HMS Ark Royal (Invincible-class Aircraft Carriers)

Mission

The main roles of the Invincible-class Aircraft Carriers are:
- Provide the platform and facilities for the command and control of maritime and joint forces - as a flagship.
- Air defence using the latest variant of the Royal Navy Sea Harrier, FA2, coupled with the Airborne Early Warning Sea King helicopters.
- Power projection ashore using Royal Air Force Harrier GR7s escorted by Sea Harrier FA2s.
- Surface attack (shipping), battlefield interdiction (land targets) and reconnaissance, again using the GR7 and FA2.
- Anti-submarine warfare with the Merlin helicopter.
- Carry an embarked Royal Marine Commando unit and the associated Sea King Mark 4 helicopters.

Description and Specifications

The Royal Navy's three aircraft carriers (of which HMS Ark Royal is the largest and most up to date) together with their aircraft, offer a very potent form of sea power. They provide an excellent platform for command and control as well as extensive communications. This capability is complimented by the flexibility of the air group. Now, in addition to the advanced Sea Harrier FA2 Fighter/Attack aircraft, the aircraft carriers can carry RAF ground attack Harrier GR7s as well as a varied mix of military helicopters including large Chinook support helicopters. The mix can be tailored to whatever the operation needs and can be sustained indefinitely, independent of host nation support. Built by Swan Hunter, the Ark Royal contains many equipment improvements which will be fitted to her sister-ships in due course.

Her steeper, 12-degree takeoff ramp allows more deck space for aircraft, and she carries the most comprehensive communications suite ever fitted to a Royal Navy ship.

The latest radars and sonar are fitted, and in May she received three 20mm Phalanx radar controlled air defence guns which can produce a rapidly-fired " curtain" of metal in the path of approaching aircraft or missiles.

Those guns supplement her Sea Dart surface-to-air missiles, two 20mm visually aimed guns, and her Sea Gnat chaff system to deflect enemy missiles.

Her complement of aircraft includes Sea Harriers and Sea King anti-submarine and airborne early warning helicopters.


Facts and Figures

Displacement: 22,000 tonnes
Length: 209.1m / 686ft
Beam: 33.5m / 110ft
Speed: 28 kts
Complement: 685 Ship's company
386 Air Group personnel
Armament: 3 x Phalanx/Goalkeeper (CIWS)
2 x 20mm Close range guns
Aircraft: A mix of Sea Harriers FA2, RAF Harrier GR7, Sea King AEW and Merlin depending on ship's deployment
Propulsion: COGAG (Combined Gas and Gas), 2 Shafts
4 x Gas Turbines producing 72MW

Manufacturer

Swan Hunter (Tyneside, UK)