The History of HMS Invincible
HMS Invincible originally known as a “through-deck” cruiser was laid down in Barrow-in-Furness in 1973 and launched on May 3rd 1977 by HM Queen. After leaving Barrow on March 10th 1980 she was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 11th July the same year. After being in service for two years, Invincible was to be sold to the Australian Navy and possibly would have been renamed HMAS Australia, however, fate played a part and in 1982 Invincible was to play a vital role in the Falklands Conflict and remained with the British Navy.
The carrier's air group comprises of nine Harriers and twelve helicopters (usually all Sea Kings, either ASW or AEW variants). The carriers also provide a operational headquarters for the RN task force. The runway is 170 m long and includes the characteristic "ski jump" (initially 7° it was later increased to 12°).
For defence the carrier has a number of systems. After the Falklands conflict, she was refitted with two 20 mm Raytheon Phalanx close in weapon systems, but these were upgraded to three Thales 30mm Goalkeeper CIWS; they also have two Oerlikon 20 mm cannons. Countermeasures are provided by a Thales jamming sytem and ECM system, Seagnat launchers provide for chaff or flare decoys. Initially the carriers were also armed with a Sea Dart SAM missile system, but these were removed in order to increase the flight deck size and to allow magazine storage for Royal Air Force Harrier GR7s.
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The last refit that HMS INVINCIBLE underwent was to remove the SEA DART air-to-air missile system. The reason for this was to increase the deck space and provide extra magazine space. The justification for this was the setting up the Joint Force 2000 initiative, ordered under the Strategic Defence Review. Under this new initiative RAF Harriers and RN Harriers will serve together more frequently at sea. Although this is the first time that the arrangement has been formalised and placed under a designated commander (currently FONA) RAF Harriers have served on the Invincible class aircraft carriers on an ad hoc basis several times before, notably in the Falkland's War, the Gulf War and the actions over the former Yugoslavia. The removal of the Sea Dart system ensures that the Invincible class will always need to be accompanied by a TYPE 42 destroyer for air-defence protection. However whenever an aircraft carrier went to a potentially hostile area of operations previously, she would be under escort.
HMS Invincible was decommissioned on the 3rd August 2005. After serving 25 years with the Royal Navy, Invincible is now placed into a low state of readiness, and will stay with the Royal Navy for the next 4 years until 2010 where her fate will be decided. Being berthed at Portsmouth Naval Base, HMS Invincible will always be a tourist attraction being a Ship with a good history. We feel that because of this, it is important for the Ship to sail back to her home town to be docked for a short time to enable people to view the ship in the town where she was built. There are many vessels in Portsmouth that are good tourist attractions and also many ships that are mothballed. It is sad, that Invincible was to end her career 5 years earlier that anticipated. Many people still pay tribute to this fine ship and will continue to do so for years to come.
We hope that you will enjoy your tour around this Website and understand the need for our Ship to return home. There was a decommissioning ceremony for the Invincible given by the Royal Navy in Portsmouth dockyard, but Barrow-in-Furness never got to celebrate 25 years of Invincible.
Click here to learn more about the early history of HMS Invincible.
