command and Control facilities as has been demonstrated by operations in the 1982 Falklands Conflict and the Balkans.
• The ability to operate as Commando Carrier with an ‘onboard’ force of some 500 Royal Marines or Army personnel. Such a force would include the embarked units vehicles and artillery as well as Chinook, Lynx, Sea King and Apache ground attack helicopters.

As well as the Harrier, Sea King helicopters can be embarked onto the carriers. Normally there would be two Squadrons of Sea Kings embarked with one squadron employed in the Airborne Early Warning (AEW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASW) roles with the second squadron employed in the Anti-Submarine Warfare (AsuW), Search and Rescue (SAR) and Utility roles.

Previous Section: The Current Ships of the Royal Navy

See our Short History of the Royal Navy and Aircraft Carriers of the Royal Navy

---