How many aircraft carriers does the Royal Navy have at the present time, and are there plans to build any additional ones? If so, what aircraft/helo types would fly from them?
2006-10-21 08:05:52 · 6 answers · asked by Willster 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
They are filled with seamen.
2006-10-21 10:07:24 · answer #1 · answered by DW 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The British Royal Navy operates TWO Aircraft carriers of the Invincible Class (Illustrious & Ark Royal). Invincible is currently mothballed, but could be reactivated in 18 months.
The Royal Navy operates the Sea Harrier fighter/bomber "jump jets", Sea King helicopters, Merlin and Lynx helicopters.
There is a plan for a joint design with France : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy_CVF_programme that would be roughly 3 times the Invincible class and would operate the JSF developed by the USA.
The Thai Royal Navy operates ONE aircraft carrier: HTMS Chakri Nareubet. Built in Spain, it operates 6 AV-8S Harriers, 4 S-70B Seahawks
2006-10-21 08:52:02 · answer #2 · answered by mariner31 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They do not have any "true" aircraft carriers, but they have a handful of helicopter assault carriers that operate harriers. They require a support ship to be nearby at all times, and could only operate for 1 week at a time before being rearmed when they operated in the balkans.
They will be recieving the JSF stealth jump jet in the next 10 years, and will probably update their carrier fleet, seeing that the jsf can operate without a ski jump. Who knows, maybe they will just convert some cargo ships like they once did for the harrier.
2006-10-21 08:11:17 · answer #3 · answered by Doggzilla 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the royal navy currently has 3 light carriers capable of carring 16 harriers. They are ark royal,illustrious,invincible. The royal navy plans to replace them with 2 new and larger carriers but I don't know how big probably in the 40-50,000 ton range carring 35+planes.
2006-10-21 08:12:59 · answer #4 · answered by brian L 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are not too many but that remains a secret, you know they are not going telling everybody what they have for security reasons.. cyb
2006-10-21 08:16:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
they're all on the bottom of the oceans.
2006-10-21 08:07:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋