HMS Invincible (R05) British Anti-Submarine Warfare Carrier   HMS Invincible (R05) is a British Anti-Submarine Warfare Carrier, the lead ship of three in her class in the Royal Navy. She was launched on May 3, 1977. Invincible was built at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering. She was laid down in 1973, and launched on May 3, 1977. The ship was commissioned on July 11, 1980 and joined the older carriers Hermes and Bulwark in service. HMS Invincible was decommissioned on August 3, 2005. Deployments On April 2, 1982 Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. On April 5, a naval task force headed by Invincible and Hermes left Portsmouth bound for the South Atlantic. On April 20, the British War Cabinet ordered the repossession of the Falkland Islands. From 1993 to 1995, Invincible was deployed in the Adriatic for Operation Deny Flight over Yugoslavia and contributed to Operation Deliberate Force which concluded the deployment. In 1998 and 1999, she contributed to Operation Bolton in Southern Iraq along with air forces from Saudi Arabia, the United States and France. Also in 1999, she was deployed once more the Balkans to assist action against Yugoslavia. Her Harriers were involved in military strikes while her helicopters aided refugees. General specifications: Displacement (standard/loaded tons): 16,970/20,710 Dimensions (L*B*D feet/meter): 689*118’1*28’9/210.0*36.0*8.80 Propulsion: 4*Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines providing 97,000 hp (75 MW) Speed (knots): 28/18 cruising Range (miles@knots): 7,000@18 Complement: 1,051 (total), 726 Ship`s company, 384 Air Group personnel Armament: 3*Goalkeeper CIWS, 2*GAM-B01 20 mm close-range guns Aircraft carried: Sea Harrier fighter/bomber "jump jets", Sea King helicopters, Merlin and Lynx helicopters. Back to History Index   Image Country Year Description Liberia 2001 HMS Invincible with Seaking anti-submarine helicopter (souvenir sheet)