Audacious-class aircraft carrier

• CVA-01 (cancelled)

• 112 ft (as built)

• Eagle

• 135 ft

• 4 sets of Parsons geared turbines, 4 shafts

• Power: 152000 shp

• 32 kn

• Ark Royal

• 31.5 kn

• 7000 nmi at 18 kn

• Ark Royal

• 7000 nmi at 14 kn

• 5000 nmi at 24 kn

  • 16 × 4.5 inch guns (8 × 2)
  • 61 × 40 mm guns (8 × 6, 2 × 2, 9 × 1)

• Post-1964 re-fit:

  • 8 × 4.5 inch guns (4 × 2)
  • 6 × Seacat SAM missile launchers

• Ark Royal (As built:)

  • 16 × 4.5 inch guns (8 × 2)
  • 52 × 40 mm (6 × 6, 2 × 2, 12 × 1)

• 1969 refit: none

• Waterline belt: 4 in

• Armoured flight deck: 1 -

• Hangar side: 1 in

• Hangar deck: 1 in

• 60

• Post-1964: 45

• Ark Royal (As built:)

• 50

• 38 after 1967–1970 refit

The Audacious-class aircraft carriers were a class of aircraft carriers proposed by the British government in the 1930s – 1940s and completed after the Second World War. The two ships built were heavily modified and diverged over their service lives. They were in operation from 1951 until 1979.

History

The Audacious class was originally designed as an expansion of the with double storied hangars. However, it was realised that the hangar height would not be sufficient for the new aircraft that were expected to enter service, so the design was considerably enlarged.

Four ships were laid down between 1942 and 1943 during World War II as part of the British naval buildup – Africa, Irresistible, Audacious and Eagle. At the end of hostilities Africa and Eagle were cancelled. Work on the remaining two was suspended. They would be renamed and built to differing designs in the 1950s.

As the builds of Audacious (renamed Eagle) and Irresistible (renamed Ark Royal) progressed they differed so much that they effectively became the lead (and sole) ships of each of their own classes. They formed the backbone of the postwar carrier fleet, and were much modified.