World Aircraft Carriers List: RN Postwar Attack Carriers

Revised 24 April 2000
Version 2.03
Compiled and Maintained by: Andrew Toppan
World Aircraft Carrier Lists Main Page: http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/

Note: This list includes only RN ships built, or reconstructed, to modern angled-deck designs, and new-design postwar ships; i.e. the first-line postwar RN carrier force. War-era ships updated with minimal angled decks, and ships completed to modern designs for foreign navies, are not listed.

Ark Royal (R09)
Victorious (R38)
Hermes (R12)
Eagle (R05)
CVA 01 Project
Future Carriers Study


Ark Royal attack aircraft carrier

Displacement: 53,060 tons full load
Dimensions: 720 x 112.5 x 31 feet/219.5 x 34.3 x 9.4 meters
Extreme Dimensions: 803.5 x ?? x 31 feet/245 x ?? x 9.4 meters
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 8 boilers, 4 shafts, 152,000 shp, 32 knots
Crew: 2740 (?)
Armor: 4.5 inch belt, 1.5 inch hangar side, 4 inch flight deck
Armament: 6 dual 4.5/50 AA, 6 6-barrel 40 mm AA, 4 dual 40 mm AA, 6 single 40 mm AA
Aircraft: 50

Concept/Program: A wartime design, but suspended at the close of hostilities and completed to an extensively modernized design. Was RN's first large, modern carrier of the postwar era. Her former sistership Eagle was completed and modernized to a different design.

Design: Completed to a completely modern design, with an angled deck, englarged island, new electronics fit, and all other changes needed to bring the ship fully up to date. This ship was a continual maintenance problem throughout her career.

Modifications: Refitted 1959 with armament reduced to 4 dual 4.5/50, 4 6-barrel, 2 dual 40 mm, 48 aircraft. Major refit 3/1967 to 1970 with all guns removed; provision for 4 Sea Cat SAM but missiles not installed, aircraft complement reduced to 36. Final displacement 53,060 tons full load.

Operational: Served in front-line roles throughout her career; was the last RN carrier operating conventional fighter and attack aircraft. A specially fitted stores ship was assigned to support the logistical requirements of the ship and her aircraft.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Was worn out by 1972 and scheduled for scrapping mid-1970's, but remained in service due to cancellation of her replacement. Finally decommissioned 4 Dec 1978. Preservation effort failed.


Ark Royal
ex-Irresistible
R09
"O" (1955-1957), "R" (1957-1978)
Photos: [As completed], [After 1970 refit].

Built by Cammell Laird. Laid down 3 May 1943, renamed 1945, suspended postwar but work resumed, launched 3 May 1950, completed 25 Feb 1955 as an attack carrier.

Refitted 21 July 1958 to 28 December 1959, major refit 4 October 1966 to 24 February 1970..

Decommissioned 4 Dec 1978. Preservation effort failed; sold 1980 and subsequently scrapped.

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Victorious attack aircraft carrier

Displacement: 35,500 tons full load
Dimensions: 740 x 103.5 x 31 feet/225.5 x 21.5 x 9.5 meters
Extreme Dimensions: 781 x 157 x 31 feet/238 x 47.9 x 9.5 meters
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 6 boilers, 3 shafts, 110,000 shp, 31 knots
Armor: 4 inch belt and hangar sides, 3 inch flight deck
Crew: 2400
Armament: 6 dual 3/50, 6 40 mm
Aircraft: 36

Concept/Program: A WWII-era carrier completely rebuilt postwar to serve as an attack carrier. Plans to convert two sisterships were cancelled due to thier poor condition.

Design/Conversion: Complete reconstruction 1950-1958: totally gutted and stripped of all structure down to hangar floor, hull widened, deepened and lengthened, machinery replaced, hangar and angled flight deck rebuilt, new capapults fitted. Was an essentially new ship following reconstruction.

Modifications: Refitted 1962-63 with 2 dual 3/50 and all 40 mm removed, flight deck strengthened and enlarged.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Suffered minor fire while in refit 1968; it was decided not to repair the damage and the ship was decommissioned due to carrier force level cuts.


Victorious
38 - R23 - 38 - R38
"V"
Photos: [Victorious as completed], [During WWII], [After postwar reconstruction].

Built by Vickers-Armstrong, Tyne. Laid down 4 May 1937, launched 14 Sept 1939, commissioned 29 May 1941. Served on Malta relief runs in 1942. Loaned to the US flet 20 November 1942 and refitted at Norfolk; served with the US Pacific Fleet 2/1943 to 8/1943. After operations against Tirpitz transferred to the Pacific 6/1944. Kamikaze hit with minor damage 9 May 1945. RN designation changed to R23 circa 1945 for service in the Pacific; returned to previous designation postwar.

Served as a troopship postwar. Decommissioned to reserve 1/1947 due to lack of crew, but recommissioned as a harbor training ship 10/1947. Designation changed to R38 under NATO designation system. Extensively reconstructed starting 3/1950, at Portsmouth Dockyard, recommissioned 14 Jan 1958 as an attack carrier.

Minor fire while in refit 11/1967; it was decicded not to repair the damage and the ship was decommissioned 13 March 1968 due to carrier force level cuts. Sold 1969 and scrapped at Faslane starting 7/1969.

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Eagle attack aircraft carrier

Displacement: 53,390 tons full load
Dimensions: 720 x 112.5 x 36 feet/219.5 x 34.3 x 11 meters
Extreme Dimensions: 811.5 x 171 x 36 feet/247.4 x 52 x 11 meters
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 8 boilers, 4 shafts, 152,000 shp, 32 knots
Crew: unknown
Armor: 4.5 inch belt, 1.5 inch hangar side, 4 inch flight deck
Armament: 4 dual 4.5/50, 6 Sea Cat SAM
Aircraft: 45

Concept/Program: A wartime design, suspended at the close of hostilities and completed to slightly modifified design. Later reconstructed to a completely modernized design, bringing this ship up to the standard of Victorious. Her final design was different from that of her former sister Ark Royal.

Design/Conversion: Refitted to a completely modern design, with an angled deck, englarged island, new electronics fit, and all other changes needed to bring the ship fully up to date. This ship was a continual maintenance problem throughout her career.

Operational: Served in front-line roles throughout her career.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Decommissioned 1972 and nominally laid up in reserve, but stripped of parts to keep Ark Royal functional.


Eagle
ex-Audacious
R05
"J" (1953-1957), "E" (1957-1972)
Photos: [Eagle as completed], [Refitted with angled deck], [After 1959-64 reconstruction].

Built by Harland & Wolff. Laid down 24 Oct 1942, renamed 1/1946, launched 19 March 1946, suspended postwar but work resumed and completed 1 March 1951. Refitted 6/1954-2/1955; fitted with a minimal angled deck and some AA guns were removed. Served at Suez in 1956.

Decommissioned for refit 11 May 1959, recontructed at Devonport Dockyard 30 Oct 1959 to 14 May 1964 as an attack carrier.

Decommissioned to reserve early 1972, but stripped of parts to maintain Ark Royal. Sold 1978 and scrapped starting 10/1978.

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Hermes attack aircraft carrier

Displacement: 28,700 tons full load
Dimensions: 650 x 90 x 29 feet/198 x 27.4 x 8.8 meters
Extreme Dimensions: 744 x 144.5 x 29 feet/226.7 x 44 x 8.8 meters (later 160 feet/48.7 meters beam)
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 4 boilers, 2 shafts, 76,000 shp, 28 knots
Crew: 1830 + 270 air group
Armor: thin armored decks
Armament: 5 dual 40 mm
Aircraft: 28

Concept/Program: Initially designed as an "intermediate" fleet carrier, but suspended at the close of hostilities and completed to an extensively modernized design.

Design: Completed to a completely modern design, with an angled deck, englarged island, new electronics fit, and all other changes needed to bring the ship fully up to date.

Modifications: Refitted 1964-1966 with 40mm removed and 2 quad Sea Cat SAM launchers fitted.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Obsolete by the late 1960's due to small size, so she was was converted to a commando carrier in 1971; she replaced Albion and had berths for 750 troops. After service in the commando, ASW and VSTOL roles, she was decommissioned post-Falklands.


Hermes
ex-Elephant
61 - R12
"H"
Photos: [Hermes as completed], [After 1960's refit], [As an ASW carrier], [As a VSTOL carrier], [As Indian Viraat].

Built by Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow. Laid down 21 June 1944, renamed 11/1945, construction suspended following WWII. Construction resumed mid-1950's, commissioned 25 Nov 1959.

Initially operated as a light fleet carrier. Refitted 24 Feb 1964-5/1966. Decommissioned to reserve 14 July 1970. Converted to a commando carrier at Devenport Dockyard 1 March 1971 to 18 Aug 1973. Converted to ASW carrier 10 May 1976 to 10 Dec 1976, then replaced in ASW role by Bulwark and converted to VSTOL (Harrier) carrier.

Had been scheduled for decommissioning, but retained for Falklands service. Decommissioned to reserve 12 April 1984, stricken for disposal 1 July 1985. Sold to India 19 April 1986, refitted prior to transfer, commissioned 12 May 1987 as INS Viraat (R22), formally recommissioned in India 15 Feb 1989. Has undergone minor armament modifications in Indian service. Will require replacement by 2005.

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CVA 01 Project attack aircraft carriers

Displacement: 54,500 tons full load
Dimensions: 890 x 122 x 33.5 feet/271.3 x 37.2 x 10.2 meters
Extreme Dimensions: 963 x 234 x 33.5 feet/293.5 x 71.3 x 10.2 meters
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 6 boilers, 3 shafts, 135,000 shp, 30 knots
Crew: 3230
Armor: magazines 1.5-2.5 inches, 1.25 inch flight deck, 1 inch over machinery spaces
Armament: 1 Sea Dart SAM
Aircraft: 47 total: 36 fighter & attack aircraft, 4 AEW, 2 SAR helos, 5 ASW helos

Concept/Program: A completely new design intended to replace the various modernized WWII-era carrers remaining in service in the 1960's. The project was subject to extreme political pressures in the form of arbitrary displacement limits, and attempted to use a great deal of new or unusual technology, especially in terms of flight deck arrangement, armament and electronics outfit. Attempts to squeeze the design into the allowable displacement lead to still more innovative (and complex) technology and compromise of construction standards. In the end the project had to be cancelled, both because of the politcal climate and because the design was completely unworkable. The final cancellation took place 2/1966.

Note: There is considerable disagreement regarding the "final" specifications of the design. The specifications stated above were those dated 11-12/1965 and scheduled for issue to shipbuilders in 1/1966; their issue was delayed just prior to project cancellation in 2/1966. They are, therefore, the final and most accurate specifications for the proposed ships.


Photos: [Artist's sketch - forward], [Artist's sketch - aft].

CVA 01
CVA 02

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Future Carrier Study

Concept/Program: For several years the Royal Navy has been considering options for replacing the Invincible class VSTOL carriers. Options included a life extension for the existing ships, construction of 3 VSTOL carriers roughly the same size as the existing ships, or construction of 2 or 3 larger carriers. The 1998 Strategic Defense Review favored the construction of two larger carriers.

Current plans call for construction of two carriers, each around 40,000 tons displacment and carring about 50 aircraft. The first ship is to be completed in 2012, and the second in 2015. Although no official decision has been made, it is generally thought that the CVFs will operate Joint Strike Fighters (JSFs) in a conventional takeoff/landing (CTOL) mode, or perhaps in a short takeoff/arrested landing (STOBAR) mode. These will be the largest warships ever constructed in the UK.

Two competing teams are currently engaged in initial conceptual studies for the CVF program. One team is lead by BAE Systems, with Rolls-Royce and Harland & Wolff as team members; the other team is lead by Thomson-CSF with Raytheon Systems Co. and BMT Defense Services, LTD. The final contractor choice will be made late in 2003, and the ships will be ordered early in 2004.

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The World Aircraft Carrier Lists
Compiled and Maintained by Andrew Toppan (actoppan@hazegray.org)
Copyright © 1995-2000 by Andrew Toppan
Reproduction, reuse or distribution without permission is prohibited