Considering we're on the cusp of putting planes on carriers again I'd like to take a moment to look at the previous generation of carriers. Back when we had THREE! *cue gasps from the audience*. 
I am, of course, talking about the Invincible class carriers; otherwise known as CVS.
(CVS is the acronym for an anti-submarine carrier, this will become rather important soon).
(CVS is the acronym for an anti-submarine carrier, this will become rather important soon).
These ships were designed and developed by the RN during its recovery from a period of profound institutional upheaval caused by the 1966 decision not to pursue a new class of large aircraft carrier, CVA-01, and the 1968 decision to withdraw forces from 'East of Suez' by 1972.
During the late 1960s the Royal Navy under First Sea Lords Varyl Begg and Michel Le Fanu began to take the decisions which would produce the Invincible class.
Their visions for the ships could not have been more different but both had significant influence on the final design.
Their visions for the ships could not have been more different but both had significant influence on the final design.
Begg was faced with the problem of dealing with the immediate consequences of the 1966 carrier decision. His predecessor, David Luce, having resigned in protest.
The government's position on carriers was clear. In response Begg pursued a highly conservative agenda on new ships.
The government's position on carriers was clear. In response Begg pursued a highly conservative agenda on new ships.
The large and expensive Type 82 'Bristol' class destroyers planned to escort the large carriers (before they were cancelled) would be capped at one ship, built as a testbed for new technologies such as the 4.5" Mk.8 naval gun, Sea Dart missile system and ADAWS computer system.
These would be replaced by a new, more austere, air defence destroyer. What eventually became Type 42. 14 were built for the Royal Navy between 1968 and 1980.
Begg's ruthless avoidance of 'gold plate' showed clearest in Type 42, but whilst his vision for the destroyer was (largely) the one that got built another major design programme was also underway at the same time.
This was the cruiser replacement.
After torturous extended build periods, repeated construction pauses over several decades (stretching back into the Second World War), numerous redesigns and a complete rebuild of two ships the Royal Navy of the late 1960s was in possession of
After torturous extended build periods, repeated construction pauses over several decades (stretching back into the Second World War), numerous redesigns and a complete rebuild of two ships the Royal Navy of the late 1960s was in possession of
two heavily modified 6 inch gun cruisers, Tiger and Blake (with a third, unconverted, ship; Lion, in reserve until 1975).
These odd and more than a little anachronistic ships provided command and control facilities for task groups and had been upgraded with a spacious hangar.
These odd and more than a little anachronistic ships provided command and control facilities for task groups and had been upgraded with a spacious hangar.
Their revised role was to carry new Anti-Submarine helicopters, in support of task group operations (geared to confront the Soviets on NATO's maritime flanks; in the North Sea and Mediterranean) combining one of the Royal Navy's newer assets with some of its oldest.
Even so, they were always awkward and expensive ships bodged into a role they weren't really designed for.
Begg's design team began looking at the cruiser replacement in terms of a 'conventional' cruiser-style ship.
More or less a re-do of the existing ships, replacing the WW2 era gun armament with missiles.
More or less a re-do of the existing ships, replacing the WW2 era gun armament with missiles.
While 'through deck' (designs with a carrier-like flat top) options were floated as far as we understand Begg did not wish to take the risk pursuing something which looked like a carrier so soon after the 1966 decision. Fearing, possibly justifiably, the cruiser's cancellation.
His successor, Michel Le Fanu, (a former carrier captain, having commanded HMS Eagle) proved far more willing to entertain the 'through deck' options put on ice by Begg.
Instead of the half way house between a traditional cruiser and a helicopter carrier these ships would
Instead of the half way house between a traditional cruiser and a helicopter carrier these ships would
largely forgo an extensive missile and gun armament in favour of a flush deck well suited to anti-submarine helicopter operations.
This was a role which had been developed with the existing light fleet carriers Hermes and Bulwark (which had become too small to operate modern jets by the 1960s and had spent their time as helicopter carrying commando carriers until the 1970s when their role changed to ASW).
So while on paper the new cruiser (officially 'through deck command cruiser', to avoid the political stigma attached to aircraft carriers at the time) was intended to replace Tiger and Blake in effect they were to be helicopter platforms, closer in form to Hermes and Bulwark.
Many of their later issues would stem from this blending of cruiser and carrier.
For the time though the design was reasonably innovative, some of the largest ships to feature all gas turbine propulsion with four marinised Rolls Royce Olympus engines (the same as on Concorde).
For the time though the design was reasonably innovative, some of the largest ships to feature all gas turbine propulsion with four marinised Rolls Royce Olympus engines (the same as on Concorde).
In total three ships would be laid down and built during the 1970s: Invincible, Illustrious and Indomitable.
Due to the public reaction to the decommissioning of the Audacious class carrier Ark Royal, made popular in no small part due to her role in the Television Show "Sailor",
Due to the public reaction to the decommissioning of the Audacious class carrier Ark Royal, made popular in no small part due to her role in the Television Show "Sailor",
It was decided to re-name the last ship Ark Royal prior to her commissioning.
Enter stage left the Sea Harrier FRS.1 (standing for Fighter, Reconnaissance and Strike).
Since the 1950s the British aviation industry had been developing a range of prototype aircraft capable of short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL).
Since the 1950s the British aviation industry had been developing a range of prototype aircraft capable of short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL).
The Harrier was, in effect a progression from the Hawker Siddley P.1127 'Kestrel' prototypes of the 1960s. A larger, twin engine, version (the P.1154) was cancelled in 1965. The first models, dubbed GR.1 (Ground Attack and Reconnaissance) entered service with the RAF in 1969.
Already having done extensive work with STOVL aircraft, and with a new and somewhat more favourable government in Westminster, the navy ordered the first 24 Sea Harriers in 1975, with an additional ten added to the order in 1978.
Whilst fixed wing aviation at sea had survived, by the skin of its teeth, the role of the new Sea Harriers was very much a limited one.
The CVS would carry five aircraft apiece in order to conduct reconaissance and intercept long range missile-armed Soviet patrol aircraft.
The CVS would carry five aircraft apiece in order to conduct reconaissance and intercept long range missile-armed Soviet patrol aircraft.
Overall air defence of the fleet would remain the primary duty of the RAF, with the Sea Harrier acting as the quick reaction force to deal with emergent threats to the task group.
During the late 1970s further trials were done using a simple ramp to assist the aircraft on takeoff. This would become the iconic 'ski-jump' which has adornined UK carriers ever since.
A large 12 degree ski-jump was retrofitted to Hermes, while CVS received a 7 degree ramp.
A large 12 degree ski-jump was retrofitted to Hermes, while CVS received a 7 degree ramp.
The Harrier and the navy's innovative new carrier model would be pushed far beyond its limits in the 1982 Falklands War.
The elderly Hermes and the brand new Invincible sailed to the South Atlantic with their small flight decks and hangars jammed with aircraft.
The elderly Hermes and the brand new Invincible sailed to the South Atlantic with their small flight decks and hangars jammed with aircraft.
Neither the ships nor the aircraft had been designed (or, in the case of Hermes, re-designed) to provide fleet air defence alone.
As it was the crews, pilots and maintainers would strain every sinew to provide a degree of air cover for the critical amphibious forces.
As it was the crews, pilots and maintainers would strain every sinew to provide a degree of air cover for the critical amphibious forces.
Whilst the Falklands War had undoubtedly been CVS and Harrier's finest hour, saving all three ships and the Sea Harrier aircraft from cuts in the Nott review of 1981, it had cruelly exposed the ships' fundamental weaknesses.
It is somewhat sad to note that the heavy lifting in 1982 was done not by the new ship, but by the elderly WW2 vintage light fleet carrier Hermes.
Flying roughly 2/3rds of the combat sorties with Invincible making up the remaining 1/3rd.
Flying roughly 2/3rds of the combat sorties with Invincible making up the remaining 1/3rd.
Hermes was, ultimately and despite her age, the better designed fixed wing aviation platform. Incorporating, amongst many things, a side lift designed to raise aircraft from the hangar without obstructing the flight deck. Unlike Invincible's deck lifts intended for helicopters.
The ships served out the rest of the Cold War in relative quiet, conducting a number of global tours in the 1980s.
Illustrious, pictured relieving Invincible after the Falklands War, was one of the first RN ships to take the Phalanx missile defence gun system to sea.
Illustrious, pictured relieving Invincible after the Falklands War, was one of the first RN ships to take the Phalanx missile defence gun system to sea.
The RN later secured an upgraded version of the Sea Harrier, the FA.2 (standing for Fighter and Attack) which entered service in 1993 and saw use in the Balkan wars that spanned the decade.
The carriers saw a series of progressive modifications throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, mainly aimed at improving their fixed wing capabilities.
These eventually included the removal of the Sea Wolf missile system, in order to create additional deck space forward.
These eventually included the removal of the Sea Wolf missile system, in order to create additional deck space forward.
The Sea Harrier FA.2 was eventually retired in 2005, replaced by joint RAF/FAA Harriers, and the oldest of the ships, Invincible, placed into mothballs.
She would be progressively stripped of parts in order to keep the remaining ships going finally being disposed of in 2011.
She would be progressively stripped of parts in order to keep the remaining ships going finally being disposed of in 2011.
Ark Royal, still in build during the Falklands War and able to have some of the lessons of that conflict applied to her, prior to commissioning in 1985, became something of an icon. Attracting as much attention in the latter part of her career as her namesake did.
She, and the Joint Harrier force, were both decommissioned in late 2010 following sharp reductions laid down in the Strategic Defence and Security Review of that year.
The middle child, Illustrious, was run on until she finally bowed out in 2014 after 32 years service.
Somewhat fittingly returning to her roots as a helicopter platform for the last years of her life.
Somewhat fittingly returning to her roots as a helicopter platform for the last years of her life.
After thirty years of operating small carriers, for they were in the end carriers, in peace and war and in times of austerity and plenty the RN learned a great many things. It shaved off the rough edges where it could and people did their best with what they had to work with.
It often just about worked, it was occasionally "a damn close run thing".
And afterwards? In a very different world to 1966 the service took a blank piece of paper and applied the lessons.
Engaging Strategy, out.
And afterwards? In a very different world to 1966 the service took a blank piece of paper and applied the lessons.
Engaging Strategy, out.
