I don’t have live access to current news right now. Here’s what I can share based on the latest widely known information up to 2024–2025:
- The Invincible-class carriers (HMS Invincible, HMS Ark Royal, HMS Illustrious) were retired from Royal Navy service by the mid-2010s, with Illustrious decommissioned around 2014, Ark Royal later, and Invincible earlier in the decade .
- They were progressively replaced by the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers (HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales), which entered service starting in 2016 and 2018 respectively, as part of a major modernization of the fleet .
- The UK government publicly discussed preserving the legacy of the Invincible-class ships, including options to preserve Illustrious as a legacy artifact after retirement, and outlined plans tied to the broader equipment and support program for future forces .
If you’d like, I can look up the very latest headlines and provide a brief, sourced update with dates and official statements.
Sources
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced the future of the Royal Navy's 20,600t Invincible-class aircraft carriers, HMS Invincible, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Illustrious, after thirty years of military service.
www.naval-technology.cominvincible class aircraft carrier royal navy illustrious ark royal hms
www.seaforces.orgThe three Invincible class Aircraft Carrier (1977) were initially modern hybrid ASW helicopter carriers, later transformed for VTOL operation
naval-encyclopedia.comThe Invincible class was a class of light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Navy. Three ships were constructed: HMS Invincible, HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark...
www.wikiwand.comThe first-of-class HMS Invincible aircraft carrier was built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (now BAE Systems Marine) at Barrow-in-Furness. The…
www.naval-technology.comPlans to preserve the legacy of the Royal Navy's Invincible Class aircraft carriers have been outlined today.
www.gov.ukThe Invincible class was a class of light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Navy. Three ships were constructed: HMS Invincible, HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal. The vessels were built as aviation-capable anti-submarine warfare (ASW) platforms to counter the Cold War North Atlantic Soviet submarine threat, and initially embarked Sea Harrier aircraft and Sea King HAS.1 anti-submarine helicopters. With cancellation of the aircraft carriers renewal programme in the 1960s, the three ships...
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