British Aircraft Carriers

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the naval arm of the British armed services. The Royal Navy has been playing a prominent role in Britain's military aspirations throughout the world, and is active since 1707. With a manpower of 37,500 individuals and 89 ships to its credit, it is one of the largest naval unit in the World.

The history of Royal Navy saw magnificent aircraft carriers such as the HMS Ark Royal (91), HMS Audacious (D29), HMS Eagle (94), HMS Bulwark (R08) and HMS Hermes (R12). A group of light aircraft carriers currently operating under the Royal Navy is called the Invincible-class. Succeeding the Centaur-class, the Invincible-class was commissioned on 11th July, 1980. The active vessels in this group are HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal. (HMS is an abbreviation for Her Majesty's Ship).

HMS Illustrious

The HMS Illustrious is a light aircraft carrier of the Invincible-class operating for the British Royal Navy. Its pennant number is R06. It was built by the Swan Hunter shipbuilding company in the UK and launched on 14th December, 1978. HMS Illustrious was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 20th June, 1982. The 209 m long vessel can accelerate to a maximum speed 30 knots. It has a maximum range of 5000 nautical miles. It has the capacity to carry 22 aircraft aboard, including Harrier GR.7/9, Sea King AsaC and Merlin HM Mk.1 helicopters. Weapons on this vessel include three Goalkeeper CIWS and two GAM-B01 20 mm close-range guns. The vessel first came in action in 1982, when it was stationed at Falkland Islands anticipating the Argentine attack. In the 1990s it helped in maintaining a no-fly zone over Bosnia, and later over Southern Iraq. It led Operation Palliser, a British Armed forces operation in Sierra Leone, in 2002. In 2006, it helped in evacuating the British citizens stuck in Beirut during the Middle-East crisis. Its motto is Vox Non Incerta ( which means 'No Uncertain Sound' in Latin).

HMS Ark Royal

The HMS Ark Royal is the last of the British aircraft carriers, built as a part of the Invincible-class of the Royal Navy. Its pennant number is R07. It was also built by the Swan Hunter shipbuilding company and launched on 2nd June, 1981. It was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 1st November, 1985. The vessel can notch up a speed of 30+ knots and has a range of 5000 nautical miles at an average speed of 18 knots. The aircraft carried by this vessel include Harrier GR.7/9 Strike aircraft, Sea King ASaC and Merlin HM Mk.1 helicopters. The HMS Ark Royal is also armed with three Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS and two GAM-B01 20 mm guns. In 1993, HMS Ark Royal was deployed in the Adriatic Sea for the ongoing Bosnian War while in 2003, it was used in the invasion of Iraq. Its motto is 'Zeal Does Not Rest'.

In future, the Invincible-class aircraft carriers will be replaced by the Queen Elizabeth class. Currently under development, the Queen Elizabeth class consists of two vessels; HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. Ordered on 20th May, 2008, these vessels are being built by BAE Systems and VT Group. These will be the largest warships ever built in the United Kingdom. These 280 m long vessels will have a capacity to carry 40 aircraft or 25 Chinook helicopters aboard it. Their maximum range would be 10,000 nautical miles. The ships would be stationed at the Portsmouth operating base of the Royal Navy. These super carriers are anticipated to join the service by 2018. The inclusion of Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers into the British Royal Navy will make the already strong establishment, stronger and faster on the technological front.