Light carrier

A light aircraft carrier, or light fleet carrier, is an aircraft carrier smaller than the standard carriers of a navy. The precise definition of the type varies by country; light carriers typically have a complement of aircraft only one-half to two-thirds the size of a full-sized fleet carrier. A light carrier was similar in concept to an escort carrier in most respects; however, light carriers were intended for higher speeds to be deployed alongside fleet carriers, while escort carriers were typically relatively slow and usually defended equally slow convoys, as well as providing air support during amphibious operations.

History

In World War II, the United States Navy produced a number of light carriers by converting cruiser hulls. These s, converted from light cruisers, were unsatisfactory ships for aviation with their narrow, short decks and slender, high- sheer hulls; in virtually all respects the escort carriers were superior aviation vessels. These issues were superseded by ''Independence''-class ships' virtue of being available at a time when available carrier decks had been reduced to and in the Pacific and in the Atlantic. In addition, they had enough speed to take part in fleet actions with the larger carriers while escort carriers did not. Late in the war, a follow on to the ''Independence'' class, the , was designed. Two vessels in this class— and —were completed after the war's end. After very brief lives as carriers, the ''Saipan''s were converted to command and communication ships.

By the start of World War II, the Royal Navy's , the first purpose-built aircraft carrier (launched 1919, sunk 1942) was being considered as equivalent to a light aircraft carrier, due to her small size, small aircraft complement and lack of armour. The British 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier, originally designated the ''Colossus'' class, was a scaled-down version of their fleet carrier. The design could be built in a yard with little or no experience of warship construction. Although built to merchant standards, the design incorporated better watertight subdivision. Expected to have a lifetime of about three years, the last of the design was taken out of service in 2001. The first ten were built as the ''Colossus'' class, though two of these were modified whilst under construction into aircraft maintenance carriers. An additional five carriers, none of which were completed in time for service in World War II, were built with revisions upgrading the design to handle larger and heavier aircraft, receiving the designation ''Majestic'' class. In the post-war period, the Royal Navy operated a force of the ten ''Colossus'' carriers, while the five ''Majestic'' carriers were sold, during construction, to Australia, Canada and India.Chesneau (1998), pp. 129–134 The ''Majestics'' were followed, after the war, by the four light carriers of the ''Centaur'' class.

In the 1970s the Royal Navy introduced a new type of light carrier, designed to operate the V/STOL Hawker Siddeley Harrier. Originally classed as "through-deck cruisers", the three-ship Invincible class served into the early 21st century; HMS ''Invincible'' was key to the British victory in the Falklands War.

List of light carriers

Active

;Iran

* IRIS ''Shahid Bagheri''
; Italy

*

; Spain
*

; Thailand

*

Retired

; Argentina
* (''Colossus'' class)
* (''Colossus'' class)
; Australia
* (''Majestic'' class)
* HMAS ''Vengeance'' (''Colossus'' class)
* (''Majestic'' class)
; Brazil
* (''Colossus'' class)
; Canada
* (''Colossus'' class)
* (''Majestic'' class)
* (''Majestic'' class)
; France
* ''Lafayette'' class (ex-''Independence'' class):
**
**
* (''Colossus'' class)
; India
* (''Majestic'' class)
* (''Centaur'' class)
; Italy
*
;Japan
*
*
* Watts (1967), p. 49Brown (1977), pp. 21–22
**
**
* Brown (1977), pp. 26–27
* Watts (1967), p. 56Brown (1977), pp. 27–28
**
**
; Netherlands
* (''Colossus'' class)
; Spain
* (''Independence'' class)
*
; United Kingdom
*
*
* 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier
** ''Colossus'' class
***
***
***
***
***
*** (maintenance carrier)
***
***
***
*** (maintenance carrier)
** ''Majestic'' class (none saw service in the Royal Navy)
*** ''Majestic'' (entered service as HMAS ''Melbourne'')
*** ''Terrible'' (entered service as HMAS ''Sydney'')
*** ''Magnificent'' (entered service as HMCS ''Magnificent'')
*** ''Hercules'' (entered service as INS ''Vikrant'')
*** ''Powerful'' (entered service as HMCS ''Bonaventure'')
*
**
**
**
**
*
**
**
**
; United States
*
**
**
**
**
**
**
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**
*
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**

See also

* Anti-submarine warfare carrier
* Escort carrier of post-World War II
* Helicopter carrier
* Amphibious assault ship
* Landing helicopter assault
* Landing helicopter dock
* Landing platform helicopter
* List of STOVL carriers
* List of aircraft carriers of World War II
* List of escort aircraft carriers of the Second World War

Notes

References

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Light Aircraft Carrier
Light aircraft carrier classes
Aircraft carriers by type