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HMS Illustrious (R06)
Encyclopedia
HMS Illustrious is the second of three Invincible-class
light aircraft carrier
s built for the Royal Navy
in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She is the fifth warship and second aircraft carrier
to bear the name Illustrious, and is affectionately known as "Lusty" to her crew. The vessel just missed the Falklands Conflict
, but was deployed to Iraq
and Bosnia
in the 1990s and to Sierra Leone
in 2000. An extensive re-fit in 2002 meant that she missed the Iraq War, but she was finished in time to assist British citizens trapped by the 2006 Lebanon War.
Currently Illustrious is the last remaining aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy having been converted to operate helicopters with the retirement of the Harrier aircraft. It is envisaged that she will be withdrawn from service in 2014 and will not be replaced until HMS Queen Elizabeth is commissioned some time around 2020.
on the River Tyne in 1976 and launched in 1978. As the ship neared the end of its fitting out period, the Falklands War
broke out. As a consequence, work on Illustrious was greatly speeded up. The war was won before Illustrious could be finished, but she did perform a useful service in the aftermath. Until the RAF
airfield on the Falkland Islands
was repaired, an aircraft carrier was required on station to protect the area from possible Argentine attack. Invincible had been on station for many months when Illustrious arrived to its relief. Illustrious was needed so quickly that the ship was commissioned whilst underway. Rear Admiral Derek Reffell
commanded the relief task group from Illustrious during this period. After the RAF airfield was repaired, Illustrious returned to the UK for a full shakedown cruise and workup period, with a formal commissioning on 20 March 1983.
in showing the flag and participating in exercises all around the world. During those years, the ship received several enhancements during refits, including a steeper ski-jump to enable the Harriers in the air wing to take-off with a larger payload. During an 'Extended Defect and Maintenance Period', numerous modifications were made to the ship including the removal of her Sea Dart missile
defences at a cost of twelve million pounds. This allowed for extra deck space that enables her to carry up to 22 aircraft, including the Harrier GR7
.
In 1986 she suffered a catastrophic gearbox failure which almost saw the end of the vessel's naval career. Just starting out on her "fly the flag" around the globe trip, at about 23:30 whilst reaching full engine revs, the oil vapour surrounding the gearbox exploded causing a fire lasting well over four hours. At one point the captain made preparations to abandon ship, but was then overruled by the fleet admiral who thought the ship could be saved. There was no loss of life or serious injury, but the trip was put off for several months whilst the ship was taken out of service for extensive repairs.
__hms_illustrious_(r_06).jpg)
During the 1990s, the main task of the aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy was helping to maintain the no-fly zone over Bosnia
during the war there. All three of the navy's carriers rotated through the area. In 1998 she operated in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch
, the Anglo-Saudi-American enforcement of the no-fly-zone over Southern Iraq.
In 2000 she led Task Group 342.1, a naval task force comprising HM ships — Ocean
, Argyll
, Iron Duke
, Chatham
— and numerous RFA
ships in Operation Palliser
, which was aimed at restoring peace and stability to Sierra Leone
.
A combat deployment for the ship took place in 2001. A large British exercise, Saif Sareea II
took place in Oman
in late 2001. During the exercise, the World Trade Center
was destroyed by Al-Qaeda
. Illustrious remained in theatre while other elements of the task force returned to the United Kingdom. Illustrious had elements of the Royal Marines
on board, ready for possible combat operations in Afghanistan
. No deployment was made before Illustrious was relieved by Ocean
in early 2002.
. This refit involved the total rebuild of the ski jump, the adding of better communications and reconfiguring the ship so that it can be more quickly switched between the light aircraft carrier and helicopter carrier roles. The refit should enable her to carry on until 2014, when it is expected that the first of the s will come into service. Illustrious returned to Portsmouth
following the completion of the refit in December 2004.
She was re-dedicated in 2005, and following the death of the ship's original sponsor Princess Margaret
, her daughter Lady Sarah Chatto
agreed to attend in a new role as "ship's friend".
's Remembrance Day
activities, Illustrious sailed up the River Thames
on Friday 10 November 2006. She was moored at Wood Wharf, a few hundred yards upriver from the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London, until Wednesday 15 November. Whilst there, the Falklands War commemorative events in 2007 were announced on board her.
Illustrious carried out two weeks of fixed wing flying serials exercises in the North Sea
20 miles (32.2 km) off Hartlepool
in March 2007, during which seven GR9 Harriers from No. 4 Squadron RAF, Joint Force Harrier
touched down on her flight-deck. Also during these exercises, seven of her crew had to be airlifted to hospital in Middlesbrough
on 13 March suffering from fume inhalation and throat and eye irritation after an accident with chemicals in cleaning a junior ratings' toilet area. Illustrious sailed on to Portsmouth, where they rejoined her on leaving hospital.
From 25 to 30 May 2007, after an exercise in the Baltic Sea
, Illustrious was the first British aircraft carrier ever to visit Tallinn
, Estonia
. The visit provided rest for the ship's crew after the Baltic exercise, acted as a diplomatic visit, and also involved naval and air exercises with the Estonian Defence Forces.
Next, in July 2007, Illustrious took part in a US-led Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFX) off the eastern coast of the United States (for which she hosted 14 US Harrier jets and 200 US Marines) before returning to Portsmouth the following month.
, Malta
26–29 February 2008.
This 2008 assignment was filmed and shown on Channel 5 as the 6-part TV documentary Warship transmitted on Mondays from 19 May 2008. This documentary aimed to show life on board the now-aging carrier in much the same way that the HMS
was shown in the 1976 Sailor
. Illustrious was commanded by Captain Steve Chick CBE BSc, who had also commanded HMS Chatham
during the 2005 BBC documentary Shipmates.
By the end of July, she had returned to Portsmouth
where she took part in the 2008 navy open-day. She proved to be popular with visitors and the queue to tour her was long. On board she displayed a life-size model of the F-35 Joint Combat Aircraft
which will replace the Harriers
then used by the ship. She was the only aircraft carrier to be part of the event, although the inactive Invincible
was also visible to the public.
On 17 October she, along with HMS Cattistock
, sailed into Liverpool where she was open to the public on Saturday 18 October. On 4 November she moored at Greenwich
, arriving to take central part in the Royal Navy's remembrance week. The F-35 mock-up remained on deck.
to serve as the centre piece of the Royal Navy's celebration of a century of British naval aviation
; on board were examples of all the Navy's operational helicopters.
Beginning on 8 June, she took part in the exercise Loyal Arrow
in northern Sweden
. The exercise lasted until 16 June. On 17 June 2009, she arrived in Tallinn
. On 27 June 2009 she was in the harbour of Oslo
, Norway.
On 22 October 2009 she arrived at Liverpool
for a six-day visit and moored at the cruise liner terminal at Princes Dock. There was a fly past along The River Mersey on 23 October as part of its celebrations to mark that year’s centenary of naval aviation. Illustrious was open to members of the public on 25–26 October and left Liverpool on 27 October 2009.
, and in addition to the axing of the Harrier force and Illustrious sister ship Ark Royal
, it was announced that a short study would be carried out to determine whether Illustrious or Ocean
was more viable as a helicopter platform. The conclusion of this was a decision to retain Ocean in the longer term. In May 2011 Illustrious was made operationally ready after a £40 million refit, and is due to be handed back to the fleet after sea trials in late July 2011
She will take over the helicopter carrier role while Ocean undergoes a planned refit, due for completion by 2014; Illustrious will then be withdrawn from service. The new carrier
HMS Queen Elizabeth is expected to be fully operational in 2020, restoring the Royal Navy's fixed-wing strike capability after a gap of ten years.
Invincible class aircraft carrier
The Invincible class is a class of light aircraft carrier operated by the British Royal Navy. Three ships were constructed, , and . The vessels were built as aviation-capable anti-submarine warfare platforms to counter the Cold War North Atlantic Soviet submarine threat, and initially embarked...
light aircraft carrier
Light aircraft carrier
A light aircraft carrier is an aircraft carrier that is 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 ½ to ⅔ the size of a full-sized or "fleet" carrier.-History:In World War II, the...
s built for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She is the fifth warship and second aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
to bear the name Illustrious, and is affectionately known as "Lusty" to her crew. The vessel just missed the Falklands Conflict
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, but was deployed to Iraq
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
and Bosnia
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation that began on April 12, 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina...
in the 1990s and to Sierra Leone
Operation Palliser
Operation Palliser was a British Armed forces operation in Sierra Leone in 2000 under the command of Brigadier David Richards.Initially, its scope was limited to evacuation of non-combatants only....
in 2000. An extensive re-fit in 2002 meant that she missed the Iraq War, but she was finished in time to assist British citizens trapped by the 2006 Lebanon War.
Currently Illustrious is the last remaining aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy having been converted to operate helicopters with the retirement of the Harrier aircraft. It is envisaged that she will be withdrawn from service in 2014 and will not be replaced until HMS Queen Elizabeth is commissioned some time around 2020.
Construction
Illustrious, the second of the planned three Invincible class aircraft carriers, was laid down at Swan HunterSwan Hunter
Swan Hunter, formerly known as "Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson", was one of the best known shipbuilding companies in the world. Based in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, the company was responsible for some of the greatest ships of the early 20th century — most famously, the RMS Mauretania which...
on the River Tyne in 1976 and launched in 1978. As the ship neared the end of its fitting out period, the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
broke out. As a consequence, work on Illustrious was greatly speeded up. The war was won before Illustrious could be finished, but she did perform a useful service in the aftermath. Until the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
airfield on the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
was repaired, an aircraft carrier was required on station to protect the area from possible Argentine attack. Invincible had been on station for many months when Illustrious arrived to its relief. Illustrious was needed so quickly that the ship was commissioned whilst underway. Rear Admiral Derek Reffell
Derek Reffell
Admiral Sir Derek Roy Reffell KCB is a former Governor of Gibraltar.-Naval career:Educated at Culford School, Reffell entered the Royal Navy, qualified as a Navigating Officer in 1954 and progressed through the ranks: he commanded the frigate, HMS Sirius, from her launch in 1966, and served as...
commanded the relief task group from Illustrious during this period. After the RAF airfield was repaired, Illustrious returned to the UK for a full shakedown cruise and workup period, with a formal commissioning on 20 March 1983.
1983–1990
The ship saw no further action during the remainder of the 1980s, but continued to be a valuable asset for the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in showing the flag and participating in exercises all around the world. During those years, the ship received several enhancements during refits, including a steeper ski-jump to enable the Harriers in the air wing to take-off with a larger payload. During an 'Extended Defect and Maintenance Period', numerous modifications were made to the ship including the removal of her Sea Dart missile
Sea Dart missile
Sea Dart or Guided Weapon System 30 is a British surface-to-air missile system designed by Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and built by British Aerospace from 1977...
defences at a cost of twelve million pounds. This allowed for extra deck space that enables her to carry up to 22 aircraft, including the Harrier GR7
RAF Harrier II
The British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas Harrier II is a second-generation vertical/short takeoff and landing jet aircraft used previously by the Royal Air Force and, between 2006–2010, the Royal Navy. Derived from the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, which was a development of the Hawker...
.
In 1986 she suffered a catastrophic gearbox failure which almost saw the end of the vessel's naval career. Just starting out on her "fly the flag" around the globe trip, at about 23:30 whilst reaching full engine revs, the oil vapour surrounding the gearbox exploded causing a fire lasting well over four hours. At one point the captain made preparations to abandon ship, but was then overruled by the fleet admiral who thought the ship could be saved. There was no loss of life or serious injury, but the trip was put off for several months whilst the ship was taken out of service for extensive repairs.
1990–2002
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
during the war there. All three of the navy's carriers rotated through the area. In 1998 she operated in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
, the Anglo-Saudi-American enforcement of the no-fly-zone over Southern Iraq.
In 2000 she led Task Group 342.1, a naval task force comprising HM ships — Ocean
HMS Ocean (L12)
HMS Ocean of the Royal Navy is an amphibious assault ship , the sole member of her class. She is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force...
, Argyll
HMS Argyll (F231)
The third and current HMS Argyll is a Type 23 'Duke' Class frigate. She was laid down in March 1987 by Yarrow Shipbuilders at Glasgow, launched in 1989 by Lady Wendy Levene, and commissioned in May 1991...
, Iron Duke
HMS Iron Duke (F234)
HMS Iron Duke is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy, and the third ship to bear the name. Iron Duke was launched on 2 March 1991 by Lady Jane King in the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Wellington. Her affiliated town is Kingston upon Hull, and she is named after Arthur Wellesley, the first...
, Chatham
HMS Chatham (F87)
HMS Chatham was a Batch 3 Type 22 frigate of the British Royal Navy. She has the rare honour of a motto in English; Up and at 'em, being the rallying cry of the Medway town football and rugby teams. The motto has subsequently been translated back into Latin as Surge et vince...
— and numerous RFA
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment...
ships in Operation Palliser
Operation Palliser
Operation Palliser was a British Armed forces operation in Sierra Leone in 2000 under the command of Brigadier David Richards.Initially, its scope was limited to evacuation of non-combatants only....
, which was aimed at restoring peace and stability to Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
.
A combat deployment for the ship took place in 2001. A large British exercise, Saif Sareea II
Saif Sareea II
Exercise Saif Sareea II, also known as "Operation Swift Sword II", was a major military exercise in September and October 2001 involving the military of the United Kingdom and Oman. It was the largest single deployment of UK forces since the Gulf War...
took place in Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
in late 2001. During the exercise, the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
was destroyed by Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
. Illustrious remained in theatre while other elements of the task force returned to the United Kingdom. Illustrious had elements of the Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
on board, ready for possible combat operations in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. No deployment was made before Illustrious was relieved by Ocean
HMS Ocean (L12)
HMS Ocean of the Royal Navy is an amphibious assault ship , the sole member of her class. She is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force...
in early 2002.
2003–2005
In mid-2003, the ship entered a further refit at Rosyth DockyardRosyth Dockyard
Rosyth Dockyard is a large naval dockyard on the Firth of Forth at Rosyth, Fife, Scotland, owned by Babcock Marine, which primarily undertakes refitting of Royal Navy surface vessels.-History:...
. This refit involved the total rebuild of the ski jump, the adding of better communications and reconfiguring the ship so that it can be more quickly switched between the light aircraft carrier and helicopter carrier roles. The refit should enable her to carry on until 2014, when it is expected that the first of the s will come into service. Illustrious returned to Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
following the completion of the refit in December 2004.
She was re-dedicated in 2005, and following the death of the ship's original sponsor Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....
, her daughter Lady Sarah Chatto
Lady Sarah Chatto
The Lady Sarah Frances Elizabeth Chatto, née Armstrong-Jones , is the only daughter of the 1st Earl of Snowdon and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, the second daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She is 17th in line of succession to the thrones of each of the Commonwealth Realms;...
agreed to attend in a new role as "ship's friend".
2006
Illustrious along with helped in the evacuation of British citizens from Beirut as a result of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon crisis. Later that year, as part of the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
's Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
activities, Illustrious sailed up the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
on Friday 10 November 2006. She was moored at Wood Wharf, a few hundred yards upriver from the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London, until Wednesday 15 November. Whilst there, the Falklands War commemorative events in 2007 were announced on board her.
2007
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
20 miles (32.2 km) off Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
in March 2007, during which seven GR9 Harriers from No. 4 Squadron RAF, Joint Force Harrier
Joint Force Harrier
Joint Strike Wing, previously known as Joint Force Harrier, was the British military formation which controlled the STOVL Harrier aircraft of the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm...
touched down on her flight-deck. Also during these exercises, seven of her crew had to be airlifted to hospital in Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
on 13 March suffering from fume inhalation and throat and eye irritation after an accident with chemicals in cleaning a junior ratings' toilet area. Illustrious sailed on to Portsmouth, where they rejoined her on leaving hospital.
From 25 to 30 May 2007, after an exercise in the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
, Illustrious was the first British aircraft carrier ever to visit Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. The visit provided rest for the ship's crew after the Baltic exercise, acted as a diplomatic visit, and also involved naval and air exercises with the Estonian Defence Forces.
Next, in July 2007, Illustrious took part in a US-led Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFX) off the eastern coast of the United States (for which she hosted 14 US Harrier jets and 200 US Marines) before returning to Portsmouth the following month.
2008
The carrier set sail from Portsmouth on 21 January 2008 as head of the multi-national Task Group 328.01, under Operation Orion 08, which from January to May 2008 carried out exercises and diplomatic visits to twenty ports in the Mediterranean, Africa, the Middle East, and south-east Asia. However, on 23 January, whilst still off the coast of southern England, she sailed back to Portsmouth for repairs to a minor fault in a meat freezer. It was felt to be important to repair this before sailing to a warmer climate, and Navy spokesman Anton Hanney stated that flying in an emergency plumber whilst she was underway would be more expensive than turning back whilst Illustrious was still in the English Channel. She sailed back out at 1pm on 24 January and made up the lost 24 hours. Her ports of call included VallettaValletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
26–29 February 2008.
This 2008 assignment was filmed and shown on Channel 5 as the 6-part TV documentary Warship transmitted on Mondays from 19 May 2008. This documentary aimed to show life on board the now-aging carrier in much the same way that the HMS
Her Majesty's Ship
Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time...
was shown in the 1976 Sailor
Sailor (TV series)
Sailor was a major BBC television documentary series, first shown in the late 1970s, about life on board the fourth HMS Ark Royal, a British aircraft carrier. It followed the ship on a five and a half month deployment to North America in 1976....
. Illustrious was commanded by Captain Steve Chick CBE BSc, who had also commanded HMS Chatham
HMS Chatham (F87)
HMS Chatham was a Batch 3 Type 22 frigate of the British Royal Navy. She has the rare honour of a motto in English; Up and at 'em, being the rallying cry of the Medway town football and rugby teams. The motto has subsequently been translated back into Latin as Surge et vince...
during the 2005 BBC documentary Shipmates.
By the end of July, she had returned to Portsmouth
HMNB Portsmouth
Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the British Royal Navy...
where she took part in the 2008 navy open-day. She proved to be popular with visitors and the queue to tour her was long. On board she displayed a life-size model of the F-35 Joint Combat Aircraft
F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...
which will replace the Harriers
RAF Harrier II
The British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas Harrier II is a second-generation vertical/short takeoff and landing jet aircraft used previously by the Royal Air Force and, between 2006–2010, the Royal Navy. Derived from the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, which was a development of the Hawker...
then used by the ship. She was the only aircraft carrier to be part of the event, although the inactive Invincible
HMS Invincible (R05)
HMS Invincible was a British light aircraft carrier, the lead ship of three in her class in the Royal Navy. She was launched on 3 May 1977 and is the seventh ship to carry the name. She saw action in the Falklands War when she was deployed with , she took over as flagship of the British fleet when...
was also visible to the public.
On 17 October she, along with HMS Cattistock
HMS Cattistock (M31)
HMS Cattistock , the third ship of this name, is a Hunt-class minesweeper of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1981 and commissioned on 5 March 1982, the third ship of her class....
, sailed into Liverpool where she was open to the public on Saturday 18 October. On 4 November she moored at Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, arriving to take central part in the Royal Navy's remembrance week. The F-35 mock-up remained on deck.
2009
On 7 May 2009 she returned to GreenwichGreenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
to serve as the centre piece of the Royal Navy's celebration of a century of British naval aviation
Naval aviation
Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
; on board were examples of all the Navy's operational helicopters.
Beginning on 8 June, she took part in the exercise Loyal Arrow
Loyal Arrow
Loyal Arrow was a major exercise of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization held in Northern Sweden in 8 June 2009 – 16 June 2009...
in northern Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The exercise lasted until 16 June. On 17 June 2009, she arrived in Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
. On 27 June 2009 she was in the harbour of Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway.
On 22 October 2009 she arrived at Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
for a six-day visit and moored at the cruise liner terminal at Princes Dock. There was a fly past along The River Mersey on 23 October as part of its celebrations to mark that year’s centenary of naval aviation. Illustrious was open to members of the public on 25–26 October and left Liverpool on 27 October 2009.
2010–2014
As part of Strategic Defence and Security ReviewStrategic Defence and Security Review
The Strategic Defence and Security Review was announced by the newly formed Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government of the United Kingdom in May 2010, and published on 19 October 2010...
, and in addition to the axing of the Harrier force and Illustrious sister ship Ark Royal
HMS Ark Royal (R07)
HMS Ark Royal is a decommissioned light aircraft carrier and former flagship of the Royal Navy. She was the third and final vessel of Invincible-class...
, it was announced that a short study would be carried out to determine whether Illustrious or Ocean
HMS Ocean (L12)
HMS Ocean of the Royal Navy is an amphibious assault ship , the sole member of her class. She is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force...
was more viable as a helicopter platform. The conclusion of this was a decision to retain Ocean in the longer term. In May 2011 Illustrious was made operationally ready after a £40 million refit, and is due to be handed back to the fleet after sea trials in late July 2011
She will take over the helicopter carrier role while Ocean undergoes a planned refit, due for completion by 2014; Illustrious will then be withdrawn from service. The new carrier
HMS Queen Elizabeth is expected to be fully operational in 2020, restoring the Royal Navy's fixed-wing strike capability after a gap of ten years.
Affiliations
- Grenadier GuardsGrenadier GuardsThe Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
- Guild of Air Pilots and Air NavigatorsGuild of Air Pilots and Air NavigatorsThe Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Guild was established in 1929 and was granted the status of a Livery Company in 1956...
- City of London Corporation
- Worshipful Company of LightmongersWorshipful Company of LightmongersThe Worshipful Company of Lightmongers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Lightmongers, or sellers of electric lights, were organised into the Guild of Lightmongers in 1967. The Guild became a Livery Company in 1984. The Company promotes the lighting industry by awarding...
- 30 Signal Regiment, Royal Signals
- T.S. Illustrious Sea Cadet Unit
- No. 7 Squadron RAFNo. 7 Squadron RAFNo. 7 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook HC.2 from RAF Odiham, Hampshire.-Formation and early years:No. 7 Squadron was formed at Farnborough Airfield on 1 May 1914 as the last squadron of the RFC to be formed before the First World War, but has been disbanded and reformed...
- Metropolitan Police ServiceMetropolitan Police ServiceThe Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
- Bath R.F.C.Bath RugbyBath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
- Oundle SchoolOundle SchoolOundle School is a co-educational British public school located in the ancient market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire. The school has been maintained by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City of London since its foundation in 1556. Oundle has eight boys' houses, five girls' houses, a day...
CCFCombined Cadet ForceThe Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...