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
edit| Country | Navy | In service | In reserve | Under construction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Australia |
 Royal Australian Navy |
2 | 0 | 0 |
 Brazil |
 Brazilian Navy |
1 | 0 | 0 |
 China |
 People's Liberation Army Navy |
3 | 1 | 1 (4 planned) |
 Egypt |
 Egyptian Navy |
2 | 0 | 0 |
 France |
 French Navy |
3 | 0 | 0 |
 India |
 Indian Navy |
0 | 0 | 0 (4 planned total) |
 Italy |
 Italian Navy |
2 | 0 | 1 |
 Japan |
 Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force |
4 | 0 | 0 |
 Portugal
|
 Portuguese Navy
|
0 | 0 | 1 |
 Russia |
 Russian Navy |
0 | 0 | 2 (3 planned total) |
 South Korea |
 Republic of Korea Navy |
2 | 0 | 0 |
 Spain |
Spanish Navy |
1 | 0 | 0 |
 Thailand |
 Royal Thai Navy |
1 | 0 | 0 |
 Turkey |
Turkish Naval Forces |
1 | 0 | 0 |
 United States |
 United States Navy |
9 | 3 | 2 (11 planned total) |
Helicopter carriers
editHelicopter carriers currently in service
edit| Country | Name | Length | Tonnage (MT) | Class | Propulsion | Type | Classification | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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] |
| 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] |
| 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] |
| 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] |
| China
|
Shichang | 125 m (410 ft 1 in) | 9,500 t (9,300 long tons) | Type 0891A | Conventional | VTOL | Training ship | January 1997 |
| 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] |
| 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 |
| France
|
Mistral | 199 m (652 ft 11 in) | 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | December 2005 |
| France
|
Tonnerre | 199 m (652 ft 11 in) | 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | December 2006 |
| France
|
Dixmude | 199 m (652 ft 11 in) | 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | December 2011 |
| Japan
|
Kaga | 248 m (813 ft 8 in) | 27,000 t (27,000 long tons) | Izumo | Conventional | VTOL | Helicopter destroyer | 22 March 2017 |
| Japan
|
Izumo | 248 m (813 ft 8 in) | 27,000 t (27,000 long tons) | Izumo | Conventional | VTOL | Helicopter destroyer | 25 March 2015 |
| Japan
|
Hyūga | 197 m (646 ft 4 in)[13] | 19,000 t (19,000 long tons) | Hyūga | Conventional | VTOL | Helicopter destroyer | 18 March 2009 |
| Japan
|
Ise | 197 m (646 ft 4 in)[13] | 19,000 t (19,000 long tons) | Hyūga | Conventional | VTOL | Helicopter destroyer | 16 March 2011 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Turkey
|
Anadolu | 232 m (761 ft 2 in) | 27,079 t (26,651 long tons) | Anadolu | Conventional | STOVL | Landing helicopter dock | 10 April 2023 |
| 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] |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| US
|
Essex | 257 m (843 ft 2 in) | 40,650 t (40,010 long tons) | Wasp | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 17 October 1992 |
| US
|
Kearsarge | 257 m (843 ft 2 in) | 40,500 t (39,900 long tons) | Wasp | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 16 October 1993 |
| US
|
Boxer | 257 m (843 ft 2 in) | 40,722 t (40,079 long tons) | Wasp | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 11 February 1995 |
| US
|
Bataan | 257 m (843 ft 2 in) | 40,358 t (39,721 long tons) | Wasp | Conventional | VTOL | Landing helicopter dock | 20 September 1997 |
| 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 |
| 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
edit
Albion (Royal Navy) – converted from light carrier and operating in helicopter carrier role from 1962 to 1973- Andrea Doria (Italian Navy) – an Andrea Doria-class helicopter cruiser active from 1964 to 1992
- Bonhomme Richard (United States Navy) – Wasp-class landing helicopter dock, active 1998–2020
- Bulwark (Royal Navy) – converted from light carrier and operating in helicopter carrier role from 1960 to 1981
- Caio Duilio (Italian Navy) - an Andrea Doria-class helicopter cruiser active from 1964 to 1989
- Cobb (US Coast Guard), decommissioned in 1946 – world's first helicopter carrier.
- Illustrious (Royal Navy) – an Invincible-class light aircraft carrier, which operated as a helicopter carrier when HMS Ocean was being refitted.[16]
- Iwo Jima (United States Navy) – lead of the seven-ship Iwo Jima class, active from the early 1960s to the early 2000s
- Jeanne d'Arc (French Navy), decommissioned in 2010
Leningrad (Soviet Navy) – second of the two-ship Moskva class - active 1969–1991- Moskva (Soviet Navy) – lead of the two-ship Moskva class, active 1967–1991
- ex-Ocean (Royal Navy) – helicopter carrier 1998–2018, decommissioned March 2018.
- Sold to Brazil in February 2018, renamed Atlântico
- Vittorio Veneto (Italian Navy) – a helicopter cruiser active from 1969 to 2003
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "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.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ a b "Hyuga Class". JMSDF Gallery (in Japanese). JMSDF. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
- ^ a b 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
edit
Media related to Helicopter carriers at Wikimedia Commons