Light aircraft carrier
Encyclopedia
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.
, the United States Navy
produced a number of light carriers by converting cruiser
hulls. The Independence-class aircraft carrier
s, converted from Cleveland-class
light cruiser
s, 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. The Independence-class ships, however, had the virtue of being available at a time when available carrier decks had been reduced to and in the Pacific and in the Atlantic. In addition, unlike escort carriers, they had enough speed to take part in fleet actions with the larger carriers. Late in the war, a follow on design to the Independence-class, the Saipan-class
, was designed. Two vessels in this class— and —were completed after the war's end. After very brief lives as carriers, the Saipans were converted to command and communication ships.
The British
1942 design light fleet carrier
was a scaled-down version of their Illustrious-class
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 incoporated better water-tight subdivision. Expected to have a lifetime of about three years, the last of the design was taken out of service in 2001. In the post-war period, the Royal Navy
operated a force of ten Colossus
class carriers including the two maintenance carriers. In all, fifteen ships were completed from the 1942 design, of which most of the Colossus class and all the eventually completed Majestics were variously sold to Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, India and The Netherlands.
Italy
Spain
Thailand
United Kingdom
Australia
Canada
Brazil
France
Japan
India
Netherlands
Spain
United Kingdom
United States
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...
that is smaller than the standard carriers of a navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
. 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 IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
produced a number of light carriers by converting cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
hulls. The Independence-class aircraft carrier
Independence class aircraft carrier
The Independence class aircraft carriers were a class of light carriers built for the United States Navy that served during World War II.This class were a result of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's interest in Navy shipbuilding plans...
s, converted from Cleveland-class
Cleveland class cruiser
The United States Navy designed the Cleveland class of light cruisers for World War II with the goal of increased range and AA armament as compared with earlier classes.A total of 52 ships of this class were projected and 3 canceled...
light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
s, 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. The Independence-class ships, however, had the virtue of being available at a time when available carrier decks had been reduced to and in the Pacific and in the Atlantic. In addition, unlike escort carriers, they had enough speed to take part in fleet actions with the larger carriers. Late in the war, a follow on design to the Independence-class, the Saipan-class
Saipan class aircraft carrier
The Saipan class aircraft carriers were a class of two light carriers [ and ] built for the United States Navy during World War II. Like the nine Independence- class light carriers, they were based on cruiser hulls...
, was designed. Two vessels in this class— and —were completed after the war's end. After very brief lives as carriers, the Saipans were converted to command and communication ships.
The British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
1942 design light fleet carrier
1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier
The 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier, commonly referred to as the British Light Fleet Carrier, was a light aircraft carrier design created by the Royal Navy during World War II, and used by eight naval forces between 1944 and 2001...
was a scaled-down version of their Illustrious-class
Illustrious class aircraft carrier
The Illustrious class was a class of aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy that were some of the most important British warships in World War II...
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 incoporated better water-tight subdivision. Expected to have a lifetime of about three years, the last of the design was taken out of service in 2001. In the post-war period, 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...
operated a force of ten Colossus
Colossus class aircraft carrier
The 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier, commonly referred to as the British Light Fleet Carrier, was a light aircraft carrier design created by the Royal Navy during World War II, and used by eight naval forces between 1944 and 2001...
class carriers including the two maintenance carriers. In all, fifteen ships were completed from the 1942 design, of which most of the Colossus class and all the eventually completed Majestics were variously sold to Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, India and The Netherlands.
Current light carrier use
Currently 6 light aircraft carriers are in service. The newest light carriers are the Italian Cavour and the Spanish Juan Carlos I, which were commissioned in 2009 and 2010 respectively.Italy
- Giuseppe Garibaldi
- Cavour
Spain
- Príncipe de AsturiasSpanish aircraft carrier Principe de AsturiasThe Príncipe de Asturias , originally named Almirante Carrero Blanco, is an aircraft carrier, the flagship of the Spanish Navy...
- Juan Carlos I
Thailand
- HTMS Chakri Naruebet
United Kingdom
- HMS IllustriousHMS Illustrious (R06)HMS Illustrious is the second of three Invincible-class light aircraft carriers 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...
List of light carriers
Argentina- ARA Independencia (Colossus class)
- ARA Veinticinco de MayoARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2)The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo was an aircraft carrier in the Argentine Navy from 1969 to 1997. The English translation of the name is the Twenty-fifth of May, which is the date of Argentina's May Revolution in 1810....
(Colossus class)
Australia
- HMAS Sydney (Majestic class)
- HMAS VengeanceHMS Vengeance (R71)HMS Vengeance was a Colossus class light aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy during World War II. The carrier served in three navies during her career: the Royal Navy, the Royal Australian Navy , and the Brazilian Navy .Constructed during World War II, Vengeance was...
(Colossus class) - HMAS Melbourne (Majestic class)
Canada
- HMCS Warrior (Colossus class)
- HMCS MagnificentHMCS Magnificent (CVL 21)HMCS Magnificent was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier that served the Royal Canadian Navy from 1946–1956.-Operational history:...
(Majestic class) - HMCS BonaventureHMCS Bonaventure (CVL 22)HMCS Bonaventure was a Majestic class aircraft carrier. She served in the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Forces Maritime Command from 1957 to 1970 and was the third and the last aircraft carrier to serve Canada. The ship was laid down for the British Royal Navy as in November 1943. At the end...
(Majestic class)
Brazil
- Minas Gerais (Colossus class)
France
- Lafeyette class(ex-Independence class):
- Bois Belleau
- La FayetteLa Fayette (R96)The La Fayette was an 11,000-ton that served French Navy as the from 1951 to 1963. She was the first French vessel named after the 18th century general Marquis de Lafayette...
- FS Arromanches (Colossus class)
Japan
- Zuihō classZuihō class aircraft carrierThe was a class of two light aircraft carriers operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Both ships were converted from Submarine tenders.-Development:...
- Chitose classJapanese aircraft carrier Chitosewas a light aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. It should not be confused with the earlier cruiser of the same name. First laid down as a seaplane tender in 1934 at Kure Navy yard, the ship originally carried Kawanishi E7K Type 94 "Alf" and Nakajima E8N Type 95...
India
- INS Vikrant (Majestic class) - Decommissioned and converted to a museum ship in Mumbai
Netherlands
- HNLMS Karel DoormanHNLMS Karel Doorman (R81)HNLMS Karel Doorman was a Colossus-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The ship was the British HMS Venerable before she was sold in 1948 to the Netherlands as a light attack carrier. In 1960 she was involved in the decolonization conflict in Western New Guinea with Indonesia...
(Colossus class)
Spain
- DédaloSpanish aircraft carrier DédaloDédalo was the first Spanish aircraft carrier and the second aviation ship in the Spanish Navy . She remained the fleet's flagship until the Principe de Asturias replaced her...
(Independence class) - Príncipe de AsturiasSpanish aircraft carrier Principe de AsturiasThe Príncipe de Asturias , originally named Almirante Carrero Blanco, is an aircraft carrier, the flagship of the Spanish Navy...
- Juan Carlos I
United Kingdom
- Centaur classCentaur class aircraft carrierThe Centaur class of aircraft carriers of the British Royal Navy was the last of the light fleet carrier designs started during the closing years of World War II.-Ships In Class:HMS Centaur...
- 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier1942 Design Light Fleet CarrierThe 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier, commonly referred to as the British Light Fleet Carrier, was a light aircraft carrier design created by the Royal Navy during World War II, and used by eight naval forces between 1944 and 2001...
- Colossus class
- (maintenance carrier)
- (maintenance carrier)
- Majestic class (none saw service in the Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe 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...
)- Majestic
- Terrible
- MagnificentHMCS Magnificent (CVL 21)HMCS Magnificent was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier that served the Royal Canadian Navy from 1946–1956.-Operational history:...
- Hercules
- PowerfulHMCS Bonaventure (CVL 22)HMCS Bonaventure was a Majestic class aircraft carrier. She served in the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Forces Maritime Command from 1957 to 1970 and was the third and the last aircraft carrier to serve Canada. The ship was laid down for the British Royal Navy as in November 1943. At the end...
- Colossus class
- (Invincible classInvincible class aircraft carrierThe 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...
)
United States
- Independence classIndependence class aircraft carrierThe Independence class aircraft carriers were a class of light carriers built for the United States Navy that served during World War II.This class were a result of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's interest in Navy shipbuilding plans...
- Saipan classSaipan class aircraft carrierThe Saipan class aircraft carriers were a class of two light carriers [ and ] built for the United States Navy during World War II. Like the nine Independence- class light carriers, they were based on cruiser hulls...