Timeline for aircraft carrier service on:
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Aircraft carriers have their origins during the days of
1849
* On 12 July 1849, the Austrian Navy ship was used for launching incendiary balloons. A number of small Montgolfiere hot air ballons were launched with the intention of dropping bombs on
1914
* 28 June – Assassination of
* 21 April – USS ''Jupiter'' renamed .
* 1 November – 
* July – HMS ''Hermes'' commissioned
* August – Conversion of the French to an aircraft carrier started.Chesneau (1998), pp61-75
* and ''Akagi'' conversions from battlecruiser to aircraft carrier begun.Chesneau (1998), pp.161–162
1924
* 26 February – HMS ''Eagle'' commissioned.
* June – Light cruiser carrier conversion started.Chesneau (1998), pp.97–99
1925
* Light cruiser carrier conversion started.
* 7 April – USS ''Saratoga'' launched.
* 22 April – ''Akagi'' launched.
* 1 July – First night deck landing made by F/Lt Boyce flying a 
* 5 May – HMS ''Courageous'' commissioned as a carrier; first carrier to be fitted with transverse
* 21 May – laid down.
* 4 June – USS ''Ranger'' commissioned.
* 16 July – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.206–210
* 20 November – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.165–166
1935
* 9 September – First landing of a rotary winged aircraft aboard a carrier – a Cierva autogyro onto HMS ''Furious''
* 16 September – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.100–103
* 21 December – ''Sōryū'' launched.
1936
* 15 January – Japan exits the Washington Naval Treaty.
* 1 April – laid down.
* 4 April – USS ''Yorktown'' launched.
* 8 July – laid down.
* 3 October – USS ''Enterprise'' launched.
* 25 October – USS ''Langley'' taken in hand for conversion to a seaplane tender.
* 28 December – ''Flugzeugträger A'' (''Graf Zeppelin'') laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.76–77
1937
* 29 January – ''Sōryū'' commissioned.
* 26 February – USS ''Langley'' recommissioned as a seaplane tender.
* 13 April – HMS ''Ark Royal'' launched.
* 27 April – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.103–107
* 4 May – laid down.
* 17 June – laid down.
* 30 September – USS ''Yorktown'' commissioned.
* 10 November – laid down.
* 16 November – ''Hiryū'' launched.
* 12 December – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.171–172
1938
* ''Takasaki'' carrier conversion started.Chesneau (1998), pp.169–171
* ''
* 21 February – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.128–129
* 4 April – USS ''Wasp'' launched.
* 5 April – HMS ''Illustrious'' launched.
* 1 June – ''Shōkaku'' launched.
* 26 June – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.117–118
* 5 July – ''Hiryū'' commissioned.
* 17 August – HMS ''Formidable'' launched.
* 1 September – Germany invades Poland, 
* 10 July – ''Taihō'' laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.179–180
* 15 July – laid down.
* 8 August – ''Shōkaku'' commissioned.
* 2 September – ''Kasuga Maru'' carrier conversion completed.
* 15 September – laid down; ''Kasuga Maru'' commissioned as ''Taiyō''Chesneau (1998), pp.173
* 25 September – ''Zuikaku'' commissioned.
* 10 October – HMS ''Indomitable'' commissioned.
* 20 October – USS ''Hornet'' commissioned.
* 13 November – HMS ''Ark Royal'' sunk in action.
* 20 November – HMS ''Unicorn'' launched.
* 1 December – , laid down.
* 7 December – Japan attacks Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii and in Philippines; as a result United States enters World War II.
* 20 December – Submarine tender ''Taigei'' carrier conversion started.
1942
* 26 January – ''Tsurugisaki'' carrier conversion completed, commissioned as ''Shōhō''.
* February – carrier conversion started by Japan.
* 16 February – Light cruisers and reclassified for completion as carriers.''DANFS'', United States Navy
* 27 February – USS ''Langley'' sunk in action.
* 16 March – laid down as light cruiser.
* 18 March – laid down.
* 27 March – Light cruisers and reclassified for completion as carriers; ''Huntington'' renamed .
* 31 March – USS ''Tallahassee'' renamed , USS ''New Haven'' renamed , USS ''Dayton'' renamed .
* 9 April – HMS ''Hermes'' sunk in action.
* 11 April – Originally intended as 
* 8 May – USS ''Lexington'' sunk in action; Battle of the Coral Sea ends.
* 31 May – ''Yawata Maru'' carrier conversion completed, commissioned as ''Unyō''.
* June – Incomplete ''Yamato''-class battleship ''Shinano'' carrier conversion started.
* 1 June – laid down,Chesneau (1998), pp.129–133 and laid down.
* 2 June – USS ''Wilmington'' re-designated for completion as carrier.
* 4 June – 
* 31 July – ''Hiyō'' commissioned; USS ''Essex'' launched.
* 1 August – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.182–184
* 3 August – laid down.
* 11 August – HMS ''Eagle'' sunk in action.
* 22 August – USS ''Independence'' launched.
* 24 August – ''Ryūjō'' sunk in action.
* 27 August – laid down.
* 31 August – laid down; ''Kasuga Maru'' reclassified as warship;
* 15 September – USS ''Wasp'' sunk in action.
* 26 September – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' renamed ; USS ''Lexington'' launched.
* 1 October – laid down.
* 18 October – USS ''Princeton'' launched.
* 24 October – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.134–139
* 26 October – laid down.
* 27 October – USS ''Hornet'' sunk in action.
* 8 November – laid down.
* 12 November – laid down.''HMAS Vengeance'', Sea Power Centre
* 13 November – USS ''Crown Point'' renamed , USS ''Oriskany'' renamed .
* 25 November – ''Nitta Maru'' carrier conversion completed, renamed and commissioned as ''Chūyō''.
* 28 November – ''Taigei'' carrier conversion completed, renamed and commissioned as ''Ryūhō''.Chesneau (1998), pp.177–178
* 2 December – laid down, subsequently renamed HMS ''Mars''.
* 3 December – laid down.
* 6 December – USS ''Belleau Wood'' launched.
* 7 December – laid down, USS ''Bunker Hill'' launched.
* 8 December – ''Katsuragi'' laid down; HMS ''Indefatigable'' launched.
* 10 December – HMS ''Implacable'' launched; ''Argentina Maru'' carrier conversion started.
* 12 December – laid down.
* 15 December – laid down.
* 31 December – USS ''Essex'' commissioned.
1943
* 6 January – laid down.
* 14 January – USS ''Independence'' commissioned.
* 15 January – laid down.
* 17 January – USS ''Cowpens'' launched.
* 21 January – USS ''Yorktown'' launched.
* 22 January – USS ''Kearsarge'' renamed .
* 26 January – ''Chitose'' carrier conversion started; laid down.
* 27 January – laid down.
* 30 January – USS ''Reprisal'' renamed ; ''Graf Zeppelin'' construction stopped and project cancelled.
* February – SS ''Scharnhorst'' acquired to be completed as ''Shinyo''.
* 1 February – and laid down.
* 17 February – USS ''Lexington'' commissioned.
* 25 February – USS ''Princeton'' commissioned.
* 28 February – USS ''Monterey'' launched.
* March – ''Chiyoda'' carrier conversion started.
* 12 March – HMS ''Unicorn'' commissioned.
* 15 March – and laid down.
* 31 March – USS ''Belleau Wood'' commissioned.
* 4 April – USS ''Cabot'' launched.
* 7 April – ''Taihō'' launched.
* 14 April – ''Kasagi'' laid down.
* 15 April – laid down;Hall (1982), p.69 USS ''Yorktown'' commissioned.
* 19 April – laid down.''HMAS Sydney (III)'', Sea Power Centre
* 26 April – USS ''Intrepid'' launched.
* 1 May – USS ''Hancock'' renamed , USS ''Ticonderoga'' renamed .
* 3 May – laid down.
* 10 May – laid down.
* 22 May – USS ''Langley'' launched.
* 24 May – USS ''Bunker Hill'' commissioned.
* 28 May – USS ''Cowpens'' commissioned.
* 8 June – ''Aso'' laid down.
* 17 June – USS ''Monterey'' commissioned.
* 30 June – ''Béarn'' transferred to the 
* 23 November – ''Argentina Maru'' carrier conversion completed, commissioned as ''Kaiyo''.Chesneau (1998), p.178
* 24 November – USS ''Wasp'' commissioned.
* 27 November – HMS ''Glory'' launched, laid down.
* 29 November – USS ''Hornet'' commissioned.
* 1 December – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.255–260
* 4 December – ''Chūyō'' sunk in action.
* 30 December – HMS ''Venerable'' launched.
1944
* 1 January – ''Chitose'' carrier conversion completed, commissioned.
* 19 January – ''Katsuragi'' launched.
* 24 January – USS ''Hancock'' launched.
* 31 January – USS ''Franklin'' commissioned.
* 7 February – USS ''Ticonderoga'' launched.
* 21 February – laid down.
* 23 February – HMS ''Vengeance'' launched.
* 24 February – USS ''Shangri-La'' launched.
* 26 February – USS ''Bennington'' launched.
* 1 March – , laid down.
* 7 March – ''Taihō'' commissioned.
* 23 March – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.140–145McCart (1990)
* 25 March – First deck landing by a twin engined aircraft, a 
* 3 May – HMS ''Indefatigable'' commissioned.
* 8 May – USS ''Ticonderoga'' commissioned.
* 20 May – HM Ships ''Mars'' and ''Warrior'' launched.
* 30 May – laid down.
* 19 June – ''Shōkaku'' and ''Taihō'' sunk in action.
* 20 June – ''Hiyō'' sunk in action.
* 21 June – laid down as (construction suspended at end of WWII).
* 28 June – USS ''Randolph'' launched.
* 1 July – laid down.
* 6 July – HMS ''Theseus'' launched.
* 8 July – HMS ''Ocean'' launched;
* 10 July – and laid down.
* 6 August – ''Unryū'' commissioned; USS ''Bennington'' commissioned.
* 10 August – ''Amagi'' commissioned.
* 18 August – ''Taiyō'' sunk in action.
* 19 August – laid down.
* 20 August – USS ''Antietam'' launched.
* 21 August – laid down.
* 28 August – HMS ''Implacable'' commissioned.
* 7 September – laid down.
* 15 September – USS ''Shangri-La'' commissioned; HMS ''Furious'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.Chesneau (1998), pp.85–88
* 16 September – ''Unyō'' sunk in action.
* 30 September – HMS ''Terrible'' launched.
* 2 October – HMS ''Triumph'' launched.''Colossus Class Light Fleet Aircraft Carriers''
(archived link, 3 December 2008)
* 8 October – ''Shinano'' launched.Chesneau (1998), p.185
* 9 October – USS ''Randolph'' commissioned.
* 15 October – ''Katsuragi'' commissioned.
* 19 October – ''Kasagi'' launched, never completed and broken up after the war.
* 24 October – USS ''Princeton'' sunk in action.
* 25 October – ''Chitose'', ''Chiyoda,'' ''Zuihō'' and ''Zuikaku'' sunk in action.
* 1 November – ''Aso'' launched, never completed and broken up after the war.
* 2 November – USS ''Lake Champlain'' launched.
* 16 November – HMS ''Magnificent'' launched.
* 17 November – ''Ikoma'' launched, never completed and broken up after the war; ''Shinyo'' sunk in action.
* 18 November – USS ''Valley Forge'' (CV-45) launched.
* 19 November – ''Shinano'' commissioned.
* 21 November – USS ''Valley Forge'' (CV-37) renamed .
* 26 November – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' commissioned.
* 29 November – ''Shinano'' sunk in action.
* December – HMS ''Argus'' designated an 
* 16 December – HMS ''Colossus'' commissioned.
* 19 December – ''Unryū'' sunk in action.
1945
* 15 January – HMS ''Vengeance'' commissioned.
* 28 January – USS ''Antietam'' commissioned.
* 8 February – HMS ''Mars'' commissioned as .
* 27 February – HMS ''Powerful'' launched (construction suspended at end of WWII).
* 28 February – HMS ''Majestic'' launched.
* 17 January – HMS ''Venerable'' commissioned.
* March – ''Ryūhō'' severely damaged by US air attack.
* 20 March – USS ''Midway'' launched.
* 2 April – HMS ''Glory'' commissioned.
* 9 April – Escort carrier ''HMS Biter'' returned to U.S. Navy, immediately transferred to France, recommissioned as ''Dixmude''.
* 16 April – USS ''Boxer'' commissioned.
* 20 April – ''Ryūhō'' placed in reserve.
* 25 April – Incomplete ''Graf Zeppelin'' scuttled by Germany.Murfett (2008), p.435
* 29 April – USS ''Coral Sea'' launched.
* 5 May – USS ''Kearsarge'' launched.
* 7 May – Nazi Germany surrenders.
* 8 May – USS ''Crown Point'' renamed , USS ''Coral Sea'' renamed .
* 12 May – USS ''Tarawa'' launched.
* 10 May – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.140–146
* 3 June – USS ''Lake Champlain'' commissioned.
* 7 June – HMS ''Leviathan'' launched (ship never completed).
* 8 July – USS ''Princeton'' and USS ''Saipan'' launched.
* 24 July – ''Amagi'' heavily damaged during air raid.''KIDO BUTAI!'', Combinedfleet.com
* 25 July – ''Kaiyo'', having been damaged in action the previous day, is deliberately grounded and later refloated.
* 28 July – ''Kaiyo'' further damaged in action, settles on bottom with 20-degree list to port.
* 29 July – Attempts to refloat ''Kaiyo'' abandoned.
* 29 July – ''Amagi'' capsized.
* 6 August – U.S. nuclear strike on Hiroshima.
* 8 August – HMS ''Ocean'' commissioned.
* 9 August – Last of caretaker crew leave ''Kaiyo''; U.S. nuclear strike on Nagasaki.
* 12 August – USS ''Reprisal'' canceled.
* 15 August – Japan surrenders; WWII ends.
* USS ''Reprisal'' (incomplete) launched to clear slipway.
* 8 July – USS ''Valley Forge'' (CV-45) launched.
* 23 August – USS ''Leyte'' launched.
* 1 September – USS ''Wright'' launched.
* 5 September – USS ''Philippine Sea'' launched.
* 10 September – USS ''Midway'' commissioned.
* 22 September – HMS ''Hercules'' launched, laid up for possible future use.
* 13 October – USS ''Oriskany'' launched; ''Katsuragi'' assigned to repatriation duty.
* 19 October – HMS ''Edgar'' renamed and commissioned as .
* 27 October – USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' commissioned.
* 18 November – USS ''Princeton'' commissioned.
* 20 November – ''Kaiyo'' decommissioned.
* 30 November – ''Junyō'' and ''Ryūhō'' decommissioned.
* 3 December – First landing by a jet-powered aircraft on a carrier, .Sturtivant (1990), p.216
* 8 December – USS ''Tarawa'' commissioned.
1946
* ''Ryūhō'' sold for scrap.
* HMS ''Unicorn'' decommissioned and placed in reserve;
* January – HMS ''Audacious'' renamed .
* 9 February – HMS ''Theseus'' commissioned.
* March – ''Graf Zeppelin'' refloated by the Soviet Union, repaired, and designated "PO-101" (Floating Base Number 101).
* 2 March – USS ''Kearsarge'' commissioned.
* 14 Mar – HMS ''Warrior'' commissioned as HMCS ''Warrior''.
* 19 March – HMS ''Eagle'' launched.
* April – ''Katsuragi'' placed on standby.
* 2 April – USS ''Coral Sea'' launched.
* 11 April – USS ''Leyte'' commissioned.
* 9 May – HMS ''Triumph'' commissioned.
* 11 May – USS ''Philippine Sea'' commissioned.
* 1 July – USS ''Independence'' and USS ''Saratoga'' used during a Bikini Atoll atomic test; both ships were damaged, but survived the test.
* 14 July – USS ''Saipan'' commissioned.
* 21 July – 
* 9 February – USS ''Wright'' commissioned.
* 11 February – USS ''Cabot'', USS ''Monterey'', USS ''Langley'', and USS ''Bataan'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 17 February – USS ''Lake Champlain'', USS ''Enterprise'', USS ''Franklin'', and USS ''Wasp'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 1 March – USS ''San Jacinto'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 22 March – USS ''Intrepid'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* April – HMS ''Venerable'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.Naval-History.net
* 22 April – HMS ''Centaur'' launched.
* 23 April – USS ''Lexington'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 30 April – ''Hōshō'' sold for scrap.
* 6 May – HMS ''Albion'' launched.
* 9 May – USS ''Hancock'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 16 August – ''Graf Zeppelin'' sunk in target practice by the Soviet Union.
* 12 August – USS ''Oriskany'' construction suspended.
* 1 October – USS ''Coral Sea'' commissioned.
* 7 November – USS ''Shangri-La'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
1948
* January – HMS ''Furious'' sold for scrap.
* 25 February – USS ''Randolph'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 21 March – HMS ''Magnificent'' loaned to Canada and commissioned as .Chesneau (1998), pp.58–60
* 23 March – HMS ''Warrior'' returned to UK.
* May – HMS ''Venerable'' sold to Netherlands.Chesneau (1998), pp.188–189
* 28 May – HMS ''Venerable'' recommissioned as HNLMS ''Karel Doorman''.
* 20 June – USS ''Princeton'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 22 June – HMS ''Bulwark'' launched.
* 24 June – Soviet blockade of 
1949
* HMS ''Unicorn'' recommissioned as transport carrier.
* ''Dixmude'' converted for use as a transport.
* 18 April – laid down.
* 4 April – NATO alliance formed.
* 23 April – USS ''United States'' cancelled.
* 21 June – USS ''Antietam'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 30 June – USS ''Tarawa'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 2 August – USS ''Reprisal'' (incomplete) sold for scrap.
* ''Aquila'' sold for scrap
* ''Arromanches'' purchased by France.
* January – USS ''Langley'' loaned to France.
* 15 January – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' recommissioned.
* 16 January – USS ''Essex'' recommissioned.
* 17 January – USS ''Antietam'' recommissioned.
* 29 January – USS ''Independence'' sunk in weapons tests.
* 3 February – USS ''Tarawa'' recommissioned.
* 20 March – USS ''Hornet'' recommissioned.
* 10 May – USS ''Shangri-La'' recommissioned.
* 12 May – USS ''Hornet'' decommissioned for conversion to CVA.
* 6 June – USS ''Langley'' recommissioned as ''La Fayette''.
* July – First trials of a 
* 5 September – USS ''Belleau Wood'' recommissioned as ''Bois Belleau''.
* 11 September – USS ''Hornet'' recommissioned.
1954
* HMS ''Perseus'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.Bishop & Chant (2004), p.51
* Mid-1954 – HMS ''Implacable'' and HMS ''Indefatigable'' decommissioned.
* 15 February – USS ''Hancock'' recommissioned as CVA.
* 9 April – USS ''Bataan'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 23 April – USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' decommissioned for modernisation.
* 26 May – HMS ''Albion'' commissioned.
* 18 June – USS ''Intrepid'' recommissioned in reserve.
* 1 August – First Indochina War ends.
* 2 August – laid down.
* September – HMS ''Pioneer'' decommissioned and sold for scrap;
* 11 September – USS ''Ticonderoga'' recommissioned after modernisation.
* 15 October – USS ''Intrepid'' returned to full commission.
* 4 November – HMS ''Bulwark'' commissioned.
* December – HMS ''Illustrious'' decommissioned.
* 11 December – USS ''Forrestal'' launched.
1955
* 10 January – USS ''Shangri-La'' recommissioned.
* 21 January – USS ''Cabot'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 25 February – commissioned, incorporating an angled flight deck, two steam catapults, and a mirror landing system.
* 6 April – USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' recommissioned with angled flight deck, steam catapult and hurricane bow.
* 14 May – Warsaw Pact formed.
* July – USS ''Midway'' decommissioned for modernisation.
* 1 July – laid down.
* 13 August – HMS ''Vengeance'' returned to UK.
* 15 August – USS ''Lexington'' recommissioned as CVA.
* 6 September – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' recommissioned.
* 29 September – USS ''Forrestal'' commissioned.
* 8 October – USS ''Saratoga'' launched.
* 25 October – HMAS ''Vengeance'' decommissioned.
* 26 October – HMS ''Majestic'' christened as HMAS ''Majestic''.Cassells (2000), p.84
* 28 October – HMAS ''Majestic'' renamed and commissioned as ;''HMAS Melbourne (II)'', Sea Power Centre HMS ''Vengeance'' recommissioned in reserve.
* November – HMS ''Implacable'' sold for scrap.
* 1 November – ''Clemenceau'' (France) laid down.
* 15 November – USS ''Boxer'' reclassified as CVS.
1956
* HMS ''Indefatigable'' sold for scrap.
* HMS ''Glory'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 16 January – USS ''Monterey'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 15 March – USS ''Wright'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 13 April – USS ''Hancock'' decommissioned.
* 14 April – USS ''Saratoga'' commissioned.
* 26 September – USS ''Ranger'' launched.
* 29 October – Suez Crisis begins.
* 3 November – HMS ''Illustrious'' sold for scrap.
* 15 November – USS ''Hancock'' recommissioned.
* 14 December – HMS ''Vengeance'' sold to Brazil.
* 27 December – laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.796
1957
* HMS ''Theseus'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* January – HMS ''Hercules'' sold to India, construction restarted.Chesneau (1998), p.152
* 2 January – USS ''Oriskany'' decommissioned, started modernisation.
* 17 January – HMS ''Powerful'' commissioned as .
* 15 February – ''Foch'' (France) laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.220
* 24 May – USS ''Coral Sea'' decommissioned for modernisation.
* 14 June – HMCS ''Magnificent'' returned to UK and placed in reserve as HMS ''Magnificent''.
* 10 August – USS ''Ranger'' commissioned.
* 14 September – laid down.
* 30 September – USS ''Midway'' recommissioned.
* 3 October – USS ''Saipan'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 5 December – HMS ''Ocean'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 21 December – ''Clemenceau'' launched.''CV CLEMENCEAU (R 98)'', French Fleet Air Arm
1958
* HMS ''Perseus'' and HMS ''Ocean'' sold for scrap.
* February – HMS ''Warrior'' decommissioned.''The HMS Warrior Story'', Ministry Of Defence web site
* 4 February – laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.798
* 30 May – HMAS ''Sydney'' decommissioned, held in reserve.
* 6 June – USS ''Independence'' launched.
* 1 July – USS ''Enterprise'' (''Yorktown'' class) sold for scrap.
* 4 November – Ex-HMS ''Warrior'' sold to Argentina.
* 28 December – USS ''Philippine Sea'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
1959
* 10 January – USS ''Independence'' commissioned.
* 26 January – Ex-HMS ''Warrior'' commissioned as ARA ''Independencia''.Chesneau (1998), p.50
* 30 January – USS ''Boxer'' reclassified LPH.
* 2 March – USS ''Princeton'' reclassified LPH.
* 7 March – USS ''Oriskany'' recommissioned.
* 15 May – USS ''Leyte'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* June – HMS ''Unicorn'' sold for scrap.
* 1 November – USS ''Cowpens'' sold for scrap.
* 18 November – HMS ''Hermes'' commissioned.
* ''Dixmude'' hulked as an accommodation ship.Chesneau (1998), p.67
* HMS ''Ocean'' and HMS ''Theseus'' sold for scrap.
* 25 January – USS ''Coral Sea'' recommissioned.
* May – USS ''Tarawa'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 21 May – USS ''Kitty Hawk'' launched.
* 28 July – ''Foch'' launched.''CV FOCH (R 99)'', French Fleet Air Arm
* September – ''Bois Belleau'' () returned to US Navy.
* 24 September – USS ''Enterprise'' launched.
* 1 October – ''Bois Belleau'' struck.
* 8 October – USS ''Constellation'' launched.
* 21 November – USS ''Belleau Wood'' sold for scrap.
* 6 December – Ex-HMS ''Vengeance'' recommissioned as NAeL ''Minas Gerais''.Chesneau (1998), p.57
1961
* 9 January – laid down.
* 4 March – HMS ''Hercules'' commissioned as .
* 29 April – USS ''Kitty Hawk'' commissioned.
* May – USS ''Bataan'' sold for scrap.
* 1 July – USS ''Valley Forge'' reclassified LPH.
* 27 October – USS ''Constellation'' commissioned.
* 22 November – ''Clemenceau'' commissioned.
* 25 November – USS ''Enterprise'' commissioned; first 
1962
* 7 March – HMAS ''Sydney'' recommissioned as fast troop carrier.
* 15 March – USS ''Wright'' conversion to 
* 23 January – USS ''America'' commissioned.
* 8 April – USS ''Saipan'' renamed .
* July – HMS ''Magnificent'' sold for scrap.
1966
* HMS ''Centaur'' designated as depot ship.
* ''Béarn'' decommissioned.
* British
* HMS ''Triumph'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 1 April – USS ''Randolph'' sold for scrap.
* May – ''Kiev'' commissioned.
* 3 May – USS ''Nimitz'' commissioned.
* 1 June – USS ''Essex'' sold for scrap.
* 1 September – USS ''Ticonderoga'' sold for scrap.
* 30 September – ''Minsk'' launched;''Minsk'', maritimequest.com ''Novorossiysk'' laid down.''Novorossiysk'', maritimequest.com
* 11 October – USS ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' launched; laid down.
* 13 October – USS ''Yorktown'' preserved as museum ship.
* 28 October – HMAS ''Sydney'' sold for scrap.
1976
* 30 January – USS ''Hancock'' decommissioned.
* March – HMS ''Bulwark'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 1 June – USS ''Arlington'' sold for scrap.
* 1 September – USS ''Hancock'' sold for scrap.
* September STOVL Harriers equip Spanish aircraft carrier ''Dédalo'', returning her to fixed-wing carrier operations; first STOVL aircraft carrier.
* 30 September – USS ''Oriskany'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 7 October – laid down.
1977
* 3 May – HMS ''Invincible'' launched.
* 30 September – USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' decommissioned.
* 18 October – USS ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' commissioned.
1978
* ''Arromanches'' sold for scrap.
* 1 April – USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' sold for scrap.
* 27 September – ''Minsk'' commissioned.
* 17 February – ''Baku'' laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.293
* October – HMS ''Eagle'' sold for scrap.
* 1 December – HMS ''Illustrious'' launched.
* 14 December – (''Invincible'' class) laid down.
* 26 December – ''Novorossiysk'' launched.
1979
* February – HMS ''Ark Royal'' (''Audacious'' class) decommissioned; end of conventional Catapult-Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) carrier operations for the UK.
* 23 February – HMS ''Bulwark'' recommissioned.
* 8 October – ''Príncipe de Asturias'' laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.632
* HMS ''Bulwark'' placed in reserve.
* 15 March – USS ''Carl Vinson'' launched.
* 11 July – HMS ''Invincible'' commissioned; first purpose-built STOVL carrier, first ship to include a ski-jump ramp.
* 1 August – USS ''Wright'' sold for scrap.
* 22 September – HMS ''Ark Royal'' (''Audacious'' class) sold for scrap.
1981
* 26 March – laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.344
* 27 March – HMS ''Bulwark'' decommissioned.
* 10 April – HMS ''Bulwark'' sold for scrap.
* 9 May – First carrier fitted with a ski jump, .
* 2 June – HMS ''Ark Royal'' launched.
* 13 October – laid down.
* 9 December – HMS ''Triumph'' sold for scrap.
1982
* 25 February – Australian government announces its intention to purchase HMS ''Invincible'' and rename it HMAS ''Australia''.
* 13 March – USS ''Carl Vinson'' commissioned.
* 19 March – Argentina invades South Georgia, launching the Falklands War; this war provides the impetus to slow the drawdown of the Royal Navy, including carrier aviation; deal to sell HMS ''Invincible'' to Australia cancelled.
* 23 March – USS ''Intrepid'' struck, preserved as a museum ship.
* 1 April – ''Baku'' launched.
* 1 May – Argentine carrier detects and attempts airstrike against British fleet, but is unable to launch due to unfavorable winds.
* 2 May – Argentine cruiser sunk by British submarine; carrier ''Veinticinco de Mayo'' withdraws to safe port for the duration of the war.
* 22 May – ''Príncipe de Asturias'' launched.
* 30 May – HMAS ''Melbourne'' decommissioned.
* 14 June – Argentine land forces in the Falkland Islands surrender, ending the conflict.
* 20 June – HMS ''Illustrious'' commissioned.
* 5 July – USS ''Shangri-La'' struck.
* September – ''Novorossiysk'' commissioned.Ireland (2007), p.133
1983
* 22 February – laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.568
* 4 June – ''Giuseppe Garibaldi'' launched.
1984
* 12 April – HMS ''Hermes'' decommissioned, placed in maintained reserve.
* 27 October – USS ''Theodore Roosevelt'' launched.
* 3 November – laid down.
1985
* ARA ''Veinticinco de Mayo'' inoperable, laid up for possible modernisation.Ireland (2007), p.147
* HMAS ''Melbourne'' sold for scrap.
* 30 September – ''Giuseppe Garibaldi'' commissioned as helicopter 
1987
* 11 December – ''Baku'' commissioned.''Baku'', maritimequest.com
1988
* 13 February – USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' launched.
* 30 May – ''Príncipe de Asturias'' commissioned.
* 9 August – USS ''Shangri-La'' sold for scrap.
* October – ''Leonid Brezhnev'' renamed .
* December – laid down.
* 4 December – ''Riga'' launched.
1989
* ''Giuseppe Garibaldi'' takes on Harrier aircraft, initiating Italian fixed-wing carrier operations.
* INS ''Vikrant'' ends CATOBAR operations and is converted with ski jump to all-STOVL operations.
* 14 April – laid down;''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.218 first non-U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier.Rose (2007), p.284
* 20 May – Ex-HMS ''Hermes'' commissioned as .
* 25 July – USS ''Hornet'' struck, preserved as a museum ship; USS ''Oriskany'' struck to be preserved as a museum ship or scrapped.
* 5 August – ''Dédalo'' decommissioned.''Cabot'', maritimequest.com
* 20 September – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' and USS ''Bennington'' struck.
* 11 November – USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' commissioned.
* ''Baku'' renamed ''Admiral Gorshkov''.
* 21 January – ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' commissioned.
* 28 February – Gulf War ends with ceasefire.
* 13 March – laid down.
* 1 November – ''Ulyanovsk'' cancelled at 40% complete.Hiranandani (2006)
* 8 November – USS ''Lexington'' decommissioned.
* 25 December – Soviet Union dissolves, Cold War ends
1992
* Construction of ''Varyag'' stopped, transferred to the Ukraine.SinoDefence.com
* 4 February – ''Ulyanovsk'' scrapped; USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' sold for scrap.
* 11 April – USS ''Midway'' decommissioned, preserved as a museum ship.
* 15 June – USS ''Lexington'' donated as a museum ship.
* 4 July – USS ''George Washington'' commissioned.
* September – ''Novorossiysk'' laid up in reserve.
1993
* 7 May – USS ''Coral Sea'' sold for scrap.
* 30 June – ''Kiev'',''Kiev'', maritimequest.com ''Minsk'' and ''Novorossiysk'' decommissioned.
* 10 July – USS ''Ranger'' decommissioned, on donation hold as of 2004.
* 11 September – USS ''Forrestal'' decommissioned, on donation hold.
* 13 November – USS ''John C. Stennis'' launched.
* 29 November – laid down.
1994
* 1 December – USS ''Bennington'' sold for scrap.
* 7 May – ''Charles de Gaulle'' launched.
* 12 July – HTMS ''Chakri Naruebet'' laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.689
* 20 August – USS ''Saratoga'' decommissioned.
1995
* 1 August – ''Novorossiysk'' and ''Minsk'' sold for scrap, ''Minsk'' not scrapped.
* 9 September – USS ''Oriskany'' sold for scrap, not scrapped.
* 10 October – HMS ''Ocean'' launched.
* 9 December – USS ''John C. Stennis'' commissioned.
1996
* 20 January – HTMS ''Chakri Naruebet'' launched.
* 9 August – USS ''America'' decommissioned.
* 14 September – USS ''Harry S. Truman'' launched.
1997
* ARA ''Veinticinco de Mayo'' decommissioned.Ireland (2007), p.152
* 31 January – INS ''Vikrant'' (R11) decommissioned, to be converted to a museum ship at Mumbai.Tembhekar (2010), ''The Times of India''
* 27 March – HTMS ''Chakri Naruebet'' commissioned.
* 30 July – USS ''Oriskany'' repossessed by the USN due to default by scrapping contractor.
* 1 October – ''Clemenceau'' decommissioned.
1998
* 12 February – laid down.
* April – ''Varyag'' sold to China.
* August – ''Minsk'' towed to China for use in an amusement park.
* 30 September – USS ''Independence'' decommissioned.
* 25 July – USS ''Harry S. Truman'' commissioned.
1999
* ''Varyag'' departed Ukraine under tow, refused passage through Bosporus Strait, stationed near the straits for three years.
* January – ARA ''Veinticinco de Mayo'' sold for scrap.''25 de Mayo'', GlobalSecurity.com
* 1 January – USS ''Saratoga'' placed on donation hold.
* October – Scrapping of ''Dédalo'' commenced.
* 15 November – ''Foch'' decommissioned, and recommissioned as NAe ''São Paulo''.''France hands over aircraft carrier to Brazil'', CNN.com
2001
* 10 March – USS ''Ronald Reagan'' launched.
* 18 May – ''Charles de Gaulle'' commissioned.Ireland (2007), p.128
* 17 July – ''Cavour'' laid down.''Cavour — Light multirole Aircraft Carrier'', digilander.libero.it
* 7 October – 
* February – USS ''Forrestal'' prepared to be sunk as a reef; USS ''Independence'' and USS ''Constellation'' scheduled to be scrapped within five years.''NavyTimes'', 26 February 2008
* 10 March – ''Juan Carlos I'' launched.
* 27 March – ''Cavour'' commissioned.
2009
* 10 January – USS ''George H. W. Bush'' commissioned;''NAVY.mil'', USN Official Web Site, 12 January 2009 final ship of the ''Nimitz'' class.
* 28 February – INS ''Vikrant'' keel laid
* 12 May – USS ''Kitty Hawk'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 7 July – First steel cut for
* 13 November – laid down"Keel laid for newest Navy aircraft carrier"
www.navytimes.com, 13 November 2009.
* 30 September – '' Juan Carlos I'' commissionedArmada Española ''Navy News'', 30 September 2010
2011
* 11 Mar – decommissionedBBC News, 11 March 2011
* 26 May – First steel cut for UK Ministry of Defence, 26 May 2011
* 10 August – Ex-''Varyag'' completed, began sea trials for the 
* 17 July – launched.
* 28 August – decommissioned
* 11 Oct – commissioned. First of a new class of amphibious assault ships.
* 22 November – (ex-HMS Hercules) scrapped
* 28 November – commissioned into the Australian Navy. First Australian helicopter carrier.
2015
* 25 March –
USS ''Cabot'' (CVL-28)
* * *
,
, ''Carriers'', French Fleet Air Arm, Retrieved 24 September 2008 *
HMAS ''Melbourne'' (II)
,
HMAS Sydney (III)
,
HMAS Vengeance
, ''HMA Ship Histories'', Sea Power Centre, Royal Australian Navy official web site, Retrieved 13 September 2008 *
,
,
,
,
, ''Maritime Quest'', maritimequest.com, Retrieved 15 October 2008 *
,
, ''The Royal Navy Postwar'', Retrieved 1 November 2008 (archived links)
Securing Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The Strategic Defence and Security Review
, HM Government (2010), pp. 75, , Retrieved 16 February 2011
Royal Navy Escort Carriers
''World Aircraft Carriers List'', Haze Gray & Underway
{{Lists of aircraft carriers * Aircraft carrier service, Timeline for Lists of aircraft carriers
Aircraft carriers have their origins during the days of World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. The earliest experiments consisted of fitting temporary "flying off" platforms to the gun turrets of the warships of several nations, notably the United States and the United Kingdom. The first ship to be modified with a permanent flight deck was the battlecruiser , which initially had a single flying-off deck forward of the original superstructure. Subsequently, she was modified with a separate "landing on" deck aft and later with a full flush deck. Other ships, often liners, were modified to have full flush flight decks, being the first to have such modification begun. Those first faltering steps gave little indication of just how important the aircraft carrier was to prove to be. During the inter-war years (between the World Wars), Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States built up significant carrier fleets so that by the beginning of World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, they had 18 carriers between them. The 1940 Battle of Taranto
The Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11–12 November 1940 during the Second World War between British naval forces, under Admiral Andrew Cunningham, and Italian naval forces, under Admiral Inigo Campioni. The Royal Navy launched ...
and 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...
in retrospect showed the world that the aircraft carrier was to be the most important ship in the modern fleet. Today, aircraft carriers are the capital ship
The capital ships of a navy are its most important warships; they are generally the larger ships when compared to other warships in their respective fleet. A capital ship is generally a leading or a primary ship in a naval fleet.
Strategic im ...
s of the navies they serve in, and in the case of modern US "supercarriers
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...
", they embark an air group that is effectively a small air force.
This timeline is an attempt to provide a unified chronology of key dates in carrier service. Aircraft carriers often serve their navies for many decades and this chronology enables the reader to track the progress of the carrier as it has developed alongside the evolution of aircraft for nearly a hundred years.
Pre-carrier history
1849
* On 12 July 1849, the Austrian Navy ship was used for launching incendiary balloons. A number of small Montgolfiere hot air ballons were launched with the intention of dropping bombs on Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
. Although the attempt largely failed due to contrary winds which drove the balloons back over the ship, one bomb did land on the city.
1907
* The British Admiralty, according to legend, politely refused the Wright brothers' offer to sell them one or more aircraft, by saying that they could see no place for aviation in naval circles.Australian Naval Aviation Museum (1998), p.2
1910
* 14 November – First successful launch of an aircraft from a ship, using a temporary wooden platform for a flight deck
The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the surface from which its aircraft take off and land, essentially a miniature airfield at sea. On smaller naval ships which do not have aviation as a primary mission, the landing area for helicopte ...
on the stationary cruiser .''The early years'', USN official web site
1911
* 18 January – First deck landing, using a temporary wooden platform on the at anchor ; first use of a tailhook
A tailhook, arresting hook, or arrester hook is a device attached to the empennage (rear) of some military fixed-wing aircraft. The hook is used to achieve rapid deceleration during routine landings aboard aircraft carrier flight decks at sea, ...
-arrested landing system.
1912
* 10 January – First launch of an aircraft from a British ship, Charles Samson flies off a platform fixed to the front of the stationary battleship .Sturtivant (1990), p.8
* 2 May – First recorded flight from a moving ship, Samson flies off , steaming at 10.5 knots.Sturtivant (1990), p.215 Then in June, Samson flies off .
World War I
1914
* 28 June – Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria, (18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914) was the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His assassination in Sarajevo was the most immediate cause of World War I.
F ...
; World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
begins.
* 31 October – First aircraft carrying ship to be sunk in action, (former cruiser) seaplane carrier sunk by ''U-27''.Chesneau (1998), p.79
* 25 December – Attack on Cuxhaven, the first attack from the sea upon a land target using aircraft (seaplane
A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their technological characteri ...
s carried to within range to bomb the Zeppelin sheds at Cuxhaven).
1915
* 12 August – First attack using an air-launched torpedo
A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, s ...
, from a Short Type 184
The Short Admiralty Type 184, often called the Short 225 after the power rating of the engine first fitted, was a British two-seat reconnaissance, bombing and torpedo carrying folding-wing seaplane designed by Horace Short of Short Brothers. It ...
seaplane flown by Flight Commander Charles H. K. Edmonds from seaplane carrier .269 Squadron History: 1914–1923
* 5 November – First catapult launch of an aircraft from a ship, .H. M. Friedman and A. K. Friedman (2006)
1916
* 31 May – First use of an aeroplane during a battle at sea, the Battle of Jutland.Fleet Air Arm Officers' Association web site
* August – Incomplete Italian liner
A low-ionization nuclear emission-line region (LINER) is a type of galactic nucleus that is defined by its spectral line emission. The spectra typically include line emission from weakly ionized or neutral atoms, such as O, O+, N+, and S+. ...
''Conte Rosso'' purchased by the Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
for completion and conversion to an aircraft carrier, .Chesneau (1998), pp.89–90
1917
* February – Incomplete large light cruiser has its forward gun replaced with a flying-off deck.''HMS Furious 1917'', RN official web site
* 2 August – First aircraft landing aboard a moving ship, HMS ''Furious''; this ship was subsequently modified with a stern-mounted landing deck in late 1917.
* 21 August – First air-to-air kill from a ship-launched aircraft, Zeppelin
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp ...
L23 shot down by a Sopwith Pup
The Sopwith Pup is a British single-seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying character ...
from cruiser .
* 2 December – HMS ''Argus'' launched.
1918
* 15 January – laid down
Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship.
Keel laying is one o ...
;Chesneau (1998), pp.92–93 ''Hermes'' was the first ship specifically designed to be built as an aircraft carrier and the first carrier to feature an island superstructure.
* 28 February – Incomplete Chilean battleship ''Almirante Cochrane'' purchased by the Royal Navy to be completed as the carrier .Chesneau (1998), pp.95–96
* 8 June – HMS ''Eagle'' launched.
* 9 July – First strike by aircraft launched from a carrier, the Tondern raid, an attack by British aircraft from ''Furious'' against a German airship base in northern Germany.
* 14 September – HMS ''Argus'' commissioned.
* 11 November – Armistice
An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the ...
signed, signalling the end of WWI.
Between the wars
1919 * 11 July – authorised to be converted to a carrier. * 11 September – HMS ''Hermes'' launched. * 16 December – laid down, possibly as the tanker ''Hiryu''.Chesneau (1998), pp.157–1581920–1929
1920
* 21 April – USS ''Jupiter'' renamed .
* 1 November – U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
sinks during an exercise testing aerial bombardment.
* 6 December – laid down as battlecruiser.Chesneau (1998), pp.159–160
1921
* 13 November – ''Hōshō'' launched.
1922
* 6 February – Washington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was a treaty signed during 1922 among the major Allies of World War I, which agreed to prevent an arms race by limiting naval construction. It was negotiated at the Washington Nav ...
limiting naval forces signed.
* HMS ''Furious'' flush-deck conversion begun.
* Spanish seaplane carrier is commissioned in the Spanish Navy.
* 20 March – USS ''Langley'' commissioned.
* 1 July – Battlecruisers and reclassified to be completed as carriers.
* 27 December – ''Hōshō'' commissioned.
1923
* July – HMS ''Hermes'' commissioned
* August – Conversion of the French to an aircraft carrier started.Chesneau (1998), pp61-75
* and ''Akagi'' conversions from battlecruiser to aircraft carrier begun.Chesneau (1998), pp.161–162
1924
* 26 February – HMS ''Eagle'' commissioned.
* June – Light cruiser carrier conversion started.Chesneau (1998), pp.97–99
1925
* Light cruiser carrier conversion started.
* 7 April – USS ''Saratoga'' launched.
* 22 April – ''Akagi'' launched.
* 1 July – First night deck landing made by F/Lt Boyce flying a Blackburn Dart
The Blackburn Dart was a carrier-based torpedo bomber biplane designed and manufactured by the British aviation company Blackburn Aircraft. It was the standard single-seat torpedo bomber operated by the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) between 1923 and 193 ...
onto HMS ''Furious''
* September – HMS ''Furious'' re-enters service with flush flight deck.
* 3 October – USS ''Lexington'' launched.
1926
* 6 May – First night deck landing, aboard .Sturtivant (1990), p.12
1927
* 25 March – ''Akagi'' commissioned
* May – ''Béarn'' commissioned.
* 16 November – USS ''Saratoga'' commissioned.
* 14 December – USS ''Lexington'' commissioned.
1928
* 5 May – HMS ''Courageous'' commissioned as a carrier; first carrier to be fitted with transverse arrestor gear
An arresting gear, or arrestor gear, is a mechanical system used to rapidly decelerate an aircraft as it lands. Arresting gear on aircraft carriers is an essential component of naval aviation, and it is most commonly used on CATOBAR and STOBA ...
(friction-based).Sturtivant (1990), p.14
* 31 March – ''Kaga'' commissioned.
1929
* 26 November – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.163–164
1930–1939
1930 * 10 March – HMS ''Glorious'' recommissioned as an aircraft carrier. * March – HMS ''Argus'' placed in reserve.Sturtivant (1990), p.17 1931 * 2 January – First carrier fitted with hydraulic arresting gear, HMS ''Courageous''. * 2 April – ''Ryūjō'' launched. * 26 September – laid down. 1933 * 25 February – USS ''Ranger'' launched. * 9 May – ''Ryūjō'' commissioned. 1934
* 21 May – laid down.
* 4 June – USS ''Ranger'' commissioned.
* 16 July – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.206–210
* 20 November – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.165–166
1935
* 9 September – First landing of a rotary winged aircraft aboard a carrier – a Cierva autogyro onto HMS ''Furious''
* 16 September – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.100–103
* 21 December – ''Sōryū'' launched.
1936
* 15 January – Japan exits the Washington Naval Treaty.
* 1 April – laid down.
* 4 April – USS ''Yorktown'' launched.
* 8 July – laid down.
* 3 October – USS ''Enterprise'' launched.
* 25 October – USS ''Langley'' taken in hand for conversion to a seaplane tender.
* 28 December – ''Flugzeugträger A'' (''Graf Zeppelin'') laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.76–77
1937
* 29 January – ''Sōryū'' commissioned.
* 26 February – USS ''Langley'' recommissioned as a seaplane tender.
* 13 April – HMS ''Ark Royal'' launched.
* 27 April – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.103–107
* 4 May – laid down.
* 17 June – laid down.
* 30 September – USS ''Yorktown'' commissioned.
* 10 November – laid down.
* 16 November – ''Hiryū'' launched.
* 12 December – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.171–172
1938
* ''Takasaki'' carrier conversion started.Chesneau (1998), pp.169–171
* ''Flugzeugträger B
The ''Graf Zeppelin''-class aircraft carriers were four German ''Kriegsmarine'' aircraft carriers planned in the mid-1930s by Grand Admiral Erich Raeder as part of the Plan Z rearmament program after Germany and Great Britain signed the Anglo-Ger ...
'' laid down.Emmerlich, R, ''Kriegsmarine Ships: Aircraft Carrier''
* 12 May – USS ''Enterprise'' commissioned.
* 25 May – laid down.
* 8 December – ''Graf Zeppelin'' launched.
* 16 December – HMS ''Ark Royal'' commissioned; first carrier with deck armour.
1939
* 21 February – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.128–129
* 4 April – USS ''Wasp'' launched.
* 5 April – HMS ''Illustrious'' launched.
* 1 June – ''Shōkaku'' launched.
* 26 June – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.117–118
* 5 July – ''Hiryū'' commissioned.
* 17 August – HMS ''Formidable'' launched.
World War II
1939
* 1 September – Germany invades Poland, World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
begins.
* 14 September – HMS ''Victorious'' launched.
* 17 September – HMS ''Courageous'' sunk in action.
* 25 September – laid down.
* 26 September – First Allied air victory in WWII, a Dornier Do 18
The Dornier Do 18 was a development of the Do 16 flying boat. It was developed for the ''Luftwaffe'', but ''Luft Hansa'' received five aircraft and used these for tests between the Azores and the North American continent in 1936 and on their ma ...
shot down by Blackburn Skua
The Blackburn B-24 Skua was a carrier-based low-wing, two-seater, single- radial engine aircraft by the British aviation company Blackburn Aircraft. It was the first Royal Navy carrier-borne all-metal cantilever monoplane aircraft, as well as t ...
of 803 Squadron from HMS ''Ark Royal''.
* 27 November – ''Zuikaku'' launched.
* 3 November – laid down.
1940
* Conversion of ''Izumo Maru'' to carrier started, renamed ''Hiyō''.Chesneau (1998), pp.175–176
* ''Kashiwara Maru'' carrier conversion started, renamed ''Jun'yō''.
* HMS ''Argus'' recommissioned as training and transport carrier.
* 28 February – German ''Flugzeugträger B'' cancelled while under construction.
* 26 March – HMS ''Indomitable'' launched.
* 25 April – USS ''Wasp'' commissioned.
* May – ''Graf Zeppelin'' construction temporarily suspended.
* 25 May – HMS ''Illustrious'' commissioned; first fully armoured carrier.
* June – ''Béarn'' interned at Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...
.
* 18 June – HMS ''Glorious'' sunk in action.
* 21 June – Attack on ''Scharnhorst'', first ever torpedo attack by aircraft on a capital ship at sea.Birch
* 25 June – France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
falls to Germany.
* 11 November – Battle of Taranto
The Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11–12 November 1940 during the Second World War between British naval forces, under Admiral Andrew Cunningham, and Italian naval forces, under Admiral Inigo Campioni. The Royal Navy launched ...
is the first carrier-based torpedo-bomber attack.
* 24 November – HMS ''Formidable'' commissioned.
* 14 December – USS ''Hornet'' launched.
* 27 December – conversion of ''Takasaki'' completed, commissioned as ''Zuihō''.
1941
* Submarine tender ''Tsurugisaki'' carrier conversion started.
* Italian passenger liner ''Roma'' carrier conversion started, renamed ''Aquila''Chesneau (1998), p.153
* 28 April – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.220–231
* May – Incomplete passenger liners '' Kasuga Maru'', '' Yawata Maru'' and '' Nitta Maru'' carrier conversions started.Ireland (2007), p.119
* 1 May – laid down as light cruiser .Chesneau (1998), pp.232–236
* 26 May – German battleship ''Bismarck'' disabled by aircraft launched from . ''Bismarck'' is later sunk by battleships.
* 15 May – HMS ''Victorious'' commissioned.
* 24 June – ''Hiyō'' launched.
* 26 June – ''Junyō'' launched.
* 10 July – ''Taihō'' laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.179–180
* 15 July – laid down.
* 8 August – ''Shōkaku'' commissioned.
* 2 September – ''Kasuga Maru'' carrier conversion completed.
* 15 September – laid down; ''Kasuga Maru'' commissioned as ''Taiyō''Chesneau (1998), pp.173
* 25 September – ''Zuikaku'' commissioned.
* 10 October – HMS ''Indomitable'' commissioned.
* 20 October – USS ''Hornet'' commissioned.
* 13 November – HMS ''Ark Royal'' sunk in action.
* 20 November – HMS ''Unicorn'' launched.
* 1 December – , laid down.
* 7 December – Japan attacks Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii and in Philippines; as a result United States enters World War II.
* 20 December – Submarine tender ''Taigei'' carrier conversion started.
1942
* 26 January – ''Tsurugisaki'' carrier conversion completed, commissioned as ''Shōhō''.
* February – carrier conversion started by Japan.
* 16 February – Light cruisers and reclassified for completion as carriers.''DANFS'', United States Navy
* 27 February – USS ''Langley'' sunk in action.
* 16 March – laid down as light cruiser.
* 18 March – laid down.
* 27 March – Light cruisers and reclassified for completion as carriers; ''Huntington'' renamed .
* 31 March – USS ''Tallahassee'' renamed , USS ''New Haven'' renamed , USS ''Dayton'' renamed .
* 9 April – HMS ''Hermes'' sunk in action.
* 11 April – Originally intended as 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. Prior to th ...
, laid down.
* May – ''Béarn'' demilitarised; ''Graf Zeppelin'' construction resumed
* 4 May – Battle of the Coral Sea commences – first carrier-to-carrier naval engagement in history, and first naval engagement where neither fleet directly fired upon nor came within sight of the other fleet.
* 5 May – ''Jun'yō'' commissioned.
* 7 May – ''Shōhō'' sunk in action.
* 8 May – USS ''Lexington'' sunk in action; Battle of the Coral Sea ends.
* 31 May – ''Yawata Maru'' carrier conversion completed, commissioned as ''Unyō''.
* June – Incomplete ''Yamato''-class battleship ''Shinano'' carrier conversion started.
* 1 June – laid down,Chesneau (1998), pp.129–133 and laid down.
* 2 June – USS ''Wilmington'' re-designated for completion as carrier.
* 4 June – Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place on 4–7 June 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The U.S. Navy under ...
commenced, generally considered to be the most important naval battle in the Pacific during World War II; ''Akagi'', ''Kaga'', ''Sōryū'' severely damaged in action, with ''Kaga'' and ''Sōryū'' subsequently scuttled
Scuttling is the deliberate sinking of a ship. Scuttling may be performed to dispose of an abandoned, old, or captured vessel; to prevent the vessel from becoming a navigation hazard; as an act of self-destruction to prevent the ship from being ...
.
* 5 June – ''Hiryū'' sunk in action, ''Akagi'' scuttled.
* 7 June – USS ''Yorktown'' sunk in action; Battle of Midway ended.
* 16 June – USS ''Cabot'' renamed .
* 23 June – USS ''Wilmington'' renamed .
* 31 July – ''Hiyō'' commissioned; USS ''Essex'' launched.
* 1 August – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.182–184
* 3 August – laid down.
* 11 August – HMS ''Eagle'' sunk in action.
* 22 August – USS ''Independence'' launched.
* 24 August – ''Ryūjō'' sunk in action.
* 27 August – laid down.
* 31 August – laid down; ''Kasuga Maru'' reclassified as warship;
* 15 September – USS ''Wasp'' sunk in action.
* 26 September – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' renamed ; USS ''Lexington'' launched.
* 1 October – laid down.
* 18 October – USS ''Princeton'' launched.
* 24 October – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.134–139
* 26 October – laid down.
* 27 October – USS ''Hornet'' sunk in action.
* 8 November – laid down.
* 12 November – laid down.''HMAS Vengeance'', Sea Power Centre
* 13 November – USS ''Crown Point'' renamed , USS ''Oriskany'' renamed .
* 25 November – ''Nitta Maru'' carrier conversion completed, renamed and commissioned as ''Chūyō''.
* 28 November – ''Taigei'' carrier conversion completed, renamed and commissioned as ''Ryūhō''.Chesneau (1998), pp.177–178
* 2 December – laid down, subsequently renamed HMS ''Mars''.
* 3 December – laid down.
* 6 December – USS ''Belleau Wood'' launched.
* 7 December – laid down, USS ''Bunker Hill'' launched.
* 8 December – ''Katsuragi'' laid down; HMS ''Indefatigable'' launched.
* 10 December – HMS ''Implacable'' launched; ''Argentina Maru'' carrier conversion started.
* 12 December – laid down.
* 15 December – laid down.
* 31 December – USS ''Essex'' commissioned.
1943
* 6 January – laid down.
* 14 January – USS ''Independence'' commissioned.
* 15 January – laid down.
* 17 January – USS ''Cowpens'' launched.
* 21 January – USS ''Yorktown'' launched.
* 22 January – USS ''Kearsarge'' renamed .
* 26 January – ''Chitose'' carrier conversion started; laid down.
* 27 January – laid down.
* 30 January – USS ''Reprisal'' renamed ; ''Graf Zeppelin'' construction stopped and project cancelled.
* February – SS ''Scharnhorst'' acquired to be completed as ''Shinyo''.
* 1 February – and laid down.
* 17 February – USS ''Lexington'' commissioned.
* 25 February – USS ''Princeton'' commissioned.
* 28 February – USS ''Monterey'' launched.
* March – ''Chiyoda'' carrier conversion started.
* 12 March – HMS ''Unicorn'' commissioned.
* 15 March – and laid down.
* 31 March – USS ''Belleau Wood'' commissioned.
* 4 April – USS ''Cabot'' launched.
* 7 April – ''Taihō'' launched.
* 14 April – ''Kasagi'' laid down.
* 15 April – laid down;Hall (1982), p.69 USS ''Yorktown'' commissioned.
* 19 April – laid down.''HMAS Sydney (III)'', Sea Power Centre
* 26 April – USS ''Intrepid'' launched.
* 1 May – USS ''Hancock'' renamed , USS ''Ticonderoga'' renamed .
* 3 May – laid down.
* 10 May – laid down.
* 22 May – USS ''Langley'' launched.
* 24 May – USS ''Bunker Hill'' commissioned.
* 28 May – USS ''Cowpens'' commissioned.
* 8 June – ''Aso'' laid down.
* 17 June – USS ''Monterey'' commissioned.
* 30 June – ''Béarn'' transferred to the Free French
Free France (french: France Libre) was a political entity that claimed to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third Republic. Led by French general , Free France was established as a government-in-exile ...
forces.
* 5 July – ''Ikoma'' laid down.
* 24 July – USS ''Cabot'' commissioned.
* 29 July – laid down.''A-Z list of the Aircraft Carriers'', fleetairarmarchive.net
* 1 August – USS ''Bataan'' launched.
* 16 August – USS ''Intrepid'' commissioned.
* 17 August – USS ''Wasp'' launched.
* 30 August – USS ''Hornet'' launched.
* 31 August – USS ''Langley'' commissioned.
* September – Incomplete carrier ''Aquila'' taken over by Germany after Italian surrender, but never completed
* 13 September – laid down.
* 14 September – laid down.
* 25 September – ''Unryū'' launched.
* 26 September – USS ''San Jacinto'' launched.
* 30 September – HMS ''Colossus'' launched.Chesneau (1998), p.134
* 12 October – laid down.
* 14 October – USS ''Franklin'' launched.
* 15 October – ''Amagi'' launched.
* 18 October – laid down.
* 27 October – laid down.
* 31 October – ''Chiyoda'' carrier conversion completed, recommissioned.Chesneau (1998), pp.167–168
* 15 November – ex-SS ''Scharnhorst'' commissioned as ''Shinyo''; USS ''San Jacinto'' commissioned.
* 17 November – USS ''Bataan'' commissioned.
* 23 November – ''Argentina Maru'' carrier conversion completed, commissioned as ''Kaiyo''.Chesneau (1998), p.178
* 24 November – USS ''Wasp'' commissioned.
* 27 November – HMS ''Glory'' launched, laid down.
* 29 November – USS ''Hornet'' commissioned.
* 1 December – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.255–260
* 4 December – ''Chūyō'' sunk in action.
* 30 December – HMS ''Venerable'' launched.
1944
* 1 January – ''Chitose'' carrier conversion completed, commissioned.
* 19 January – ''Katsuragi'' launched.
* 24 January – USS ''Hancock'' launched.
* 31 January – USS ''Franklin'' commissioned.
* 7 February – USS ''Ticonderoga'' launched.
* 21 February – laid down.
* 23 February – HMS ''Vengeance'' launched.
* 24 February – USS ''Shangri-La'' launched.
* 26 February – USS ''Bennington'' launched.
* 1 March – , laid down.
* 7 March – ''Taihō'' commissioned.
* 23 March – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.140–145McCart (1990)
* 25 March – First deck landing by a twin engined aircraft, a Mosquito
Mosquitoes (or mosquitos) are members of a group of almost 3,600 species of small flies within the family Culicidae (from the Latin ''culex'' meaning " gnat"). The word "mosquito" (formed by ''mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish for "li ...
on HMS ''Indefatigable''.
* 26 March – HMS ''Edgar'' launched.
* 15 April – USS ''Hancock'' commissioned.
* 29 April – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' launched.
* 1 May – laid down.
* 3 May – HMS ''Indefatigable'' commissioned.
* 8 May – USS ''Ticonderoga'' commissioned.
* 20 May – HM Ships ''Mars'' and ''Warrior'' launched.
* 30 May – laid down.
* 19 June – ''Shōkaku'' and ''Taihō'' sunk in action.
* 20 June – ''Hiyō'' sunk in action.
* 21 June – laid down as (construction suspended at end of WWII).
* 28 June – USS ''Randolph'' launched.
* 1 July – laid down.
* 6 July – HMS ''Theseus'' launched.
* 8 July – HMS ''Ocean'' launched;
* 10 July – and laid down.
* 6 August – ''Unryū'' commissioned; USS ''Bennington'' commissioned.
* 10 August – ''Amagi'' commissioned.
* 18 August – ''Taiyō'' sunk in action.
* 19 August – laid down.
* 20 August – USS ''Antietam'' launched.
* 21 August – laid down.
* 28 August – HMS ''Implacable'' commissioned.
* 7 September – laid down.
* 15 September – USS ''Shangri-La'' commissioned; HMS ''Furious'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.Chesneau (1998), pp.85–88
* 16 September – ''Unyō'' sunk in action.
* 30 September – HMS ''Terrible'' launched.
* 2 October – HMS ''Triumph'' launched.''Colossus Class Light Fleet Aircraft Carriers''(archived link, 3 December 2008)
* 8 October – ''Shinano'' launched.Chesneau (1998), p.185
* 9 October – USS ''Randolph'' commissioned.
* 15 October – ''Katsuragi'' commissioned.
* 19 October – ''Kasagi'' launched, never completed and broken up after the war.
* 24 October – USS ''Princeton'' sunk in action.
* 25 October – ''Chitose'', ''Chiyoda,'' ''Zuihō'' and ''Zuikaku'' sunk in action.
* 1 November – ''Aso'' launched, never completed and broken up after the war.
* 2 November – USS ''Lake Champlain'' launched.
* 16 November – HMS ''Magnificent'' launched.
* 17 November – ''Ikoma'' launched, never completed and broken up after the war; ''Shinyo'' sunk in action.
* 18 November – USS ''Valley Forge'' (CV-45) launched.
* 19 November – ''Shinano'' commissioned.
* 21 November – USS ''Valley Forge'' (CV-37) renamed .
* 26 November – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' commissioned.
* 29 November – ''Shinano'' sunk in action.
* December – HMS ''Argus'' designated an accommodation ship
A barracks ship or barracks barge or berthing barge, or in civilian use accommodation vessel or accommodation ship, is a ship or a non-self-propelled barge containing a superstructure of a type suitable for use as a temporary barracks for sai ...
.
* 14 December – USS ''Boxer'' launched.
* 16 December – HMS ''Colossus'' commissioned.
* 19 December – ''Unryū'' sunk in action.
1945
* 15 January – HMS ''Vengeance'' commissioned.
* 28 January – USS ''Antietam'' commissioned.
* 8 February – HMS ''Mars'' commissioned as .
* 27 February – HMS ''Powerful'' launched (construction suspended at end of WWII).
* 28 February – HMS ''Majestic'' launched.
* 17 January – HMS ''Venerable'' commissioned.
* March – ''Ryūhō'' severely damaged by US air attack.
* 20 March – USS ''Midway'' launched.
* 2 April – HMS ''Glory'' commissioned.
* 9 April – Escort carrier ''HMS Biter'' returned to U.S. Navy, immediately transferred to France, recommissioned as ''Dixmude''.
* 16 April – USS ''Boxer'' commissioned.
* 20 April – ''Ryūhō'' placed in reserve.
* 25 April – Incomplete ''Graf Zeppelin'' scuttled by Germany.Murfett (2008), p.435
* 29 April – USS ''Coral Sea'' launched.
* 5 May – USS ''Kearsarge'' launched.
* 7 May – Nazi Germany surrenders.
* 8 May – USS ''Crown Point'' renamed , USS ''Coral Sea'' renamed .
* 12 May – USS ''Tarawa'' launched.
* 10 May – laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.140–146
* 3 June – USS ''Lake Champlain'' commissioned.
* 7 June – HMS ''Leviathan'' launched (ship never completed).
* 8 July – USS ''Princeton'' and USS ''Saipan'' launched.
* 24 July – ''Amagi'' heavily damaged during air raid.''KIDO BUTAI!'', Combinedfleet.com
* 25 July – ''Kaiyo'', having been damaged in action the previous day, is deliberately grounded and later refloated.
* 28 July – ''Kaiyo'' further damaged in action, settles on bottom with 20-degree list to port.
* 29 July – Attempts to refloat ''Kaiyo'' abandoned.
* 29 July – ''Amagi'' capsized.
* 6 August – U.S. nuclear strike on Hiroshima.
* 8 August – HMS ''Ocean'' commissioned.
* 9 August – Last of caretaker crew leave ''Kaiyo''; U.S. nuclear strike on Nagasaki.
* 12 August – USS ''Reprisal'' canceled.
* 15 August – Japan surrenders; WWII ends.
Post-war 1945–1949
1945
* USS ''Reprisal'' (incomplete) launched to clear slipway.
* 8 July – USS ''Valley Forge'' (CV-45) launched.
* 23 August – USS ''Leyte'' launched.
* 1 September – USS ''Wright'' launched.
* 5 September – USS ''Philippine Sea'' launched.
* 10 September – USS ''Midway'' commissioned.
* 22 September – HMS ''Hercules'' launched, laid up for possible future use.
* 13 October – USS ''Oriskany'' launched; ''Katsuragi'' assigned to repatriation duty.
* 19 October – HMS ''Edgar'' renamed and commissioned as .
* 27 October – USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' commissioned.
* 18 November – USS ''Princeton'' commissioned.
* 20 November – ''Kaiyo'' decommissioned.
* 30 November – ''Junyō'' and ''Ryūhō'' decommissioned.
* 3 December – First landing by a jet-powered aircraft on a carrier, .Sturtivant (1990), p.216
* 8 December – USS ''Tarawa'' commissioned.
1946
* ''Ryūhō'' sold for scrap.
* HMS ''Unicorn'' decommissioned and placed in reserve;
* January – HMS ''Audacious'' renamed .
* 9 February – HMS ''Theseus'' commissioned.
* March – ''Graf Zeppelin'' refloated by the Soviet Union, repaired, and designated "PO-101" (Floating Base Number 101).
* 2 March – USS ''Kearsarge'' commissioned.
* 14 Mar – HMS ''Warrior'' commissioned as HMCS ''Warrior''.
* 19 March – HMS ''Eagle'' launched.
* April – ''Katsuragi'' placed on standby.
* 2 April – USS ''Coral Sea'' launched.
* 11 April – USS ''Leyte'' commissioned.
* 9 May – HMS ''Triumph'' commissioned.
* 11 May – USS ''Philippine Sea'' commissioned.
* 1 July – USS ''Independence'' and USS ''Saratoga'' used during a Bikini Atoll atomic test; both ships were damaged, but survived the test.
* 14 July – USS ''Saipan'' commissioned.
* 21 July – FH Phantom
The McDonnell FH Phantom is a twinjet fighter aircraft designed and first flown during World War II for the United States Navy. The Phantom was the first purely jet-powered aircraft to land on an American aircraft carrier and the first jet deplo ...
became the first purely jet-powered aircraft to operate from an American aircraft carrier.
* 25 July – USS ''Saratoga'' sunk by an underwater atomic bomb test at Bikini Island.
* 6 August – HMS ''Colossus'' renamed ''Arromanches'' and loaned to France.
* 16 August – ''Hōshō'' decommissioned.
* 28 August – USS ''Independence'' decommissioned.
* September – First helicopter landing aboard a naval escort vessel at sea.
* 1 September – Hulk of ''Kaiyo'' sold for scrap.
* 18 October – USS ''Ranger'' decommissioned.
* 3 November – USS ''Valley Forge'' commissioned.
* 8 November – USS ''Bennington'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 15 November – ''Katsuragi'' decommissioned.
* December – HMS ''Indefatigable'' decommissioned.
* December – HMS ''Argus'' sold for scrap.
* 19 December – First Indochina War
The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam) began in French Indochina from 19 December 1946 to 20 July 1954 between France and Việt Minh (Democratic Republic of Vi ...
begins.
* 22 December – ''Katsuragi'' sold for scrap.
1947
* HMS ''Indomitable'' and HMS ''Formidable'' placed in reserve.
* HMS ''Majestic'' and HMS ''Terrible'' purchased by Australia.
* ''Junyō'' sold for scrap.
* 9 January – USS ''Essex'', USS ''Yorktown'', USS ''Bon Homme Richard'', USS ''Bunker Hill'', and USS ''Ticonderoga'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 13 January – USS ''Belleau Wood'' and USS ''Cowpens'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 15 January – USS ''Hornet'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 28 January – USS ''Ranger'' sold for scrap.
* 9 February – USS ''Wright'' commissioned.
* 11 February – USS ''Cabot'', USS ''Monterey'', USS ''Langley'', and USS ''Bataan'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 17 February – USS ''Lake Champlain'', USS ''Enterprise'', USS ''Franklin'', and USS ''Wasp'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 1 March – USS ''San Jacinto'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 22 March – USS ''Intrepid'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* April – HMS ''Venerable'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.Naval-History.net
* 22 April – HMS ''Centaur'' launched.
* 23 April – USS ''Lexington'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 30 April – ''Hōshō'' sold for scrap.
* 6 May – HMS ''Albion'' launched.
* 9 May – USS ''Hancock'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 16 August – ''Graf Zeppelin'' sunk in target practice by the Soviet Union.
* 12 August – USS ''Oriskany'' construction suspended.
* 1 October – USS ''Coral Sea'' commissioned.
* 7 November – USS ''Shangri-La'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
1948
* January – HMS ''Furious'' sold for scrap.
* 25 February – USS ''Randolph'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 21 March – HMS ''Magnificent'' loaned to Canada and commissioned as .Chesneau (1998), pp.58–60
* 23 March – HMS ''Warrior'' returned to UK.
* May – HMS ''Venerable'' sold to Netherlands.Chesneau (1998), pp.188–189
* 28 May – HMS ''Venerable'' recommissioned as HNLMS ''Karel Doorman''.
* 20 June – USS ''Princeton'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 22 June – HMS ''Bulwark'' launched.
* 24 June – Soviet blockade of Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
increased tensions in what would become the Cold War between NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
-allied nations and the Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist repub ...
.
* 27 October – USS ''Cabot'' recommissioned.
* November – HMS ''Warrior'' recommissioned, fitted with a rubber deck for trials.
* 16 December – HMS ''Terrible'' commissioned as .
1949
* HMS ''Unicorn'' recommissioned as transport carrier.
* ''Dixmude'' converted for use as a transport.
* 18 April – laid down.
* 4 April – NATO alliance formed.
* 23 April – USS ''United States'' cancelled.
* 21 June – USS ''Antietam'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 30 June – USS ''Tarawa'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 2 August – USS ''Reprisal'' (incomplete) sold for scrap.
1950–1959
1950 * HMS ''Indomitable'' recommissioned; HMS ''Indefatigable'' recommissioned as a training ship. * 3 May – HMS ''Ark Royal'' launched. * 13 May – USS ''Bataan'' recommissioned. * June – USS ''Oriskany'' construction resumed. * 16 June – USS ''Kearsarge'' decommissioned, taken in hand for modernisation. * 25 June –Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
begins.
* 28 August – USS ''Princeton'' recommissioned.
* 15 September – USS ''Monterey'' recommissioned.
* 25 September – USS ''Oriskany'' commissioned.
1951
* ''Aquila'' sold for scrap
* ''Arromanches'' purchased by France.
* January – USS ''Langley'' loaned to France.
* 15 January – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' recommissioned.
* 16 January – USS ''Essex'' recommissioned.
* 17 January – USS ''Antietam'' recommissioned.
* 29 January – USS ''Independence'' sunk in weapons tests.
* 3 February – USS ''Tarawa'' recommissioned.
* 20 March – USS ''Hornet'' recommissioned.
* 10 May – USS ''Shangri-La'' recommissioned.
* 12 May – USS ''Hornet'' decommissioned for conversion to CVA.
* 6 June – USS ''Langley'' recommissioned as ''La Fayette''.
* July – First trials of a steam catapult
An aircraft catapult is a device used to allow aircraft to take off from a very limited amount of space, such as the deck of a vessel, but can also be installed on land-based runways in rare cases. It is now most commonly used on aircraft carrier ...
, on .Sturtivant (1990), p.178
* 31 July – launched, first small ship designed to carry a helicopter.
* 10 September – USS ''Wasp'' recommissioned as CVA.
* 1 October – HMS ''Eagle'' commissioned.
1952
* First trial of angled flight deck, on .
* First trial of mirror landing aid, on .Sturtivant (1990), p.179
* 9 February – USS ''Intrepid'' recommissioned.
* 15 February – USS ''Kearsarge'' recommissioned.
* 31 January – USS ''Ticonderoga'' recommissioned.
* 4 April – USS ''Ticonderoga'' decommissioned for conversion to CVA.
* 9 April – USS ''Intrepid'' decommissioned for conversion to CVA.
* 23 April – HMS ''Powerful'' sold to Canada, work recommenced.
* 14 July – laid down.
* 19 September – USS ''Lake Champlain'' recommissioned.
* October – USS ''Boxer'' reclassified CVA.
* 13 November – HMS ''Vengeance'' loaned to Australia, recommissioned as HMAS ''Vengeance''; USS ''Bennington'' recommissioned as CVA.
* 14 November – USS ''Shangri-La'' decommissioned for modernisation.
* 16 December – laid down.
1953
* HMS ''Formidable'' sold for scrap.
* HMS ''Unicorn'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 16 February – HMS ''Hermes'' launched.
* 20 February – USS ''Yorktown'' recommissioned.
* May – HMS ''Indomitable'' sold for scrap.
* 15 May – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' decommissioned, commenced extensive refit.
* 1 July – USS ''Randolph'' recommissioned.
* 27 July – Korean War fighting ends with the Korean armistice agreement
The Korean Armistice Agreement ( ko, 한국정전협정 / 조선정전협정; zh, t=韓國停戰協定 / 朝鮮停戰協定) is an armistice that brought about a complete cessation of hostilities of the Korean War. It was signed by United Sta ...
.
* 1 September – HMS ''Centaur'' launched.
* 5 September – USS ''Belleau Wood'' loaned to France.
* 5 September – USS ''Belleau Wood'' recommissioned as ''Bois Belleau''.
* 11 September – USS ''Hornet'' recommissioned.
1954
* HMS ''Perseus'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.Bishop & Chant (2004), p.51
* Mid-1954 – HMS ''Implacable'' and HMS ''Indefatigable'' decommissioned.
* 15 February – USS ''Hancock'' recommissioned as CVA.
* 9 April – USS ''Bataan'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 23 April – USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' decommissioned for modernisation.
* 26 May – HMS ''Albion'' commissioned.
* 18 June – USS ''Intrepid'' recommissioned in reserve.
* 1 August – First Indochina War ends.
* 2 August – laid down.
* September – HMS ''Pioneer'' decommissioned and sold for scrap;
* 11 September – USS ''Ticonderoga'' recommissioned after modernisation.
* 15 October – USS ''Intrepid'' returned to full commission.
* 4 November – HMS ''Bulwark'' commissioned.
* December – HMS ''Illustrious'' decommissioned.
* 11 December – USS ''Forrestal'' launched.
1955
* 10 January – USS ''Shangri-La'' recommissioned.
* 21 January – USS ''Cabot'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 25 February – commissioned, incorporating an angled flight deck, two steam catapults, and a mirror landing system.
* 6 April – USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' recommissioned with angled flight deck, steam catapult and hurricane bow.
* 14 May – Warsaw Pact formed.
* July – USS ''Midway'' decommissioned for modernisation.
* 1 July – laid down.
* 13 August – HMS ''Vengeance'' returned to UK.
* 15 August – USS ''Lexington'' recommissioned as CVA.
* 6 September – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' recommissioned.
* 29 September – USS ''Forrestal'' commissioned.
* 8 October – USS ''Saratoga'' launched.
* 25 October – HMAS ''Vengeance'' decommissioned.
* 26 October – HMS ''Majestic'' christened as HMAS ''Majestic''.Cassells (2000), p.84
* 28 October – HMAS ''Majestic'' renamed and commissioned as ;''HMAS Melbourne (II)'', Sea Power Centre HMS ''Vengeance'' recommissioned in reserve.
* November – HMS ''Implacable'' sold for scrap.
* 1 November – ''Clemenceau'' (France) laid down.
* 15 November – USS ''Boxer'' reclassified as CVS.
1956
* HMS ''Indefatigable'' sold for scrap.
* HMS ''Glory'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 16 January – USS ''Monterey'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 15 March – USS ''Wright'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 13 April – USS ''Hancock'' decommissioned.
* 14 April – USS ''Saratoga'' commissioned.
* 26 September – USS ''Ranger'' launched.
* 29 October – Suez Crisis begins.
* 3 November – HMS ''Illustrious'' sold for scrap.
* 15 November – USS ''Hancock'' recommissioned.
* 14 December – HMS ''Vengeance'' sold to Brazil.
* 27 December – laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.796
1957
* HMS ''Theseus'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* January – HMS ''Hercules'' sold to India, construction restarted.Chesneau (1998), p.152
* 2 January – USS ''Oriskany'' decommissioned, started modernisation.
* 17 January – HMS ''Powerful'' commissioned as .
* 15 February – ''Foch'' (France) laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.220
* 24 May – USS ''Coral Sea'' decommissioned for modernisation.
* 14 June – HMCS ''Magnificent'' returned to UK and placed in reserve as HMS ''Magnificent''.
* 10 August – USS ''Ranger'' commissioned.
* 14 September – laid down.
* 30 September – USS ''Midway'' recommissioned.
* 3 October – USS ''Saipan'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 5 December – HMS ''Ocean'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 21 December – ''Clemenceau'' launched.''CV CLEMENCEAU (R 98)'', French Fleet Air Arm
1958
* HMS ''Perseus'' and HMS ''Ocean'' sold for scrap.
* February – HMS ''Warrior'' decommissioned.''The HMS Warrior Story'', Ministry Of Defence web site
* 4 February – laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.798
* 30 May – HMAS ''Sydney'' decommissioned, held in reserve.
* 6 June – USS ''Independence'' launched.
* 1 July – USS ''Enterprise'' (''Yorktown'' class) sold for scrap.
* 4 November – Ex-HMS ''Warrior'' sold to Argentina.
* 28 December – USS ''Philippine Sea'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
1959
* 10 January – USS ''Independence'' commissioned.
* 26 January – Ex-HMS ''Warrior'' commissioned as ARA ''Independencia''.Chesneau (1998), p.50
* 30 January – USS ''Boxer'' reclassified LPH.
* 2 March – USS ''Princeton'' reclassified LPH.
* 7 March – USS ''Oriskany'' recommissioned.
* 15 May – USS ''Leyte'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* June – HMS ''Unicorn'' sold for scrap.
* 1 November – USS ''Cowpens'' sold for scrap.
* 18 November – HMS ''Hermes'' commissioned.
1960–1969
1960
* ''Dixmude'' hulked as an accommodation ship.Chesneau (1998), p.67
* HMS ''Ocean'' and HMS ''Theseus'' sold for scrap.
* 25 January – USS ''Coral Sea'' recommissioned.
* May – USS ''Tarawa'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 21 May – USS ''Kitty Hawk'' launched.
* 28 July – ''Foch'' launched.''CV FOCH (R 99)'', French Fleet Air Arm
* September – ''Bois Belleau'' () returned to US Navy.
* 24 September – USS ''Enterprise'' launched.
* 1 October – ''Bois Belleau'' struck.
* 8 October – USS ''Constellation'' launched.
* 21 November – USS ''Belleau Wood'' sold for scrap.
* 6 December – Ex-HMS ''Vengeance'' recommissioned as NAeL ''Minas Gerais''.Chesneau (1998), p.57
1961
* 9 January – laid down.
* 4 March – HMS ''Hercules'' commissioned as .
* 29 April – USS ''Kitty Hawk'' commissioned.
* May – USS ''Bataan'' sold for scrap.
* 1 July – USS ''Valley Forge'' reclassified LPH.
* 27 October – USS ''Constellation'' commissioned.
* 22 November – ''Clemenceau'' commissioned.
* 25 November – USS ''Enterprise'' commissioned; first nuclear-powered
Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced b ...
aircraft carrier.''USS Enterprise CVN-65'', USN Official Web Site
1962
* 7 March – HMAS ''Sydney'' recommissioned as fast troop carrier.
* 15 March – USS ''Wright'' conversion to command and control
Command and control (abbr. C2) is a "set of organizational and technical attributes and processes ... hatemploys human, physical, and information resources to solve problems and accomplish missions" to achieve the goals of an organization or en ...
ship started.
* Mid 1962 – HMS ''Albion'' designated as commando carrier.
* August – Indonesia plans invasion of West New Guinea; war plans include sinking of Dutch carrier ''Karel Doorman'' using Soviet-supplied bomber
A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped from an air ...
s with anti-ship missile
An anti-ship missile (AShM) is a guided missile that is designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea skimming variety, and many use a combination of inertial guidance and active radar homing. A goo ...
s, but ceasefire ended the threat.
1963
* 7 January – USS ''Antietam'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 8 February – Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) test aircraft and pre- Harrier prototype Hawker P.1127 first operates from .
* 15 July – ''Foch'' commissioned.
* March – ''La Fayette'' (USS ''Langley'') returned to USN.
* March – USS ''Saipan'' conversion to communications command ship started.
* 11 May – USS ''Wright'' recommissioned as command and control ship.
1964
* 19 February – USS ''Langley'' sold for scrap.
* 1 February – USS ''America'' launched.
* 2 August – Gulf of Tonkin Incident led U.S. to greatly increase its overt role in the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
.
* 1 September – USS ''Saipan'' reclassified as Major Communications Relay Ship (AGMR).
* 22 October – laid down.
1965
* 23 January – USS ''America'' commissioned.
* 8 April – USS ''Saipan'' renamed .
* July – HMS ''Magnificent'' sold for scrap.
1966
* HMS ''Centaur'' designated as depot ship.
* ''Béarn'' decommissioned.
* British 1966 Defence White Paper
The 1966 Defence White Paper (Command Papers 2592 and 2901) was a major review of the United Kingdom's defence policy initiated by the Labour government under Prime Minister Harold Wilson. The review was led by the Secretary of State for Defence, ...
cancels defense projects such as CVA-01
CVA-01 was a proposed United Kingdom aircraft carrier, designed during the 1960s. The ship was intended to be the first of a class that would replace all of the Royal Navy's carriers, most of which had been designed before or during the Second ...
and begins plans for phased end to UK carrier aviation.
* ''Dixmude'' returned to U.S. Navy, sunk as target.
* 15 February – USS ''Midway'' decommissioned for further modernisation.
* 2 May – USS ''Lake Champlain'' decommissioned.
* 27 July – USS ''Franklin'' sold for scrap.
* 27 August – USS ''Arlington'' recommissioned as communication relay ship.
1967
* HMS ''Victorious'' decommissioned for re-fit, subsequently damaged in a minor fire leading to decision to scrap.Sturtivant (1990), p.196
* 30 August – USS ''Cabot'' loaned to Spain, recommissioned as ''Dédalo''.Chesneau (1998), p.196
* 31 March – ''Béarn'' sold for scrap.
* 27 May – USS ''John F. Kennedy'' launched.
1968
* ''Arromanches'' redesignated as a helicopter carrier
A helicopter carrier is a type of aircraft carrier whose primary purpose is to operate helicopters, and has a large flight deck that occupies a substantial part of the deck, which can extend the full length of the ship like of the Royal Navy ...
.Chesneau (1998), p.68
* 26 April – HNLMS ''Karel Doorman'' decommissioned, placed in reserve, end of Dutch carrier aviation.
* 22 June – laid down''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.793
* July – USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' decommissioned for modernisation.
* 7 September – USS ''John F. Kennedy'' commissioned.
* 3 October – USS ''Tarawa'' sold for scrap.
* 15 October – HNLMS ''Karel Doorman'' sold to Argentina.Chesneau (1998), pp.50–51
1969
* 1 January – USS ''Lexington'' reclassified as a training carrier (CVT).
* 13 February – USS ''Randolph'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 12 March – Ex-HNLMS ''Karel Doorman'' recommissioned as ARA ''Veinticinco de Mayo''.
* 26 May – USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' recommissioned.
* 30 June – USS ''Essex'' decommissioned.
* July – HMS ''Victorious'' sold for scrap.
* 1 December – USS ''Boxer'' decommissioned; USS ''Philippine Sea'' struck.
1970–1979
1970 * ARA ''Independencia'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.Bishop & Chant (2004), pp.62–63 * 14 January – USS ''Arlington'' decommissioned. * 15 January – USS ''Bennington'' decommissioned, placed in reserve; USS ''Valley Forge'' decommissioned. * 30 January – USS ''Princeton'' decommissioned. * 31 January – USS ''Midway'' recommissioned. * 13 February – USS ''Kearsarge'' decommissioned, placed in reserve. * 27 May – USS ''Wright'' decommissioned, placed in reserve. * 26 June – USS ''Hornet'' decommissioned, placed in reserve. * 27 June – USS ''Yorktown'' decommissioned. * 3 July – HMCS ''Bonaventure'' decommissioned. * 15 August – laid down. * September – Soviet aircraft carrier ''Kiev'' laid down.Chesneau (1998), pp.192–195 * September – USS ''Leyte'' sold for scrap. 1971 * HMS ''Centaur'' decommissioned. * March – HMCS ''Bonaventure'' sold for scrap. * 13 March – USS ''Boxer'' sold for scrap. * 17 March – ARA ''Independencia'' sold for scrap. * 23 March – USS ''Philippine Sea'' sold for scrap. * May – USS ''Monterey'' and USS ''Princeton'' sold for scrap. * 2 July – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' decommissioned, placed in reserve. * 30 July – USS ''Shangri-La'' decommissioned, placed in reserve. * 29 October – USS ''Valley Forge'' sold for scrap. * 3 December –Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation War in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 until the
Pakistani capitulation in Dhaka on 16 Decem ...
begins. Indian carrier carries out airstrikes against land and naval targets; Pakistani submarine PNS ''Ghazi'' sent to hunt the ''Vikrant'', but sinks under mysterious circumstances.
* 15 December – USS ''San Jacinto'' sold for scrap.
1972
* HMS ''Centaur'' sold for scrap.
* HMS ''Albion'' decommissioned and sold for scrap.
* 26 January – HMS ''Eagle'' decommissioned.
* 28 April – USS ''Lake Champlain'' sold for scrap.
* 13 May – USS ''Nimitz'' launched.
* 1 July – USS ''Wasp'' decommissioned.
* 5 December – Loan of ''Dédalo'' (ex-) to Spain converted to sale.
* December – ''Kiev'' launched, ''Minsk'' laid down.
1973
* USS ''Bunker Hill'' sold for scrap.
* 27 January – Paris Peace Accords; U.S. forces withdraw from the Vietnam War.
* 21 May – USS ''Wasp'' sold for scrap.
* 20 July – laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.754
* 1 September – USS ''Ticonderoga'' decommissioned.
* 12 November – HMAS ''Sydney'' decommissioned.
1974
* 22 January – ''Arromanches'' decommissioned.
* 28 February – USS ''Antietam'' sold for scrap.
* 1 March – USS ''Kearsarge'' sold for scrap.
* 15 March – USS ''Intrepid'' decommissioned.
1975
* HMS ''Triumph'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 1 April – USS ''Randolph'' sold for scrap.
* May – ''Kiev'' commissioned.
* 3 May – USS ''Nimitz'' commissioned.
* 1 June – USS ''Essex'' sold for scrap.
* 1 September – USS ''Ticonderoga'' sold for scrap.
* 30 September – ''Minsk'' launched;''Minsk'', maritimequest.com ''Novorossiysk'' laid down.''Novorossiysk'', maritimequest.com
* 11 October – USS ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' launched; laid down.
* 13 October – USS ''Yorktown'' preserved as museum ship.
* 28 October – HMAS ''Sydney'' sold for scrap.
1976
* 30 January – USS ''Hancock'' decommissioned.
* March – HMS ''Bulwark'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 1 June – USS ''Arlington'' sold for scrap.
* 1 September – USS ''Hancock'' sold for scrap.
* September STOVL Harriers equip Spanish aircraft carrier ''Dédalo'', returning her to fixed-wing carrier operations; first STOVL aircraft carrier.
* 30 September – USS ''Oriskany'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 7 October – laid down.
1977
* 3 May – HMS ''Invincible'' launched.
* 30 September – USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' decommissioned.
* 18 October – USS ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' commissioned.
1978
* ''Arromanches'' sold for scrap.
* 1 April – USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' sold for scrap.
* 27 September – ''Minsk'' commissioned.
* 17 February – ''Baku'' laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.293
* October – HMS ''Eagle'' sold for scrap.
* 1 December – HMS ''Illustrious'' launched.
* 14 December – (''Invincible'' class) laid down.
* 26 December – ''Novorossiysk'' launched.
1979
* February – HMS ''Ark Royal'' (''Audacious'' class) decommissioned; end of conventional Catapult-Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) carrier operations for the UK.
* 23 February – HMS ''Bulwark'' recommissioned.
* 8 October – ''Príncipe de Asturias'' laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.632
1980–1989
1980
* HMS ''Bulwark'' placed in reserve.
* 15 March – USS ''Carl Vinson'' launched.
* 11 July – HMS ''Invincible'' commissioned; first purpose-built STOVL carrier, first ship to include a ski-jump ramp.
* 1 August – USS ''Wright'' sold for scrap.
* 22 September – HMS ''Ark Royal'' (''Audacious'' class) sold for scrap.
1981
* 26 March – laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.344
* 27 March – HMS ''Bulwark'' decommissioned.
* 10 April – HMS ''Bulwark'' sold for scrap.
* 9 May – First carrier fitted with a ski jump, .
* 2 June – HMS ''Ark Royal'' launched.
* 13 October – laid down.
* 9 December – HMS ''Triumph'' sold for scrap.
1982
* 25 February – Australian government announces its intention to purchase HMS ''Invincible'' and rename it HMAS ''Australia''.
* 13 March – USS ''Carl Vinson'' commissioned.
* 19 March – Argentina invades South Georgia, launching the Falklands War; this war provides the impetus to slow the drawdown of the Royal Navy, including carrier aviation; deal to sell HMS ''Invincible'' to Australia cancelled.
* 23 March – USS ''Intrepid'' struck, preserved as a museum ship.
* 1 April – ''Baku'' launched.
* 1 May – Argentine carrier detects and attempts airstrike against British fleet, but is unable to launch due to unfavorable winds.
* 2 May – Argentine cruiser sunk by British submarine; carrier ''Veinticinco de Mayo'' withdraws to safe port for the duration of the war.
* 22 May – ''Príncipe de Asturias'' launched.
* 30 May – HMAS ''Melbourne'' decommissioned.
* 14 June – Argentine land forces in the Falkland Islands surrender, ending the conflict.
* 20 June – HMS ''Illustrious'' commissioned.
* 5 July – USS ''Shangri-La'' struck.
* September – ''Novorossiysk'' commissioned.Ireland (2007), p.133
1983
* 22 February – laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.568
* 4 June – ''Giuseppe Garibaldi'' launched.
1984
* 12 April – HMS ''Hermes'' decommissioned, placed in maintained reserve.
* 27 October – USS ''Theodore Roosevelt'' launched.
* 3 November – laid down.
1985
* ARA ''Veinticinco de Mayo'' inoperable, laid up for possible modernisation.Ireland (2007), p.147
* HMAS ''Melbourne'' sold for scrap.
* 30 September – ''Giuseppe Garibaldi'' commissioned as helicopter anti-submarine warfare carrier
An anti-submarine warfare carrier (ASW carrier) (US hull classification symbol CVS) is a type of small aircraft carrier whose primary role is as the nucleus of an anti-submarine warfare hunter-killer group. This type of ship came into existenc ...
.
* 1 November – HMS ''Ark Royal'' commissioned.
* 5 December – ''Leonid Brezhnev'' launched.
* 10 December – laid down.Polmar (1991), pp.136–137
1986
* April – HMS ''Hermes'' sold to India.Chesneau (1998), p.8
* 15 April – U.S. 1986 Bombing of Libya by carrier- and land-based aircraft.
* 25 August – laid down.
* 25 October – USS ''Theodore Roosevelt'' commissioned.
1987
* 11 December – ''Baku'' commissioned.''Baku'', maritimequest.com
1988
* 13 February – USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' launched.
* 30 May – ''Príncipe de Asturias'' commissioned.
* 9 August – USS ''Shangri-La'' sold for scrap.
* October – ''Leonid Brezhnev'' renamed .
* December – laid down.
* 4 December – ''Riga'' launched.
1989
* ''Giuseppe Garibaldi'' takes on Harrier aircraft, initiating Italian fixed-wing carrier operations.
* INS ''Vikrant'' ends CATOBAR operations and is converted with ski jump to all-STOVL operations.
* 14 April – laid down;''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.218 first non-U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier.Rose (2007), p.284
* 20 May – Ex-HMS ''Hermes'' commissioned as .
* 25 July – USS ''Hornet'' struck, preserved as a museum ship; USS ''Oriskany'' struck to be preserved as a museum ship or scrapped.
* 5 August – ''Dédalo'' decommissioned.''Cabot'', maritimequest.com
* 20 September – USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' and USS ''Bennington'' struck.
* 11 November – USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' commissioned.
1990–1999
1990 * ''Riga'' renamed ''Varyag''. * 30 April – USS ''Coral Sea'' decommissioned. * 21 July – USS ''George Washington'' launched. * 2 August –Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
begins with Iraq invading Kuwait.
* 4 October – ''Tbilisi'' renamed ''Admiral Kuznetsov''.''Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov'', maritimequest.com
1991
* ''Baku'' renamed ''Admiral Gorshkov''.
* 21 January – ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' commissioned.
* 28 February – Gulf War ends with ceasefire.
* 13 March – laid down.
* 1 November – ''Ulyanovsk'' cancelled at 40% complete.Hiranandani (2006)
* 8 November – USS ''Lexington'' decommissioned.
* 25 December – Soviet Union dissolves, Cold War ends
1992
* Construction of ''Varyag'' stopped, transferred to the Ukraine.SinoDefence.com
* 4 February – ''Ulyanovsk'' scrapped; USS ''Bon Homme Richard'' sold for scrap.
* 11 April – USS ''Midway'' decommissioned, preserved as a museum ship.
* 15 June – USS ''Lexington'' donated as a museum ship.
* 4 July – USS ''George Washington'' commissioned.
* September – ''Novorossiysk'' laid up in reserve.
1993
* 7 May – USS ''Coral Sea'' sold for scrap.
* 30 June – ''Kiev'',''Kiev'', maritimequest.com ''Minsk'' and ''Novorossiysk'' decommissioned.
* 10 July – USS ''Ranger'' decommissioned, on donation hold as of 2004.
* 11 September – USS ''Forrestal'' decommissioned, on donation hold.
* 13 November – USS ''John C. Stennis'' launched.
* 29 November – laid down.
1994
* 1 December – USS ''Bennington'' sold for scrap.
* 7 May – ''Charles de Gaulle'' launched.
* 12 July – HTMS ''Chakri Naruebet'' laid down.''Jane's Fighting Ships 2000–2001'', p.689
* 20 August – USS ''Saratoga'' decommissioned.
1995
* 1 August – ''Novorossiysk'' and ''Minsk'' sold for scrap, ''Minsk'' not scrapped.
* 9 September – USS ''Oriskany'' sold for scrap, not scrapped.
* 10 October – HMS ''Ocean'' launched.
* 9 December – USS ''John C. Stennis'' commissioned.
1996
* 20 January – HTMS ''Chakri Naruebet'' launched.
* 9 August – USS ''America'' decommissioned.
* 14 September – USS ''Harry S. Truman'' launched.
1997
* ARA ''Veinticinco de Mayo'' decommissioned.Ireland (2007), p.152
* 31 January – INS ''Vikrant'' (R11) decommissioned, to be converted to a museum ship at Mumbai.Tembhekar (2010), ''The Times of India''
* 27 March – HTMS ''Chakri Naruebet'' commissioned.
* 30 July – USS ''Oriskany'' repossessed by the USN due to default by scrapping contractor.
* 1 October – ''Clemenceau'' decommissioned.
1998
* 12 February – laid down.
* April – ''Varyag'' sold to China.
* August – ''Minsk'' towed to China for use in an amusement park.
* 30 September – USS ''Independence'' decommissioned.
* 25 July – USS ''Harry S. Truman'' commissioned.
1999
* ''Varyag'' departed Ukraine under tow, refused passage through Bosporus Strait, stationed near the straits for three years.
* January – ARA ''Veinticinco de Mayo'' sold for scrap.''25 de Mayo'', GlobalSecurity.com
2000–2009
2000
* 1 January – USS ''Saratoga'' placed on donation hold.
* October – Scrapping of ''Dédalo'' commenced.
* 15 November – ''Foch'' decommissioned, and recommissioned as NAe ''São Paulo''.''France hands over aircraft carrier to Brazil'', CNN.com
2001
* 10 March – USS ''Ronald Reagan'' launched.
* 18 May – ''Charles de Gaulle'' commissioned.Ireland (2007), p.128
* 17 July – ''Cavour'' laid down.''Cavour — Light multirole Aircraft Carrier'', digilander.libero.it
* 7 October – War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to:
*Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC)
* Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709)
*Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see al ...
begins.
* 16 October – NAeL ''Minas Gerais'' decommissioned.''Minas Gerais'', Global Security
2002
* ''Varyag'' allowed passage through Bosporus Strait, arrived in Dalian Shipyard in northern China.
2003
* 20 March – US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including 26 ...
launched.
* 12 July – USS ''Ronald Reagan'' commissioned.
* 7 August – USS ''Constellation'' decommissioned.''Naval Vessel Register'', US Navy
* 6 September – laid down.''Official Web Site of Pre Commissioning Unit George H.W. Bush (CVN 77)'', US Navy
* 11 September – USS ''Forrestal'' designated for disposal.
* 2 December – USS ''Constellation'' stricken.
2004
* NAeL ''Minas Gerais'' sold for scrap.
* 20 January – ''Admiral Gorshkov'' sold to India; being refurbished and renamed .''Kiev Class Overview'', maritimequest.com
* April – USS ''Independence'' nominated to be sunk as artificial reef.
* 20 July – ''Cavour'' launched.
2005
* 11 April – steel plate cutting started.''Indian Aircraft Carrier (Project-71)'', Bharat Rakshak
* 19 April – USS ''America'' towed to sea for live firing tests.''America's Final Mission'', The USS ''America'' Carrier Veteran's Association
* May – ''Juan Carlos I'' laid down.''LHD Juan Carlos I'', Armada Española official web site
* 14 May – USS ''America'' scuttled.''The Carrier List'', USN official web site
* 3 August – HMS ''Invincible'' decommissioned, placed in reserve until 2010.
2006
* 17 May – USS ''Oriskany'' sunk as an artificial reef.
* 31 May – ''Minsk'' sold at auction, disposition unknown.
* 7 October – USS ''George H. W. Bush'' launched.
2007
* 1 August – USS ''John F. Kennedy'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
2008
* February – USS ''Forrestal'' prepared to be sunk as a reef; USS ''Independence'' and USS ''Constellation'' scheduled to be scrapped within five years.''NavyTimes'', 26 February 2008
* 10 March – ''Juan Carlos I'' launched.
* 27 March – ''Cavour'' commissioned.
2009
* 10 January – USS ''George H. W. Bush'' commissioned;''NAVY.mil'', USN Official Web Site, 12 January 2009 final ship of the ''Nimitz'' class.
* 28 February – INS ''Vikrant'' keel laid
* 12 May – USS ''Kitty Hawk'' decommissioned, placed in reserve.
* 7 July – First steel cut for
* 13 November – laid down"Keel laid for newest Navy aircraft carrier"www.navytimes.com, 13 November 2009.
2010–2019
2010
* 30 September – '' Juan Carlos I'' commissionedArmada Española ''Navy News'', 30 September 2010
2011
* 11 Mar – decommissionedBBC News, 11 March 2011
* 26 May – First steel cut for UK Ministry of Defence, 26 May 2011
* 10 August – Ex-''Varyag'' completed, began sea trials for the PLAN
A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions through which one expects to achieve a goal.
...
.Hille, 2011
2012
* 8 June – (ex- Admiral Gorshkov) commenced sea trialsRadyuhin, V., 8 June 2012
* 25 September – Ex-''Varyag'' commissioned as Chinese aircraft carrier ''Liaoning''Bodeen, ''The China Post'', 26 September 2012
* 10 October – India and Russia announce delay in handover of INS ''Vikramaditya'' delayed twelve months until fourth quarter 2013''Times of India'', 10 October 2012
* 1 December – USS ''Enterprise'' decommissioned
2013
* 6 February – Príncipe de Asturias (R-11) decommissioned.
* 12 August – launched''Times of India'', 12 August 2013
* 9 November – launched.
* 16 November – (ex- Admiral Gorshkov) re-commissioned.
2014
* 17 July – launched.
* 28 August – decommissioned
* 11 Oct – commissioned. First of a new class of amphibious assault ships.
* 22 November – (ex-HMS Hercules) scrapped
* 28 November – commissioned into the Australian Navy. First Australian helicopter carrier.
2015
* 25 March – JS Izumo
JS ''Izumo'' (DDH-183) is a helicopter carrier which, as of 2022, is being converted into a light aircraft carrier. Officially classified as a multi-purpose operation destroyer, she is the lead ship in the of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Fo ...
commissioned into the Japanese Navy as third serving helicopter carrier
* 31 March – decommissioned.
* 4 December – HMAS Adelaide (L01) commissioned into the Australian Navy. Second Australian helicopter carrier.
2016
* 2 June – ENS Gamal Abdel Nasser commissioned into the Egyptian Navy. First aircraft carrier operated by an African country.
*16 September – ENS Anwar El Sadat commissioned into the Egyptian Navy. Second Egyptian helicopter carrier.
2017
*14 February – Brazilian aircraft carrier São Paulo (A12)
NAe ''São Paulo'' (pennant number A12) was a in service with the Brazilian Navy. ''São Paulo'' was first commissioned in 1963 by the French Navy as and was transferred in 2000 to Brazil, where she became the new flagship of the Brazilian ...
(Ex-French aircraft carrier Foch (R99)) retires from service.
*6 March – (ex-) decommissioned from the Indian Navy.
*22 March – JS Kaga
JS ''Kaga'' (DDH-184) is a helicopter carrier being converted into an aircraft carrier beginning in March, 2022. Officially classified as a multi-purpose operation destroyer, she is the second ship in the of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense For ...
commissioned into the Japanese Navy as fourth serving helicopter carrier.Jane's 360, 23 March 2017
* 8 April – begins sea trials.
*26 April – Type 001A aircraft carrier, later type 002 ''Shandong'', launched.CBNC, 26 April 2017
*26 June – begins sea trials.BBC News, 27 June 2017
*24 August – first steel cut.
* 8 September – Christened
* 7 December – commissioned
*21 December – launched
2018
* 3 January 2018 – Sale of to Brazil, for £84.6 million, announced.
* 29 June 2018 – PHM ''Atlântico'' (A-140) (ex-) commissioned to Brazilian Navy.
2019
*25 September – Chinese landing helicopter dock Hainan
''Hainan'' (31) is the lead ship of the Type 075 landing helicopter dock of the People's Liberation Army Navy. She was commissioned on 23 April 2021.
Development and design
The Type 075 is a large-scale amphibious assault ship of the Chinese ...
launched, the first of the new class Type 075
The Type 075 landing helicopter dock ( NATO reporting name: Yushen-class landing helicopter assault) is a class of Chinese amphibious assault ships built by Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). It has a fu ...
*10 December – commissioned.
*17 December – Type 002 commissioned as Chinese aircraft carrier ''Shandong'', the third and likely final
2020–present
2020 * 15 July – commissioned, the second and last Flight 0 helicopter carrier before production of the Flight 1amphibious assault
Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conducted ...
variant begins
2021
* 23 April – Chinese landing helicopter dock ''Hainan'' commissioned
* 28 June – commissioned
* 4 August – begins sea trials after delays
* 13 August – Italian landing helicopter dock ''Trieste'' begins sea trials
* 26 December – Chinese landing helicopter dock ''Guangxi'' commissioned, the second Type 075 landing helicopter dock
The Type 075 landing helicopter dock (NATO reporting name: Yushen-class landing helicopter assault) is a class of Chinese amphibious assault ships built by Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). It has a full ...
2022
* 27 February – TCG Anadolu begins sea trials
* 17 June – Chinese Type 003 aircraft carrier ''Fujian'' launched
* 2 September - is commissioned into the Indian Navy.
See also
* Fleet of the Royal Canadian Navy *List of active French Navy ships
This is a list of active French Navy ships. The French Navy consists of nearly 100 vessels of the '' Force d'action navale'' (Naval action force) and the 9 submarines of the '' Forces sous-marines'' (Submarine force). Primary assets include 1 nu ...
* List of active Italian Navy ships
This is a list of active Italian Navy ships. The navy maintains approximately 181 ships in service, including minor auxiliary vessels. The fleet has started a process of renewal that will see 50 ships retired by 2025 and replaced by 30 multi-mis ...
* List of active Spanish Navy ships
* List of aircraft carrier classes of the United States Navy
On November 14, 1910, pilot Eugene Burton Ely took off in a Curtiss plane from the bow of and later landed a Curtiss Model D on on January 18, 1911. In fiscal year (FY) 1920, Congress approved a conversion of collier into a ship designed for l ...
* List of aircraft carriers
This list of aircraft carriers contains aircraft carriers listed alphabetically by name. An aircraft carrier is a warship with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft, that serves a ...
* List of aircraft carriers by configuration
* List of aircraft carriers by country
* List of aircraft carriers in service
* List of aircraft carriers of Germany
* List of aircraft carriers of Russia and the Soviet Union
The list of aircraft carriers of the Soviet Union and Russia includes all aircraft carriers built by, proposed for, or in service with the naval forces of either the Soviet Union or Russia. Although listed as aircraft carriers, none of them (with ...
* List of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy
* List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
* List of amphibious warfare ships
This is a list of amphibious warfare ships.
Algeria
; Algerian National Navy
Active:
*''Kalaat Béni Abbès'' class - LPD
** (commissioned 2014)
*''Kalaat Beni Hammed'' class - LST
**''Kalaat Beni Hammed'' 472
**''Kalaat Beni Rached'' 473
Ar ...
* List of escort carriers of the Royal Navy
The escort aircraft carrier, also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the USN or "Woolworth Carrier" by the RN, was a small and slow type of aircraft carrier used by the Royal Navy in the Second World War. They were typically half the ...
* List of seaplane carriers of the Royal Navy
This is a list of Royal Navy seaplane carriers.
Key
Ships
{{Lists of aircraft carriers
Seaplane carriers
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Sc ...
* List of ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy
* List of sunken aircraft carriers
With the advent of heavier-than-air flight, the aircraft carrier has become a decisive weapon at sea.Bishop & Chant, p. 1 In 1911 aircraft began to be successfully launched and landed on ships with the successful flight of a Curtiss Pusher aboa ...
* List of United States Navy escort aircraft carriers
* People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force
The People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force is the surface warfare branch of China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), consisting of all surface vessels in operational service with the PLAN. The PLAN Surface Force operates 661 ships ...
* Ships of the Indian Navy
* Timeline of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy
This is a bar graph showing a timeline of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy displaying the ships' names and their hull numbers.
Notes
*The carriers are listed in order of hull number.
*Ships with hull numbers 35, 44, 46, and 50 through ...
Footnotes
For most carriers, the dates listed here are those when the carrier was laid down, launched, commissioned, decommissioned and disposed of. If the carrier was a conversion from another ship, then the first date listed is when she was taken in hand to be converted; however, if a carrier was subsequently redesignated, its history is followed until disposal. The first time a ship is named in the list, it is linked to the relevant page within Wikipedia; if the ship was renamed, the first instance of the new name is also linked. Additionally, key relevant historical dates are interspersed with the ship-related dates to provide context. For the purposes of this timeline, an aircraft carrier is a commissioned naval ship with at least one permanent flush deck designed for the launch and recovery of fixed-wing aircraft. This timeline does not include ships with temporary landing or take-off platforms, vessels designed for helicopter operations, marine assault ships of various designs, catapult ships, WWII escort carriers, merchant aircraft carriers, CAM ships, norseaplane
A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their technological characteri ...
carriers and tenders.
The timeline is mainly divided into decades, the exceptions being the two World Wars and the interwar period, which are each treated as separate blocks. For the purposes of this list, the First World War is considered to have started on 28 June 1914 and ended 11 November 1918, while the Second World War is considered to have started on 1 September 1939 and ended 14 August 1945.
The actual text of the message from the First Lord of the Admiralty to the Wright Brothers, dated 7 March 1907, taken from ''The Old Flying Days'' by Charles Cyril Turner, p. 293, was:
Citations
uss kitty hawk citation 1980–1981References
Books
* * * * * * * * * * * *Articles
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Web Sites
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *USS ''Cabot'' (CVL-28)
* * *
,
, ''Carriers'', French Fleet Air Arm, Retrieved 24 September 2008 *
HMAS ''Melbourne'' (II)
,
HMAS Sydney (III)
,
HMAS Vengeance
, ''HMA Ship Histories'', Sea Power Centre, Royal Australian Navy official web site, Retrieved 13 September 2008 *
,
,
,
,
, ''Maritime Quest'', maritimequest.com, Retrieved 15 October 2008 *
,
, ''The Royal Navy Postwar'', Retrieved 1 November 2008 (archived links)
Other
*Securing Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The Strategic Defence and Security Review
, HM Government (2010), pp. 75, , Retrieved 16 February 2011
External links
Royal Navy Escort Carriers
''World Aircraft Carriers List'', Haze Gray & Underway
{{Lists of aircraft carriers * Aircraft carrier service, Timeline for Lists of aircraft carriers