5 UK Aircraft Carriers

Introduction to UK Aircraft Carriers

The United Kingdom has a long history of operating aircraft carriers, with the first carrier, HMS Argus, being commissioned in 1918. Since then, the UK has operated a total of 15 aircraft carriers, with the most recent one being HMS Queen Elizabeth, which was commissioned in 2017. In this blog post, we will take a look at 5 of the most notable UK aircraft carriers, their history, and their specifications.

HMS Queen Elizabeth

The HMS Queen Elizabeth is the newest and largest aircraft carrier in the UK’s fleet. It was commissioned in 2017 and has a displacement of over 65,000 tons. The carrier is equipped with a range of advanced systems, including a short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability, which allows it to operate the F-35B Lightning II jet. The HMS Queen Elizabeth has a crew of over 1,000 personnel and is capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft.

HMS Prince of Wales

The HMS Prince of Wales is the second of the UK’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. It was commissioned in 2019 and has a similar design to the HMS Queen Elizabeth. The carrier has a displacement of over 65,000 tons and is equipped with a range of advanced systems, including a phased array radar and a helicopter landing system. The HMS Prince of Wales has a crew of over 1,000 personnel and is capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft.

HMS Invincible

The HMS Invincible was a light aircraft carrier that was commissioned in 1980. It had a displacement of over 20,000 tons and was equipped with a range of systems, including a ski-jump ramp and a harrier landing system. The HMS Invincible played a key role in the Falklands War and was decommissioned in 2005. The carrier had a crew of over 700 personnel and was capable of carrying up to 20 aircraft.

HMS Ark Royal

The HMS Ark Royal was an audacious-class aircraft carrier that was commissioned in 1955. It had a displacement of over 30,000 tons and was equipped with a range of systems, including a cathapult system and a arrester system. The HMS Ark Royal played a key role in the Suez Crisis and was decommissioned in 1979. The carrier had a crew of over 1,500 personnel and was capable of carrying up to 50 aircraft.

HMS Eagle

The HMS Eagle was an audacious-class aircraft carrier that was commissioned in 1951. It had a displacement of over 40,000 tons and was equipped with a range of systems, including a cathapult system and a arrester system. The HMS Eagle played a key role in the Suez Crisis and was decommissioned in 1972. The carrier had a crew of over 1,500 personnel and was capable of carrying up to 50 aircraft.

💡 Note: The UK's aircraft carriers have played a key role in the country's military history, with many of them seeing action in major conflicts.

Here are some key specifications of the 5 UK aircraft carriers:

Carrier	Displacement	Crew	Aircraft Capacity
HMS Queen Elizabeth	65,000 tons	1,000 personnel	40 aircraft
HMS Prince of Wales	65,000 tons	1,000 personnel	40 aircraft
HMS Invincible	20,000 tons	700 personnel	20 aircraft
HMS Ark Royal	30,000 tons	1,500 personnel	50 aircraft
HMS Eagle	40,000 tons	1,500 personnel	50 aircraft

In summary, the UK’s aircraft carriers have played a key role in the country’s military history, with many of them seeing action in major conflicts. The HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales are the newest and largest aircraft carriers in the UK’s fleet, while the HMS Invincible, HMS Ark Royal, and HMS Eagle are notable for their service in previous conflicts.