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The ''Invincible'' class was a class of light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Navy. Three ships were constructed, , and . The vessels were built as aviation-capable anti-submarine warfare (ASW) platforms to counter the Cold War North Atlantic Soviet submarine threat, and initially embarked Sea Harrier aircraft and Sea King HAS.1 anti-submarine helicopters. With the cancellation of CVA-01, the three ships became the replacements for ''Ark Royal'' and ''Eagle'' fleet carriers and the light fleet carriers, and the Royal Navy's sole class of aircraft carrier. The three vessels have seen active service in a number of locations, including the South Atlantic during the Falklands War, the Adriatic during the Bosnian War, and in the Middle East for the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. ''Invincible'' was decommissioned in 2005 and put in reserve in a low state of readiness.〔 〕〔 She was sold to a Turkish scrapyard in February 2011,〔 and left Portsmouth under tow on 24 March 2011.〔 Pursuant to the Strategic Defence and Security Review, 2010, ''Ark Royal'' followed, decommissioning on 13 March 2011. This left ''Illustrious'' as the sole remaining ship, serving as a helicopter carrier from 2011 to 2014 when it was decommissioned as well.〔 〕 After ''Invincible'' was decommissioned in 2005, and with the retiring of ''Illustrious'' in 2014, Royal Navy aircraft carrier usage has temporarily ceased. However, it will restart with the commissioning of the Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers, the first of which was launched in July 2014. ==Development== The ''Invincible'' class has its origins in a sketch design for a 6,000 ton, guided-missile armed, helicopter carrying escort cruiser intended as a complement to the much larger CVA-01-class fleet aircraft carrier. The cancellation of CVA-01 in 1966 meant that the smaller cruiser would now have to provide the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) taskforce with command and control facilities. Two new designs were prepared for this requirement;〔 a 12,500 ton cruiser with missiles forward, six Westland Sea King helicopters and a flight deck aft, somewhat similar to of the Italian Navy and a larger 17,500 ton vessel with a "through-deck", nine Sea Kings and missiles right forward. By 1970, the "through-deck" design had advanced into a Naval Staff Requirement for an 18,750-ton Through-Deck Command Cruiser (TDCC).〔 In February 1963, the Hawker P.1127 VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft had landed and taken-off from the carrier and the subsequent Hawker-Siddeley Kestrel had undergone trials from the "Commando carrier" (an aircraft carrier operating helicopters) . It was therefore perfectly possible that the new "cruisers" could be used to operate VTOL aircraft.〔(Hansard HC Deb 26 March 1969 vol 780 c303W ) ''Cruisers (V/STOL Aircraft)'' "''Mr. Wall'' asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the new cruisers will operate vertical/short take-off and landing aircraft; and when it is expected the first will be ordered. ''Mr. John Morris'' No decision has yet been taken whether vertical and short take-off and landing aircraft should be operated at sea. It is too early to say when the first of the new cruisers will be ordered."〕 The new ships were called "through-deck cruisers" and not "aircraft carrier". This was in part because CVA-01's cancellation was so recent, but also because the ships were intended to serve in traditional cruiser roles of C3I and anti-submarine warfare, and were constructed like cruisers. The "aircraft carrier" name did not officially appear in association with the ships until the 1980 Defence Estimates referred to the ''Invincible''s as such. Economic problems in the UK in the early 1970s delayed progress on the new ships, but the design continued to evolve. The order for the first ship was given to Vickers (Shipbuilding) on 17 April 1973.〔''Warships of the Royal Navy'', Capt. John E. Moore RN, Jane's Publishing, 1981, ISBN 0-7106-0105-0〕 By now, the design was for a 19,000 ton "CAH"〔 (helicopter carrying heavy cruiser, styled after the US Navy hull classification symbols) with up to fourteen aircraft and a Sea Dart missile launcher on the bows. The government decided that the carrier needed fixed-wing aircraft to defend against Soviet reconnaissance aircraft. In May 1975, it authorised the maritime version of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier,〔〔 which was successfully developed into the Sea Harrier. This meant that the design was reworked again to include a small complement of these VTOL aircraft. In order to launch a heavily-laden Harrier more efficiently by STOVL (short take-off vertical landing) from the comparatively short - - flight deck, a 'ski-jump' was developed. The slope was initially 7° when incorporated into ''Invincible'' and ''Illustrious'' and 12° for ''Ark Royal''. The class also has, since 1976,〔 a secondary role as an helicopter carrier, or LPH, in the reinforcement of NATO's Northern flank in Norway. In 1998, , with a hull form based on that of the ''Invincible'' class, was commissioned specifically for this role. After the 1982 Falklands War, CIWS guns were added to the design. ''Illustrious'' had them fitted at the last minute before commissioning, ''Ark Royal'' had them added as a normal part of the building process, and ''Invincible'' had them fitted during her first overhaul after the Falklands. Initially, ''Invincible'' and ''Illustrious'' were fitted with two Vulcan Phalanx units; these were replaced with three Goalkeeper systems. ''Ark Royal'' has the three Phalanx CIWS systems she was fitted with when built (she can be easily distinguished from her sisters by the Phalanx's distinctive white "R2-D2" radome). Electronic countermeasures are provided by a Thales jamming system and ECM system. Seagnat launchers provide for chaff or flare decoys. As part of upgrades during the mid-1990s, all three ships had the Sea Dart removed, with the forecastle filled in to increase the size of the flight deck. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Invincible-class aircraft carrier」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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