Helicopter carrier
A helicopter carrier is a type of aircraft carrier whose primary purpose is to operate helicopters. It has a large flight deck that occupies a substantial part of the deck, which can extend the full length of the ship like HMS Ocean[1] of the Royal Navy (RN), or extend only partway, usually aft, as in the Soviet Navy's Moskva class[2] or in the Chinese Navy's Type 0891A. It often also has a hangar deck for the storage and maintenance of rotorwing aircraft. Pure helicopter carriers are difficult to define in the 21st century. The advent of STOVL aircraft such as the Harrier jump jet, and now the F-35, have complicated the classification; the United States Navy's Wasp class, for instance, carries six to eight Harriers as well as over 20 helicopters.[3] Only smaller carriers unable to operate the Harrier, and older, pre-Harrier-era carriers, can be regarded as true helicopter carriers. In many cases, other carriers, able to operate STOVL aircraft, are classified as "light aircraft carriers". Other vessels, such as the Wasp class, are also capable of embarking troops such as marines and landing them ashore; they are classified as amphibious assault ships.[3] Helicopter carriers have been used as anti-submarine warfare carriers and amphibious assault ships.[4] HMS Hermes and two of her sisters were 22,000 ton fleet carriers converted to "commando carriers" only able to operate helicopters. Hermes was later converted to a STOVL carrier.
Helicopter carriers by country
Helicopter carriers
Helicopter carriers currently in service
Country | Name | Length | Tonnage (MT) | Class | Propulsion | Type | Classification | Commission |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia | Canberra | 230.82 m (757 ft 3 in) | 27,500 t (27,100 long tons) | Canberra (modified Juan Carlos I) |
Conventional | STOVL | Landing helicopter dock | 28 November 2014 |
File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia | Adelaide | 230.82 m (757 ft 3 in) | 27,500 t (27,100 long tons) | Canberra (modified Juan Carlos I) |
Conventional | STOVL | Landing helicopter dock | 4 December 2015 |
File:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil | Atlântico | 203.4 m (667 ft 4 in) | 21,500 t (21,200 long tons) | Ocean | Conventional | VTOL | Multipurpose helicopter carrier | 29 June 2018[5] |
File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China | Hainan | 232 m (761 ft 2 in) | 36,000 t (35,000 long tons) | Type 075 (NATO reporting name Yushen class) | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 23 April 2021[6] |
File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China | Guangxi | 232 m (761 ft 2 in) | 36,000 t (35,000 long tons) | Type 075 (NATO reporting name Yushen class) | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 26 December 2021[7][8][9] |
File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China | Anhui | 232 m (761 ft 2 in) | 36,000 t (35,000 long tons) | Type 075 (NATO reporting name Yushen class) | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 1 October 2022[10][11] |
File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China | Shichang | 125 m (410 ft 1 in) | 9,500 t (9,300 long tons) | Type 0891A | Conventional | VTOL | Training ship | January 1997 |
File:Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt | Gamal Abdel Nasser | 199 m (652 ft 11 in) | 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 2 June 2016[12] |
File:Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt | Anwar El Sadat | 199 m (652 ft 11 in) | 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 16 September 2016 |
File:Flag of France.svg France | Mistral | 199 m (652 ft 11 in) | 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | December 2005 |
File:Flag of France.svg France | Tonnerre | 199 m (652 ft 11 in) | 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | December 2006 |
File:Flag of France.svg France | Dixmude | 199 m (652 ft 11 in) | 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | December 2011 |
File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan | Kaga | 248 m (813 ft 8 in) | 27,000 t (27,000 long tons) | Izumo | Conventional | VTOL | Helicopter destroyer | 22 March 2017 |
File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan | Izumo | 248 m (813 ft 8 in) | 27,000 t (27,000 long tons) | Izumo | Conventional | VTOL | Helicopter destroyer | 25 March 2015 |
File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan | Hyūga | [13] | 197 m (646 ft 4 in)19,000 t (19,000 long tons) | Hyūga | Conventional | VTOL | Helicopter destroyer | 18 March 2009 |
File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan | Ise | [13] | 197 m (646 ft 4 in)19,000 t (19,000 long tons) | Hyūga | Conventional | VTOL | Helicopter destroyer | 16 March 2011 |
File:Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea | Dokdo | 199 m (652 ft 11 in) | 18,800 t (18,500 long tons) | Dokdo | Conventional | VTOL | Landing platform helicopter | 3 July 2007 |
File:Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea | Marado | 199 m (652 ft 11 in) | 18,800 t (18,500 long tons) | Dokdo | Conventional | VTOL | Landing platform helicopter | 28 June 2021 |
File:Flag of Spain.svg Spain | Juan Carlos I | 230.82 m (757 ft 3 in) | 27,079 t (26,651 long tons) | Juan Carlos I | Conventional | STOVL | Landing helicopter dock | 30 September 2010 |
File:Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand | Chakri Naruebet | 182.65 m (599 ft 3 in) | 11,486 t (11,305 long tons) | Príncipe de Asturias | Conventional | STOVL | Helicopter carrier ("Light aircraft carrier") | 27 March 1997 |
File:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey | Anadolu | 232 m (761 ft 2 in) | 27,079 t (26,651 long tons) | Anadolu | Conventional | STOVL | Landing helicopter dock | 10 April 2023 |
File:Flag of the United States.svg US | America | 257.3 m (844 ft 2 in) | 45,000 t (44,000 long tons) | America[14] | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter assault | 11 October 2014[15] |
File:Flag of the United States.svg US | Tripoli | 257.3 m (844 ft 2 in) | 45,000 t (44,000 long tons) | America | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter assault | 15 July 2020 |
File:Flag of the United States.svg US | Wasp | 257 m (843 ft 2 in) | 40,532 t (39,892 long tons) | Wasp[14] | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 29 July 1989 |
File:Flag of the United States.svg US | Essex | 257 m (843 ft 2 in) | 40,650 t (40,010 long tons) | Wasp | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 17 October 1992 |
File:Flag of the United States.svg US | Kearsarge | 257 m (843 ft 2 in) | 40,500 t (39,900 long tons) | Wasp | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 16 October 1993 |
File:Flag of the United States.svg US | Boxer | 257 m (843 ft 2 in) | 40,722 t (40,079 long tons) | Wasp | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 11 February 1995 |
File:Flag of the United States.svg US | Bataan | 257 m (843 ft 2 in) | 40,358 t (39,721 long tons) | Wasp | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 20 September 1997 |
File:Flag of the United States.svg US | Iwo Jima | 257 m (843 ft 2 in) | 40,530 t (39,890 long tons) | Wasp | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 30 June 2001 |
File:Flag of the United States.svg US | Makin Island | 258 m (846 ft 5 in) | 41,649 t (40,991 long tons) | Wasp | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 24 October 2009 |
Retired helicopter carriers
- United Kingdom Albion (Royal Navy) – converted from light carrier and operating in helicopter carrier role from 1962 to 1973
- Italy Andrea Doria (Italian Navy) – an Andrea Doria-class helicopter cruiser active from 1964 to 1992
- United States Bonhomme Richard (United States Navy) – Wasp-class landing helicopter dock, active 1998–2020
- United Kingdom Bulwark (Royal Navy) – converted from light carrier and operating in helicopter carrier role from 1960 to 1981
- Italy Caio Duilio (Italian Navy) - an Andrea Doria-class helicopter cruiser active from 1964 to 1989
- United States Cobb (US Coast Guard), decommissioned in 1946 – world's first helicopter carrier.
- United Kingdom Illustrious (Royal Navy) – an Invincible-class light aircraft carrier, which operated as a helicopter carrier when HMS Ocean was being refitted.[16]
- United States Iwo Jima (United States Navy) – lead of the seven-ship Iwo Jima class, active from the early 1960s to the early 2000s
- France Jeanne d'Arc (French Navy), decommissioned in 2010
- Soviet Union Leningrad (Soviet Navy) – second of the two-ship Moskva class - active 1969–1991
- Soviet Union Moskva (Soviet Navy) – lead of the two-ship Moskva class, active 1967–1991
- United Kingdom ex-Ocean (Royal Navy) – helicopter carrier 1998–2018, decommissioned March 2018.
- Sold to Brazil in February 2018, renamed Atlântico
- Italy Vittorio Veneto (Italian Navy) – a helicopter cruiser active from 1969 to 2003
See also
- Amphibious transport dock
- Amphibious warfare ship
- Aviation-capable naval vessel
- List of STOVL carriers
References
- ↑ "HMS Ocean (LPH01) Helicopter Carrier". Naval Technology. 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
- ↑ "Overview | Moskva Class | Collections | Research | National Cold War Exhibition". www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "LHD Wasp Class Amphibious Assault Ships". Naval Technology. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ↑ "Depth from Above: Reinventing Carrier ASW | Center for International Maritime Security". 2022-10-12. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ↑ "Brazil commissions helicopter carrier". www.janes.com. 29 June 2018.
- ↑ Vavasseur, Xavier (2021-04-24). "China Commissions a Type 055 DDG, a Type 075 LHD and a Type 094 SSBN in a Single Day". Naval News. Retrieved 2021-04-25.
- ↑ "12月26日正式服役! 4萬噸"廣西艦"入列東部戰區,16個月創造奇蹟,預示關鍵時間點,針對台海詭譎,一錘定音!【一號哨所】". YouTube. 26 December 2021.
- ↑ "New pictures released of Chinese Type 075 LHD Guangxi". Navy Recognition. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
- ↑ "China's Third Type 075 LHD Starts Sea Trials". 28 November 2021.
- ↑ Vavasseur, Xavier (2022-10-01). "China's 3rd Type 075 LHD Anhui 安徽 Commissioned With PLAN". Naval News. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
- ↑ "Chinese navy's new warship takes part in 'combat-oriented training'". South China Morning Post. 2022-11-11. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
- ↑ "DCNS delivers the second Mistral-class helicopter carrier to the Egyptian Navy, the LHD Anwar El Sadat". 16 September 2016.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Hyuga Class". JMSDF Gallery (in 日本語). JMSDF. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 World Wide Aircraft Carriers
- ↑ "America 'Sails Away' for Maiden Transit to San Diego Homeport". United States Navy. 10 October 2014.
- ↑ "BBC News – Warship HMS Illustrious starts sea trials". Bbc.co.uk. 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
External links
File:Commons-logo.svg Media related to Helicopter carriers at Wikimedia Commons