Light aircraft carrier



A light aircraft carrier, or light fleet carrier, is an aircraft carrier smaller than the standard carriers of a navy. The precise definition of the type varies by country; light carriers typically have a complement of aircraft only one-half to two-thirds the size of a full-sized fleet carrier. A light carrier was similar in concept to an escort carrier in most respects; however, light carriers were intended for higher speeds to be deployed alongside fleet carriers, while escort carriers were typically relatively slow and usually defended equally slow convoys, as well as providing air support during amphibious operations.

History


In World War II, the United States Navy produced a number of light carriers by converting cruiser hulls. These Independence-class aircraft carriers, converted from Cleveland-class cruiser light cruisers, were unsatisfactory ships for aviation with their narrow, short decks and slender, high-sheer hulls; in virtually all respects the escort carriers were superior aviation vessels. These issues were superseded by Independence-class ships' virtue of being available at a time when available carrier decks had been reduced to USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Saratoga (CV-3) in the Pacific and USS Ranger (CV-4) in the Atlantic. In addition, they had enough speed to take part in fleet actions with the larger carriers while escort carriers did not. Late in the war, a follow on to the Independence class, the Saipan-class aircraft carrier, was designed. Two vessels in this class—USS Saipan (CVL-48) and USS Wright (CVL-49)—were completed after the war's end. After very brief lives as carriers, the Saipans were converted to command and communication ships.

By the start of World War II, the Royal Navy's HMS Hermes (95), the first purpose-built aircraft carrier (launched 1919, sunk 1942) was being considered as equivalent to a light aircraft carrier, due to her small size, small aircraft complement and lack of armour. The British 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier, originally designated the Colossus class, was a scaled-down version of their Illustrious-class aircraft carrier fleet carrier. The design could be built in a yard with little or no experience of warship construction. Although built to merchant standards, the design incorporated better watertight subdivision. Expected to have a lifetime of about three years, the last of the design was taken out of service in 2001. The first ten were built as the Colossus class, though two of these were modified whilst under construction into aircraft maintenance carriers. An additional five carriers, none of which were completed in time for service in World War II, were built with revisions upgrading the design to handle larger and heavier aircraft, receiving the designation Majestic class. In the post-war period, the Royal Navy operated a force of the ten Colossus carriers, while the five Majestic carriers were sold, during construction, to Australia, Canada and India. The Majestics were followed, after the war, by the four light carriers of the Centaur class.

In the 1970s the Royal Navy introduced a new type of light carrier, designed to operate the V/STOL Hawker Siddeley Harrier. Originally classed as "through-deck cruisers", the three-ship Invincible class served into the early 21st century; HMS Invincible was key to the British victory in the Falklands War.

Active

 * Italy


 * ITALIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Giuseppe Garibaldi
 * ITALIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Cavour


 * Spain
 * SPANISH AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIP-AIRCRAFT CARRIER Juan Carlos I


 * Thailand


 * HTMS Chakri Naruebet

Retired

 * Argentina
 * ARA Independencia (Colossus class)
 * ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (Colossus class)
 * Australia
 * HMAS Sydney (R17) (Majestic class)
 * HMAS Vengeance (Colossus class)
 * HMAS Melbourne (R21) (Majestic class)
 * Brazil
 * BRAZILIAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Minas Gerais (Colossus class)
 * Canada
 * HMCS Warrior (R31) (Colossus class)
 * HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21) (Majestic class)
 * HMCS Bonaventure (CVL 22) (Majestic class)
 * France
 * Lafayette class (ex-Independence class):
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Bois Belleau
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER La Fayette
 * FRENCH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Arromanches (Colossus class)
 * India
 * INS Vikrant (1961) (Majestic class)
 * INS Viraat (Centaur class)
 * Japan
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hōshō
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Ryūjō
 * Zuihō-class aircraft carrier
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Zuihō
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Shōhō
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Ryūhō
 * Chitose-class aircraft carrier
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Chitose
 * JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Chiyoda
 * Netherlands
 * HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81) (Colossus class)
 * Spain
 * SPANISH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Dédalo (Independence class)
 * SPANISH AIRCRAFT CARRIER Príncipe de Asturias
 * United Kingdom
 * HMS Hermes (95)
 * HMS Unicorn (I72)
 * 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier
 * Colossus class
 * HMS Colossus (R15)
 * HMS Glory (R62)
 * HMS Ocean (R68)
 * HMS Venerable (R63)
 * HMS Vengeance (R71)
 * HMS Pioneer (R76) (maintenance carrier)
 * HMS Warrior (R31)
 * HMS Theseus (R64)
 * HMS Triumph (R16)
 * HMS Perseus (R51) (maintenance carrier)
 * Majestic class (none saw service in the Royal Navy)
 * Majestic (entered service as HMAS Melbourne)
 * Terrible (entered service as HMAS Sydney)
 * Magnificent (entered service as HMCS Magnificent)
 * Hercules (entered service as INS Vikrant)
 * Powerful (entered service as HMCS Bonaventure)
 * Centaur-class aircraft carrier
 * HMS Centaur (R06)
 * HMS Albion (R07)
 * HMS Bulwark (R08)
 * HMS Hermes (R12)
 * Invincible-class aircraft carrier
 * HMS Invincible (R05)
 * HMS Illustrious (R06)
 * HMS Ark Royal (R07)
 * United States
 * Independence-class aircraft carrier
 * USS Bataan (CVL-29)
 * USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24)
 * USS Cabot (CVL-28)
 * USS Cowpens (CVL-25)
 * USS Independence (CVL-22)
 * USS Langley (CVL-27)
 * USS Monterey (CVL-26)
 * USS Princeton (CVL-23)
 * USS San Jacinto (CVL-30)
 * Saipan-class aircraft carrier
 * USS Saipan (CVL-48)
 * USS Wright (CVL-49)