Invincible class Aircraft Carrier (1977)

Royal Navy 3 Light Aircraft Carriers built 1973-85:
HMS Invincible, Illustrious, Ark Royal R05-07 (decommissioned 2011-2017).

The Invincible class was a class of light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Navy, with three ordered and built, HMS Invincible, HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal. They were defined as aviation-capable ASW platforms to counter Soviet submarines and only had Sea Harrier aircraft to intercept Soviet maritime patorl bombers. The Sea King HAS.1 anti-submarine helicopters povide the bulk of operations. However with cancellations and budget cuts wit the previous generation of carrier they became in effect replacements for the former Ark Royal, Eagle fleet carriers, Centaur-class light fleet carriers including HMS Hermes albeit they could equal their former capabilities. They nevertheless saw active service, starting with the Falklands, Adriatic (Bosnian War) and Middle East, notably the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. The lead ships was decommissioned in reserve by 2005, sold 2011. Ark Royal followed in 2011 and Illustrious in 2014 (by that time as helicopter carrier only) leaving the hybrid HMS Ocean alone before the commisson of the two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers in December 2017.

The Invincible class in brief

From 1967 Tiger Hybrid to 1971 through deck cruiser

By 1967, the Royal Navy still had an impressive aircraft carrier force, second only to the USN. However cold-war economics were not pretty and the naval staff had som had time defending its requireme,ts to successive governments. Oirginally there was aproject of a dedicated “command cruiser” capable of taking the head of an ASW task force to hunt down the latest generation of Soviet SSNs. There was an outline Staff Requirement which produced a 12,500t proposal with a hangar and deck large enough to accomodate and operate six Sea King helicopter. This project was designated CCH.

This new type was a new trend in Europe, and was still well armed, to the standards of a guided missile cruiser, which lacked in the RN’s inventory. It was called an helicopter-carrying cruiser, but designed as a derivative of the Tiger class, with the same hull and powerplant and then full after deck, only forward section with a missile/gun armament and in many ways recalled the French Jeanne d’Arc.

However some argued that with some tweaking of the design more deckspace could be obtained. Notably the mass of supersrtructure forward was not particularly friendly for take off and landngs close to the hangars. It was then proposed to have the whole deck moved to the starboard side and angled to provide more deck space, while still keeping susbtantial structures. In many ways this was the blueprint for the later Kiev class. However the naval staff worried that it would be seen by some politicians as a new fleet carrier. Studies show that increasing the air group beyond nine helicopters to be more useful to the fleet, needs to have the deck cleared of obstructions, so there was no way to avoid some sort of compromise. The hangar and workshops needed extra space as well for efficient support. The design staff thus prepared new designs of a “through-deck cruisers” and the displacement went from 17,500t (which was seen as unrealistic) up to 19,500t. The much larger design also opened a new option, flying brand new STOVL strike aircraft, such as the recent Hawker Siddeley Harrier.

However the RN refused to accept the P1154 STOVL at first as the hangar lacked space and the island superstructure was too big as an obstruction. There was the need for this option to be viable to provide more internal space and find a way to managed the island to be less of an obstruction. Meanwile there was still a very difficult climate, which saw notably the TSR1 program and cancellation of the CV-01 fleet carrier in 1966. Another point against the Harrier is that it lacked a navigational radar (absolutely crucial at sea for a one-man aircraft) and had a short endurance and light payload. Its capabilities were estimated weak to say the least.

USS John C Stennis CVN-74 and HMS Illustrious R-06 Persian Gulf April 9 1998

However as years went on, Hawker (later BAE) designed the far better Sea Harrier, combining a more powerful engine, more fuel, new avionics and good radar plus computer-aided navigation. In May 1975 thus, the “through deck cruiser” project was conformed to be a carrier for the Sea Harrier. Designers of the project hoever did not waited for the official confirmation, knowing Hawker was working hard on their model, and integrated VTOL operations into the design. This saved cinsiderable delays later. In its lateest design, the new cruiser was to be able to operate nine Sea Kings and five Sea Harriers. The Sketch Design was ready in 1971 but but the order only came by April 1973. This would be a single ship class, until May 1976 No 2 when her sister Illustrious was ordered, then a third was confirmed by December 1978, named Indomitable.

Many innovative features

The new design had promising features to show off:
-World’s largest gas turbine-powered ship: The Four Rolls-Royce Olympus were massive units, coupled to two shafts.
-Large internal workshop area for maintenance of all equipment by exchange, from gas turbines to operating consoles. In a sense she was a revival of HMS Unicorn in some ways. She completely lacked armour and used a lighter metal alloy enabling to create larger volumes for a limited displacement. The gas turbines were also small but packed a lot of power while freeing yet extra space.
-First ship equipped with the new Type 1022 long-range air warning radar.
-First ship with a double-headed Sea Dart (twin-arm launcher, centreline forward) guided with Type 910 FCS.
-Trackers at each end of the island

Construction and launch of HMS Ark Royal. She was instead ordered as HMS indomitable (Invincible, Illustrious, Indomitable) but popular outcry after the scrapping of the last HMS Ark Royal decided against. Still today, there is no Ark Royal in service with the RN. Four aircraft carrying vessels bore the name after the famous 1588 galleon. Perhaps resurrected for the hypothetical replacements for the QE class in 2050+ or a new class of assault carriers in between…

The use of the Sea Dart was due to the Sea Harrier seen as a subsonic strike aircraft, not a supersonic interceptor.
-“ski-jump” being installed for the first time, to lift the Sea Harrier while carrying more fuel/payload.
This was probably the ship’s greates innovation, creating the STOBAR class of carriers which later became widspread. It translated into a 47t light steel structure, port side of the flight deck, angled 7° over the bow. This was calculated to enable the fitting of 1500lb of extra payload to the Sea Harrier. In fact this was so good that the HMS Hermes was also modified that way later. Third in clas, HMS Ark Royal will was designed after some experience return, with a steeper ramp. The term “through-deck cruiser” (CAH) became “command cruiser” to make costs appearing better weighted, as the ship was at first tailored for communications and Control as task force coordination flagship.

Later the term support carrier (CVS) was adopted and this was due to part to the STOVL aircraft being constantly improved over a decade. Still, their promary role was still anti-submarine ships and they had the best ASW helicopters of the time, carrying them to distant patrol areas. It was also still capable of protecting herself from attack by enemy bombers and was a good fit for the Greenland-Iceland-UK Gap (GIUK), behind the SOSUS barrier (the chain of underwater hydrophone to catch passing by Soviet subs in the 1960s).

These were the first Western ships designed to exploit fixed-wing STOVL aircraft and their design had a marked influence on other navies. With the 1981 Review, HMS Invincible was offered to the Defence Royal Australian Navy to replace HMAS Melbourne and this was accepted at the condition of modifications in fuel stowage and communications among other, until the Falklands Crisis showed up and she was famously sent to join HMS Hermes on 5 April (both having the same ramps) and relieved by HMS Illustrious in late August. She carried in operations 9 Sea Harriers, 10 helicopters. Illustrious was rushed to join in and was given extra 20mm Phalanx ‘Gatling’ guns in addition to the Sea Dart just as Invincible.

Ark Royal was completed instead with three Goalkeeper CIWS, bow centreline, sponsoned port after end, sponsoned starboard island.
HMS Invincible was refitted at Devonport from April 1986 to January 1989 and put to Ark Royal standard with a longer and better angled ski-jump (12° exit angle) and also had enlarged accommodation. Illustrious ws not however in 1989, instead laid up in reserve as finances were not here. Preliminary work started by August 1991, full reconstruction completed by mid-november and including EW and CI systems. Nowadays, all three are out of the picture. The end of the cold war just made them “surplus”, and the first two left service after still extra years, mostly thanks to improved variants of the Harrier, in 2010-2011, the last in 2017 for replacement by the new QE II class, a return to the fleet carrier, but still STOBAR.

Development

The Invincible class originated in a 6,000-ton guided-missile armed, helicopter carrying escort cruiser to complement the new CVA-01-class fleet carrier. However a government change meant the cancellation of CVA-01 in 1966 and the helicopter cruiser was now to be a command ship for ASW taskforces. Two new designs were prepared, a 12,500-ton cruiser with missiles forward and six Westland Sea King and flight deck aft (hangar below, lift aft) between a Vittorio Veneto and Jeanne d’Arc. The second design was later prepared (see the critics above) as a larger 17,500-ton “through-deck” cruiser with nine Sea Kings and missiles forward. In 1970 the latter design was preffered bu the Naval Staff setup a new requirement for an 18,750-ton Through-Deck Command Cruiser (TDCC).
In February 1963, the Hawker P.1127 VTOL aircraft, Harrier prototype was tried on HMS Ark Royal and more trials were performed from the Commando carrier HMS Bulwark. The new subsonic aircraft was seen as a strike asset for landing operations in complement to landed troops, far into their progression.

So this suggested that the new projected command cruisers could also support VTOL aircraft if needed, despite their role as ASW helicopter ships first and foremost. The term “through-deck cruisers” was used to avoid cancellation and due to their role as C3I for ASW task forces, constructed like cruisers as shown by the initil designs which directly derived from the Tiger class. The “aircraft carrier” term raised political alarms and only resurfaced in the 1980 Defence Estimates. Still, economical hardships plagues and delayed their development in the early 1970s but their design became better. The first was ordered from Vickers Shipbuilding on 17 April 1973 and was design ated a 19,000-ton “CAH” or “Helicopter cArrying heavy Cruiser” in the spirit of US Navy hull classification symbols. 14 aircraft, Sea Dart launcher for close defence.

It’s the government, not the naval staff, at frst dubious about the Harrier on board, that wanted the VTOL to be present to intercept Soviet reconnaissance aircraft, perhaps not fully confident of the Sea dart, and also seeing BAE’s progresses with the new sea Harrier model. In May 1975, the maritime version of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier, designed at first as an airfield-free, take off/land anywhere cold war solution for the British Army’s (conventional) second strike capabilities. The Sea Harrier had a fine machine with nw electronics and radars, so the pilot was well assisted in its operations. It could go further out and carry larger payloads, including air-air missiles.

The design was reworked for these VTOL aircraft and the most important inclusion was a ski jump to complement the puny 170-metre (560 ft) flight deck in order to launch fully laden Harriers. This enabled to launched these in all conditions and the first tw ships had 7° ski-jumps, Ark Royal swapped to 12° ski-jump and this later was retrofitted on the others. From 1976 they were also still helicopter carrier (LPH) for GIUK posting, on the Northern flank in Norway. In 1998, however a proper ship, HMS Ocean, was commissioned for that precise role, on a hull based on the Invincible class.

Design of the class

Hull and general design

The final “through deck cruiser” was indeed a rather peculiar ship as her flight deck ended short of the prow, unlike most aicraft carriers forward deck lip overhanged the prow. Plus the deck was split in two, with a parking area on starboard, close to the main island, as long as a destroyer superstructure, and the tak-off deck to port, ending with the 7° and latyer 17° ski jump. The final displacement of 22,000 tonnes is still a bit light, but for WW2 analogies, it was similar to USS Ranger (CV-3) and the 1942 program light CVs. She measured also about the same at 209 m (686 ft) for a generous “battleship beam” of 36 m (118 ft), now too far away from her initial cruiser design but giving her the necessary internal hangar space and workshops. Draught was also quite important to keep stability at 8 m (26 ft). So the end product was far larger than her starting point as a modified Tiger class cruiser.

The main armament, a pair of Sea Dart launched was located on her “cruiser prow”, but sponsoned at the end of the parking deck offset to starboard. The prow was by the way very large at deck level and had a lot of flare down to relatively more finer waterline. The superstructure comprised a two-storey bridge, navigation and operations above with better rear and panoramic view of the entire deck as there was no such structure aft. The main mast was located aft of this tall bridge, with radomes on lower structure steps at its forward and aft ends.

The structure had two funnels with some heat-reduction systems and a 4-faceted pyramidal mainmast in betwee, carrying the largest aerial. Aft of the second funnel, a bit lower thzn the first, were an additional radome aerial. The crew of 650 for the ships company alone was completed by a 350 strong air crew and potentially 500 Royal Marines, so a potentially very crowded ship for operations despite her size. They coull commute thanks to three boats under davits on the starboard flank of the structure (completed by standard life rafts). The latter was not sponsoned and deported for stability, but sat on deck, with even a sizeable walkway on its starboard. There was also a main gooseneck crane close to the structure also starboard.

Powerplant

The Invincible class as said above were the first with such powerplant. This COGAG arrangement comprised four sets of Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines with a main and cruising stages, as well as eight Paxman Valenta diesel generators for a grand total of 100,000 shp (75 MW). The latter produced all the energy needed for all internal systems, sensors and armament when the turbines were cold. The turbines were in separated roolm for safety, and coupled seach on a common cranksheft and transmission towards a single shaft. The two shafts ended with large diameter 3-bladed propellers. The Invincible could reach 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph) maximum, but cruised generally at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph). Based on their bunkerage capacity of gas turbine oil (exact figure unknown) their range was 7,000 nmi (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) at cruising speed.

Protection

The Invincible class were unarmoured, but still had some passive ASW protection measures, separations between the gas turbine rooms, separations between the diesels, longitudinal and transverse bulkheads, extra longitudinal ones external of the machienry room. The ammunition magazines and gasoline tanks buried deep were also protected. The piping network and pumps capable of injecting seawater in case of a fire, sprinklers and curtains in the hangar were not new and inherited from previous carrier experience. See below for the details of air facilities.

For active protection, this was still a late 1970s design, and this was limited to the following:
Type 670 ECM suite: System designed in 1983, Called alsoRCM-3. Offensive & Defensive ECM, no more data.
Four DLA Sea Gnat decoy Rocket Launcher: Produced by System Engineering & Assessment (SEA), six launchers whjch can fire either the Mk214 Seduction Chaff, Mk216 Distraction Chaff, Mk245 “GIANT” IR Round, and Mk251 “siren” Active Decoy Round. detailsand this

Armament

The ships were not armed as a true cruiser, and were limited to their forward Sea Dart missile system, removed during late 1990s and two 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, plus three Phalanx/Goalkeeper close-in weapons systems installed later, on the aft corners of the flight deck. The 20 mm were located along the bridge.

Sea Dart

Sea Dart missile system onboard HMS Invincible
The Sea Dart (GWS.30) Royal Navy surface-to-air missile system was designed in the 1960s, entering service in 1973. Fitted to the Type 42 and Type 82 destroyer as well as the Invincible-class. Hawker Siddeley started work on them, followed by BAE after 1977 and it was retired in 2012. It was a replacement for the GWS1 Seaslug (1963) and used beam riding guidance with limited accuracy. The core was a ramjet-powered design derived from the RAF Bloodhound missile. It also had a semi-active radar homing guidance. In the falklands it was battle tested, downing 6 aircraft and one Argntinian helicopter as well as two anti-ship missiles proving it could used for close protection as well…
The GWS30 SAM launcher forward is a two-armed system, with vertical reload, and a magazine below that are some hangar space but contains 36 Sea Dart GWS30.

⚙ Sea Dart specs.

Mass: 550 kg (1,210 lb)
Dimensions: 4.4 m (14 ft) x 0.42 m (17 in) x wp 0.9 m (3.0 ft)
Warhead: 11 kg (24 lb) HE blast-frag with proximity fuze and contact
Engine: Chow solid-fuel booster motor+ Bristol Siddeley Odin ramjet cruise motor
Max speed: Mach 3.0+
Range: Mod 0 (basic) 40 nmi (46 mi; 74 km), Mod 2 (upgrade) 80 nmi (92 mi; 150 km).
Ceiling: 18,300 m (60,000 ft)
Guidance: Semi-active radar, illuminated by Type 909 (J-band)

20 mm Oerlikons

No installed on Invincible when completed. It’s unclear where they were located, but were probably of the Oerlikon 20 mm/70 Mark 1/2 type, just shielded. The sources does not confirm their installation, notably Conways.

6x20mm Vulcan Phalanx CIWS

HMS Invincible was not given these for a start, only her sisters R06 and R07. They were installed in 1982 onwards. These two classic US provided anti-missile systems used the glatling 6-barreled system. The Mark 15 mounts were located at the prow and one on the port aft corner of the flight deck. Only the the forward mount covered the port and starboard quarters to a point, but the ar cof fire of the second mount aft was more limited due to oits location below flight deck level. The ships thus had a weak spot starboard aft. This was corrected on HMS Invincible, as when she received these same mounts in 1985, one was relocated starboard on the prow deck, and the order on the starboard aft deck corner, this time with a full 360° coverage.

⚙ Mk 15 Phalanx specs.

The Mk 15 Block 1B Baseline (total cost: US$416M) could fire the Mk 244 Mod 0 armor-piercing bullet.
Mass: 12,500 lb (5,700 kg)
Dimensions: 59.8 in (1,520 mm) L76 gun (Block 0 & 1) x 15.5 ft (4.7 m) height
Shell: 20×102mm tungsten APDS or HE, incendiary tracer 20 mm (0.79 in)
Barrels: 6-barrel with progressive RH parabolic twist, 9 grooves.
Elevation: −25°/+85° traverse 150° from either side.
Rate of fire: 4,500 rounds/minute (75 rounds/second)
Muzzle velocity: 3,600 ft/s (1,100 m/s)
Effective range: 1,625 yd (1,486 m), max 6,000 yd (5,500 m)

Goalkeeper CIWS

This Dutch system developed in 1979 was also adopted by the RN in the 1980s, installed on a variety of ships alternative to the Phalanx system. HMS Invincible was the first fitted with such systems, three 30mm/80 Goalkeeper in 1989. Next was Illustrious in 1994, but Ark Royal kept her Vulcan Phalanx systems.

⚙ Goalkeeper CIWS.

Weight: 9,902 kg (21,830 lb) total, 6,372 kg (14,048 lb) gun alone.
Barrel: 3.71 m above deck, total 6.2 m over and under deck.
Elevation/Traverse: +85 to −25° (80 degree/s)
Loading system: Automated 7-barrel feed, 1,190 rds of ammunition above deck
Muzzle velocity: 1,109 m/s (MPDS round)
Range: 350-1,500/2,000 metres dependent on ammunition
Guidance: Radar guided, full auto tracking
Crew: Automated, with human oversight
Round*: 1.2 in or 30×173mm TP, HEI, MPDS, or FMPDS
Rate of Fire: 7-barrel rotary cannon GAU-8/A Avenger, 70 rps/4,200 rpm

Sensors

Type 1022 Air Search Radar

Also called CA/SPQ-502 [LW.08]. Capable of Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), Moving Target Indicator (MTI), Pulse Doppler Radar (Full LDSD Capability).
Altitude Max: 30480 m, Range 333.4 km, Min 5.4 km.

Type 996 Surface Search Radar

Called AWS.9(2.5D) with 997 Target Indication system. Capable of IFF, MTI and Full LDSD Capability.
Altitude Max: 30480 m, Range 203.7 km, Min 3.1 km.

Type 1006/1007 Navigation Radar

Called CA/SPS-506, capabe of fine Range Resolution and Rapid Scan [1980+] and Pulse Doppler Radar with Full LDSD Capability.
Range: 0.4 – 177.8 km.

Type 909 Fire Control Radar (until 1998-2000)

Sea Dart illuminator, GFCR. Pulse Doppler Radar with Full LDSD Capability for Continuous Wave Illumination until the semi-active homing took relay.
Range 0.2 to 74 km. Eliminated when the Sea Dart was removed.

Type 2016 Sonar

Type 184 hull sonar Replacement. Hull Sonar, Active/Passive Search & Track, max Range: 9.3 km.

ADAWS-10 CCS

No info yet.

Air Group & Facilities

On the first two ships, the flight deck was 168 m long (551 ft) for 12.2m (40 ft) wide. The Hangar was 7.6m (25 ft) in height and about the same size. There were two lifts each measuring 16.7 x 9.7m (55 x 32 ft) aide the main island, the first axial, close to the island forward, the second offest to port aft, usually used for lifting up prepared Harriers for take-off. There was also a 7° ski-jump, 12° for R07 (Ark Royal). Aircraft fuel stowage was 1000t.

Hawker Sea Harrier

FRS.1 taking off from HMS Invincible.

The first model on board was the Sea Harrier FRS.1. Invincible as completed carried five of them, and nine Sea King helicopters. Illusrtion had ten in 1982, but Ark Royal had eight. From 2000, Invincible was th first to introduced the Sea Harrier FA.2 followed by Illustrious with the GR.7 in 2000. Ideally both Illustrious and Ark Royal carried six FA.2 and for GR.7.

Sea Harrier FRS.1

Initial recon/strike model, 57 delivered 1978-1988 later converted to FA2 from 1988.

Sea Harrier FA.2

Author’s rendition of the FA-2 from 899 NAS HMS Invincible over Bosnia, Adriatic 1994
Upgrade from 1988, with the Blue Vixen pulse-doppler radar, AIM-120 AMRAAM missile.

Harrier GR7 taking off from HMS Illustrious (R06) in 1998, persian gulf.

Sea Harrier GR.7

British variant of the Harrier II by BAE. Much greater capabilities in all directions. The GR7 is an upgraded GR5. Maiden flight in May 1990, deployed from 1995.
They were deployed from the 800 Naval Air Squadron (March 2006 to March 2010) and Naval Strike Wing from March 2007 to April 2010.

Westland Sea King

Two types were carried as a “baseline”: The HAS.3 at first, nine, dedicated to ASW. Later from 1982, HMS Illustrious received two specialized Sea King AEW.2.
From 11990 was introduced the HAS.5 which replaced the HAS.3 and from 2000 onwards the EW.2A and HC.4 as well as as the HAS.6 for ASW.
In 2005, HMS Ark Royal was the first to operate the Agusta Westland EH101 Merlin (HM.1). It replaced the venerable Sea King as primary ASW but was also a multi-mission helicopter capable of SAR, transport and assault.
The Sea King HAS.5 (1981) had a longer range MEL Super Searcher radar in enlarged dorsal radome, new AQS902 acoustic processing system with provision to use sonobuoys.
The Sea King HAS.6 had improved avionics, new sonar processor, improved tactical displays, better com. equipment (5 built + conversions). Retired 2010.
HC.4: Commando Variant. Simplified undercarriage, lengthened cabin for 28 fully equipped troops.
Sea King AEW.2: Conversion of the HAS.1/2s into AEW aircraft after the Falklands War. Thorn EMI Searchwater radar in inflatable radome (9 converted).

Helicopter Assault configuration

Many more models could be carried as well. In 2010, the surviving HMS Illustrious was converted as an assault helicopter carrier only. Harriers and their associated facilities were eliminated and with the space reclaimed, she could have a greater capacity.
Her assault her group now comprised 22 aircraft, distributed between the Merlin HM.1, Sea King HAS.6, Sea King ASAC.7, Chinook HC.2, and Apache AH.1 depending on the mission profile. There will be more data on the Merlin when studying the hMS Argus in 2025.

Upgrades

The greatest change was the late removal of the Sea Dart system to reclaim some deck park while the magazines were converted into extra weapons stowage ans well as new aircrew briefing facilities under the extended flight deck. It corresponded to the adoption of the Harrier GR7s. Its air combat capabilities were far better than any SAM system, making it redundant. Ugrades were also done to operare the new, heavy duty Merlin helicopter, lower but longer than the Sea King. It took over the ASW role but lost its capacity to land on water. Illustrious later took only exlusive LPH role, and the Sea Harriers were landed for RAF Chinook helicopters. The final refit of the Illustrious was by 2004, and later a 16-month, £40 million refit at Rosyth Dockyard in 2010-2011 as helicopter carrier alongside HMS Ocean.

Author’s rendition of the Invincible class

Career of the Invincible class

HMS Invincible was ordered from Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (VSEL) on 17 April 1973. She was was laid down at Vickers’ Barrow-in-Furness yard the same day. Construction was delayed by design changes but also industrial action. She was not launched until 3 May 1977 in a ceremony presided by Elizabeth II. She was commissioned on 19 March 1980, so four yars later and a grand total of eight years… After trials, she formally commissioned on 11 July but she went through more trials and work-up as well as acceptance and qualification of her air wing followed, she was only declared operational on 19 June 1981, and joined HMS Hermes in RN service.
At first she operated 801 Naval Air Squadron (5 Sea Harriers) and 820 Naval Air Squadron (nine Sea King HAS.3). In August–September 1981 she took part in the “Ocean Venture” and “Ocean Safari” exercises. However the 1981 Defence White Paper, published on 25 February 1982, seeing months of negotiations with Australia had the latter government agreing to purchase Invincible for £175 million (285 million A$), to replaced HMAS Melbourne, to be renamed HMAS Australia. At first only minimal changes were asked for, notably additional fuel bunkerage and computers replacing. No Harrier, she was going to be an helicopter carrier only. The sale was confirmed by the British Ministry of Defence… But 2 April 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. Three days later it was deciced to intervene and a task force headed by HMS Invincible and Hermes left HMNB Portsmouth for these frigid waters. On 20 April, the operation was confirmed, and Invoncible would sail with eight Sea Harriers, twelve Sea King helicopters, more than she could accommodate. It’s probably at the time two 20 mm gujs were addeded as well as many light machine guns around the flight deck and island on pintles.

On 23 April HMS Invincible locked her Sea Darts on a passing by VARIG Brazilian Airlines DC-10, instead of the Argentine Air Force’s Boeing 707 shadowing them, as previous granted by TG Commander Rear Admiral Sandy Woodward, himself given the go ahead from 10 Downing street via CiC Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse. It was feared at the tie a raid from the Argentine aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo. However the order to fire did not came, but the ship was at general quarters and continued tracking the aircraft. Sea Harrier took off to confirm this was indeed, not the Argentinian 707 but instead a Brazilian airliner, perfectly normal.
On 30 May, the Argentinians ordered two Dassault-Breguet Super Étendards, including one carrying the last remaining Exocet accompanied by four A-4C Skyhawks armed each with two 500 lb (230 kg) bombs were sent to sink Invincible. They had been vectored in via intel deduced from their Harrier flight routes. But in reality, the RN expected this and gave order to change routes to confuse about their point of origin. The Argentinian air group thus arrived 40 miles south of the TF position, and this was confirmed when a Super Étendard detected a large target, fired the Exocet. Both turned nack but the Skyhawks followed the Exocet and two were shot down by Sea Darts from HMS Exeter, HMS Avenger claiming one with her main guns (disputed). The exocet failed also failed to find its target.
It was reported postwar, Invincible had 10 nuclear depth bombs on board but when the threat rescinded, these were retired in early May 1982.
On 1 June, PM Malcolm Fraser advised the sale could be cancelled if so desired given the circumstances. And indeed in July 1983, the MoD announced it had withdrawn its offer to keep a three-carrier force, notably if the Argentinians attempted something else.
By December 1983 HMS Invincible was making a pacific cruiser when refused a dry dock in Sydney about her carrying or not carrying nuclear weapons. She stopped instead at Auckland and Wellington in nearby New Zealand.
Missing ten years logs.
1993 to 1995, Invincible sailed into the Adriatic for Operation “Deny Flight” and “Deliberate Force” (Yugoslav Wars) and by 1997 she was flagship of Rear-Admiral Alan West, Commander UK Task Group with 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines on board and relevant helicopters for a possible assault. She took part later in sub-Operation “Bolton”, British part of “Southern Watch” over southern Iraq after the Balkans support over Kosovo. Her helicopters aided refugees while Harriers made strikes against Bosnian Serbs.
Missing logs 1995-2003.

In 2003 she was featured in the BBC show Top Gear with “the Stig” racing a white Jaguar XJS on her deck, trying to reach 100 mph, stopping short of the runway but fell into the sea. Missing logs 2003-2005.
On 6 June 2005, the MoD announced an inactivation of the carrier until 2010 for economical reasons, with a skeleton, inspection and maintenance crew. This was pending a reactivation at a 18 months notice. She was decommissioned nevertheless on 3 August 2005. It was a very constroversial decision at it was done just 20 months after a long and extensive refit to give her ten more years of service. Illustrious became the new RN flagship. The Royal Navy argued that despite her decommissioned reserve, she could be reactivated if need be. Jane’s however ater pointed out she started to be cannibalized for her sisters. In addition to a 18 months full reactivation many parts would need to be replaced and thus re-manufactured.

In March 2010, Invincible was tied up up-river at HMNB Portsmouth and by 10 September she was stricken for good. By December she was offered for sale by the Disposal Services Authority. Tenders from scrapyards were due by 5 January 2011. There was no foreign customer interested for her acquisition. At that stage, her engines already had been removed, generators and pumps were unserviceable and by 8 January 2011, the South China Morning Post claimed that she had been purchased for £5-million by local Chinese businessman Lam Kin-bong. Officially she was to be sent to Zhuhai as a floating international school. However the sale of the Varyag previously to another Chinese mogul (which from “floating casino” became the first Chinese carrier) cast doubts on this. There was EU arms embargo on China anyway, but this confirmed a tendency to acquired foreing carriers for study. China also tried to purchase the ex-Indian Vikrant and purchased two Kiev class through deck cruisers as well, always for civilian purposes (one was turned into an attaction park).
By February 2011, BBC News remorted a MoD confirmation of a sale to Leyal Ship Recycling in Turkey, towed from Portsmouth on 24 March to Aliağa yard on 12 April 2011 to start BU. She no longer exist.

HLS Illustrious was laid down at Swan Hunter, Tyne on 7 October 1976. This time, delays were averted and construciton was swift. She was indeed launched (by Princess Margaret) on 1 December 1978 and while fittong out, the Falklands War flared so work proceeded at a feverish pace. Still, the war went on quickly and was in fact over before this could be completed. She stayed in home waters after the war ended, as the RAF airfield on the Falkland Islands was repaired, and the Fleet Air Arm remained with Invincible staying and Hermes leaving. The lead ship stayed until September 1982 and was to be relieved by Illustrious, rapidly deployed after a rushed completion with 809 NAS (Sea Harrier) and 814 NAS (Sea King) on board. She also carried two more Sea Kings (824 NAS), converted for the AEW role, one lesson of the Falklands war. She was in fact commissioned underway at sea, carrying Rear Admiral Derek Reffell (3rd Flotilla). When the RAF airfield was fully operational, HLS Illustrious returned home, but not before making a full shakedown cruise/workup with at least a formal commission on 20 March 1983.
She took part later in several NATO exercises for the remainder of the 1980s and received enhancements in refits such as the retofitting of Ark Royal’s new ski jump among others. Her ‘Extended Dockyard Assisted Maintenance Period (EDAMP)’ saw her her Sea Dart landed (12 million £) to reclaim hangar and deck space for 22 aircraft and preparations for the new GR7.

On 3 April 1986 her powerplant suffered a complete transmission breakdown. It was so bad her career was even put into question. It happened just at the start of a “show the flag” round trip at 00:30 at full power. It was established later conflicting gearbox tolerances caused frictions and heat that eventually ignited oil vapour inside the gearbox. It just exploded and the crew had to fight a raging fire for four hours. Sea Harriers left the board for safety and a Sea King as well with a patient suffering from smoke inhalation. The fire in the forward gearbox room, vertical trunking wa smastered eventually. She was assisted all this time by HMS Nottingham and the Ferry Sea Leopard. She had to return to Portsmouth to repair her aft engine room. Some questioned the justification for extensive repairs. When completed she was sent to the Far East and Singapore to resume Global 86 deployment.
In the 1994-95, she took part in the no-fly zone over Bosnia, rotating with her sisters. In 1998 she was in the Persian Gulf for Operation Southern Watch, an enforcement of the no-fly-zone over Iraq. In 2000 HMS Illustrious was flagship of TG 342.1 together with the LPH HMS Ocean, escorts HMS Argyll, Iron Duke, Chatham and Auxiliary ships to take part in Operation Palliser. An UN-sanctioned intevention to restore order in Sierra Leone.

In 2001 she took part in the large exercise, Saif Sareea II in Oman just as terrorist attacks destroyed the twin towers at the World Trade Center. She remained there whereas the rest of the TG returned home quickly. Illustrious kept its Royal Marines rteady for support in Afghanistan. She was ultimately relieved by HMMS Ocean in early 2002 and returned to Portsmouth. By mid-2003 she had another refit at Rosyth, new ski jump, better communications and reconfigurations to operate either as ASW or assault carrier and carry Harriers or only helicopters of various models. She was supposed to salso stay active until 2014, expected replacement by HMS Queen Elizabeth. She stayed in Portsmouth by December 2004 and had a refresher training in 2005, and her crew attended the ceremonies when Princess Margaret, passed out. Her daughter Lady Sarah Chatto became Illustrious “ship’s friend”.
She departed with HMS Gloucester to evacuate British citizens from Beirut (2006 Israel-Lebanon crisis) and took part later in Remembrance Day activities on the Thames on 10 November 2006, moored at Wood Wharf and off the Royal Naval College until the 15th for a Falklands War commemorative event.

Fixed wing aircraft from the USMC arranged on Illustrious; ten AV-8B Harriers are lined up with, at the rear, an MV-22 Osprey

HMS Illustrious had two weeks of fixed wing exercises in the North Sea, off Hartlepool by March 2007. She saw seven GR9 Harriers (4th Squadron RAF) making touch-down to test possible interoperability. There was an accident with chemical cleaning and 7 of her crew were airlifted Middlesbrough hospital on 13 March. From 25 to 30 May 2007 she had a presence in the Baltic Sea and was the first British carrier to visit Tallinn which doubled as a diplomatic visit and exercises with Estonian Defence Forces.
By July 2007, she took part in a Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFX) off the US east coast, carying her max Harrier capacity, 14 USMC AV8B Harrier II and 200 US Marines and also tested the MV-22 Osprey. She was back on Portsmouth in August. On 21 January 2008 she headed the international Task Group 328.01 for Operation Orion 08 from January to May 2008 with show the flag and diplomatic visits to twenty Med. ports as well as to the Middle East and south-east Asia ia the Indian ocean. Before departing however on 23 January 2007 she sailed back while off southern England after a minor fault in a meat freezer which neded repairs for these warmer climates. In fact she almost flew in an emergency plumber whilst in the English Channel. She departed again on 24 January and notably visited Valletta in Malta on 26–29 February 2008, a long time it did not happen with the British carrier. Her trip was rediffused on Channel 5, aired on 19 May 2008 while under command of Captain Steve Chick CBE BSc.
She took part in the 2008 navy open-day wuth a mockup of the F-35 Joint Combat Aircraft on board, setup to replace the Harrier.
On 17 October she sailed with HMS Cattistock into Liverpool and was open to the public on Saturday 18 October. On 4 November she was at Greenwich for RN remembrance week.
On 7 May 2009 she took part in Greenwich RN centennial celebration of naval aviation.
From 8 June she took part in exercise Loyal Arrow, northern Sweden, until 16 June. On the 17th she stopped in Tallinn. On the 27th she was in Oslo. On 22 October she was back at Liverpool for a 6-day visit at the cruise terminal. She was open to the public on 25–26 October, leaving the following day.

The new Strategic Defence and Security Review pleaded for the retirement of the British Harrier force and Ark Royal modifications. There was a study to retain Illustrious or Ocean as the most viable helicopter platform. Ocean was chosen, so by May 2011, Illustrious had a £40 million refit and her sea trials in late July 2011 as now an auxiliary helicopter carrier to replace Ocean in long refit to be completed by 2014. HMS Illustrious was withdrawn and the MoD announced on 12 September 2012 she would be preserved as a memorial.
By March 2012, still, she took part NATO winter war games Cold Response with Bulwark, Mounts Bay off northern Norway as an helicopter carrier. She was awarded the Bambara Trophy for the best flight safety record. Next she took part in Exercise Joint Warrior with the Norwegian, Dutch,, US fleet and sailed south for the Meditarrenan and exercize Cougar 12. In May 2013 she was present for the 70th Anniversary of The Battle of the Atlantic Commemorations on the River Thames, Greenwich and venue for a charity reception.
In 2013 she also took part in this year’s Exercise COUGAR with HMS Bulwark, Westminster, Montrose, six RFA vessels. In December she assisted the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan disaster for relief. She was back to Portsmouth on 10 January 2014.
By July 2014 she ws in drydoc maintenance adjacent to HMS Queen Elizabeth while in completion (formally named on 4 July 2014). She sailed for HMNB Portsmouth on 22 July and was decommissioned on 28 August 2014.
Preservation hopes were shattered however due to lack of fincancial support: By August 2014 Kingston upon Hull and two other cities submitted bids all judged non viable. On 6 May 2016 the Disposal Authority signified she would be recycled and she was sold to the same Turkish scrapyard as Invincible, towed there from 7 December 2016.

Ark Royal, 5th of the name, was laid instead at Swan Hunter at Wallsend, 7 December 1978 as Indomitable. She was renamed and launched on 2 June 1981, sponsored by The Queen Mother, commissioned on 1 November 1985. It seems the renaming, logical to follow the class naming, was due to the public resentment over the scrapping of Ark Royal, UK’s last fleet aircraft carrier. There was indeed since WW1 always an HMS Ark Royal acting as “aircraft” carrier in service. The first was a 1914 seaplane carrier. The second was the largest purpose built British fleet carrier to date (1937) and the third the 1955 launched fleet carrier started in WW2 and completed to operate jets, including the massive F4 Phantom.
in 1980 announcement of the renaming was approved, but she was still unfinished when reported offered for sale to the RAN in alternative to Invincible in 1981 buut the Falkland war deciced otherwise. She took no part in this war, being completed way after the events on 1 November 1985.
Missing logs hee. She was deployed in 1993 to the Adriatic (Bosnian War) under Captain Terry Loughran. In May 1999 she was refitted and overhauled (details prior).
She was recommissioned on 22 November 2001 by Queen Elizabeth and her first large deployment was a combat mission in the Persian Gulf, as part of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq under command of Captain Alan Massey but only loaded with helicopters. Two Westland Sea King from 849 NAS collided mid-air, with six British and one American losses. Her deployment ended as a documentary on Channel 5.
Missing logs 2002-2004.

In April 2004, she started her refit as she was relieved by Illustrious returning to service. Under Captain Mike Mansergh she was recommissioned again on August 2006. She was fully operational by 28 October, with ten weeks of training, sea trials as an helicopter carrier to replace HMS Ocean in refit. On 16 November 2006 she tested flew a WAH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
On 22 March 2007 her £18 million refit was declared complete. In May she resumed Flagship service in place of Illustrious, and o 31 July 2008, Captain John Clink took command. In October she took part in Exercise Joint Warrior 08-2 off the Eastern US coast. In January 2009, she visited Liverpool and the River Tyne with 108 Cadets from the Sea Cadet Corps and Combined Cadet Force.

After the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption completely stopping commercial traffic over norther Europe, PM Gordon Brown assigned Ark Royal and Ocean to rescue stranded travellers in Operation Cunningham. In June 2010 she was in Halifax for the RCAN Centennial Celebrations, hosting PM David Cameron en route to the Toronto G20 summit. She test-landed a V-22 Osprey.
On 19 October 2010 she was reported scheduled for decommission earlier than expected after a new spending review, seeing this as part of a 8% cut to the budget and replacement by HMS Prince of Wales, sister ship of the new QE II. A popular campaign started in November 2010 to retain her name for one of the new carriers. On 3 December 2010, HMS Albion was announced as new flagship in replacement for “The Mighty Ark”.

On 19 October, she arrived at Portsmouth for decommission but on 5 November she was visited by Queen Elizabeth at Portsmouth. Next she sailed for Loch Long to have her munitions removed. She left the Clyde on 17 November via North Shields (18–22 November) and Hamburg (25-30), a last farewell overseas visit and later launching for the last time four Harrier GR9s on 24 November.
She was back in Portsmouth at 9.40 am, 3 December 2010 flying her decommission pennant, taking part in a crew’s farewell parade held in Guildhall Square on 22 January 2011 and in Leeds. Formal decommissioning was at Portsmouth on 11 March 2011. Her last crew member left the board on 25 May.
The MoD reviewed pst-decommission options, scrapping, selling, recycling, with possible reconversion as an hotel, casino, museum ship or just attraction at the Royal Docks, east London or Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire but the annual cost estimated to £1 million drenched these hopes. She clloudl be also turned into a floating helipad at Royal Albert Dock or an hospital ship for humanitarian disasters, or even scuttling her as artificial reef off the Devonshire coast.
On 28 March 2011 it was announced her sale by auction from 6 July. By September 2012 she had been sold to Leyal Ship Recycling in Turkey for £2.9m, following both her sisters. She left UK in two for the first time on 20 May 2013 and arrived in Aliağa on 10 June 2013.

Succession: The QE 2 class

The numerous delays encountered by the QE 2 program ment the Invincible class had to be kept longer into service. The Sea Harrier were officially retired on 1 April 2006, replaced by the GR9 until retired in 2010. Invincible was decommissioned in July 2005, mothballed until September 2010 and started BU at Leyal Ship Recycling in Turkey while Ark Royal became the new flagship, planned for decommission in 2016, but retired in 2010 after the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Illustrious became an assault LHP but was retired in 2014, being laid and BU in Turkey from 7 December 2016.

Two much, much larger Queen Elizabeth-class were designed as true aircraft carriers (albeit still STOBAR) to replace the Invincible class and HMS Queen Elizabeth, was commissioned in late 2017, leaving four years in which the UK was left without aicraft carrier for the first time in its history, since 1917, so inronically 100 years from HMS Furious. The new carriers were displacing 65,000 tonnes, three times the “through deck cruisers”.

For the QE2, Delays amounted to several factors. First there was, following the contruction of Charles de Gaulle in France the Marine Nationale expressed the need for a cheaper, conventional carrier (The PA2) and looked at a joint venture with BAE which worked at the same time at the QE 2 design. It was not all fixed between a STOBAR/CATOBAR. However ultimately the PA2 was cancelled and the RN webnt for a final STOBAR design operating the F.35 Lighting II in replacement for the Harrier.

Read More/Src

Books

Waters, Conrad (December 2016), “Invincible Class Aircraft Carriers”, Ships Monthly: 33–39

Links

https://www.navypedia.org/ships/uk/brit_cv_invincible.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invincible-class_aircraft_carrier
https://web.archive.org/web/20120117044121/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/The-Fleet/Ships/Assault-Ships/HMS-Illustrious
https://web.archive.org/web/20080619043019/http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/invincible/index.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20140913152918/http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/barrow-built-invincible-thrown-out-of-the-navy-1.765422?referrerPath=home
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8165331/Aircraft-carrier-HMS-Invincible-is-put-up-for-sale.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-12396523
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-12845457
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8376386/Ark-Royal-decommissioning-marks-end-of-a-long-and-celebrated-history.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20110623061953/http://news.stv.tv/scotland/east-central/258714-hms-illustrious-leaves-rosyth-after-40m-refit/
https://web.archive.org/web/20120426045355/http://www.naval-review.co.uk/issues/1999-1.pdf
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/invincible-class-notes.11062/
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/changes-to-royal-navys-surface-fleet-announced
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Royal_Navy_ships

Videos

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Invincible class on scalemates.com

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on 3dwarehouse.