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| 1973-apr-17 | | | Ordered | | |  R05 HMS Invincible | |
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| 1973-jul-20 | | | Laid down | | | R05 HMS Invincible | |
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| 1976-may-14 | | | Ordered | | | R06 HMS Illustrious | |
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| 1976-oct-7 | | | Laid down | | | R06 HMS Illustrious | |
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| 1978-dec-14 | | | Launched | | | R06 HMS Illustrious | |
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| 1978-dec-14 | | | Laid down | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal as HMS Indomitable | |
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| 1979-may-3 | | | Launched | | | R05 HMS Invincible | |
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| 1980-mar-6 | | | Trials | | | R05 HMS Invincible During trials south of Isle of Wight, two of the embarked 820 NAS Sea Kings (XZ915 and XZ917) collided in mid-air in poor visibility. | |
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| 1980-may-19 | | | Trials | | | R05 HMS Invincible first landing of Sea Harrier on an Invincible class deck | |
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| 1980-jul-11 | | | Commissioned | | | R05 HMS Invincible at HMNB Portsmouth | |
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| 1981-jun-2 | | | Launched | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal as HMS Ark Royal | |
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| 1982-apr-4 | | | Deployment | | | R05 HMS Invincible  Operation Corporate Departed HMNB Portsmouth for Falklands Conflict first op deployment with Invincible air group configured for maximum Harrier compliment to carry out air defence of the task force and offensive operations. Returned to Portsmouth on 17 Sep. | |
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| 1982-jun-20 | | | Commissioned | | | R06 HMS Illustrious | |
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| 1982-aug-2 | | | Deployment | | | R06 HMS Illustrious Departed HMNB Portsmouth on her 1st operation, to relieve HMS Invincible on 27 Aug in the South Atlantic, following Operation Corporate. | |
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| 1982-nov-5 | | | Port Visit | | | R05 HMS Invincible At Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico until 11 Nov 1982 | |
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| 1982-nov-12 | | | Port Visit | | | R05 HMS Invincible At Fort Lauderdale, Florida until 19 Nov 1982 | |
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| 1982-nov-22 | | | Port Visit | | | R05 HMS Invincible At Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until 29 Nov 1982, returning to HMNB Portsmouth by 8 Dec 1982. | |
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| 1983-sep-1 | | | Deployment | | | R05 HMS Invincible departed HMNB Portsmouth for Far East and Australasian deployment, cut short by difficulties with the machinery and the nervousness with which the Australian and Japanese governments viewed offering repair facilities to a ship which might be carrying nuclear weapons | |
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| 1985-jul-1 | | | Homeport | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal arrived at HMNB Portsmouth | |
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| 1985-nov-1 | | | Commissioned | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal | |
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| 1986-may | | | Refit | | | R05 HMS Invincible to HMD Devonport for an extensive refit until Nov 1988 including work on the machinery, reconfiguring the ski jump, an operations room upgrade, new sonar, 3 sets of Goalkeeper CIWS and an increase in the air group capacity | |
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| 1986-jul | | | Deployment | | | R06 HMS Illustrious to Far East and Australia for the GLOBAL 86 deployment, returning to Portsmouth on 18 Dec 1986. | |
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| 1986-oct-4 | | | Port Visit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious Fleet Review: 75th anniversary of RAN participated in celebrations for 75th anniversary of Royal Australian Navy at Sydney, during GLOBAL 86 deployment. | |
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| 1986-nov-14 | | | Port Visit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious visited Bombay (Mumbai) during GLOBAL 86 deployment. | |
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| 1988-sep-26 | | | Port Visit | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal Fleet Review: Australia Bi-centennial Naval Salute to Sydney for Australian Bi-centennial Fleet Review | |
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| 1990-apr-18 | | | Deployment | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal sailed as flagship of TG 318.1 for western North Atlantic deployment, with HMS Glasgow, HMS Brave and HMS Cumberland, supported by RFA Fort Grange and RFA Olna. The Ark returned to HMNB Portsmouth on 5 Jul. | |
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| 1990-nov-7 | | | Trials | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal first use of Sea Harrier FA.2 on Invincible class ship, for 10 days of operating trials | |
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| 1991-jan-10 | | | Deployment | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal Embarked 820 Squadron Sea Kings before deploying to the eastern Mediterranean for long range surveillance of the Suez Canal during the Gulf War. | |
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| 1991-sep | | | Refit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious until Sep 1993 at HMD Devonport. | |
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| 1991-oct-7 | | | | | | R05 HMS Invincible  during the NATO exercise Display Determination 91 | |
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| 1992-may | | | Deployment | | | R05 HMS Invincible led Group Deployment to Far East for Orient 92, consisting of HMSs Boxer, Newcastle, Norfolk and RFAs Fort Austin and Olwen, returning Nov 1992. | |
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| 1993-jan-14 | | | Deployment | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal departed HMNB Portsmouth for Adriatic deployment to assist UNPROFOR, with RFA Argus as aviation support. She was relieved by HMS Invincible in Aug 1993. | |
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| 1993-aug | | | Deployment | | | R05 HMS Invincible relieved HMS Ark Royal on station in the Adriatic, assisting UNPROFOR, until Jan 1994. | |
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| 1994-jan | | | Deployment | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal relieved HMS Invincible on station in the Adriatic, assisting UNPROFOR. Remained until Sep 1994, when relieved by HMS Invincible. | |
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| 1994-sep | | | Deployment | | | R05 HMS Invincible returned to the Adriatic to relieve HMS Ark Royal. On station until Feb 1995 when relieved by HMS Illustrious. | |
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| 1994-oct | | | | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal into reserve at HMNB Portsmouth on 6 months notice to re-activate, until Jun 1999. | |
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| 1995-feb | | | Deployment | | | R06 HMS Illustrious to the Adriatic to relieve HMS Invincible. On station until Jul 1995, when relieved by HMS Invincible. | |
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| 1995-jul | | | Deployment | | | R05 HMS Invincible returned to the Adriatic to relieve HMS Illustrious. On station until Dec 1995 | |
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| 1996 | | | | | | R06 HMS Illustrious IFOR (implementation force) in Adriatic sea | |
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| 1997-jan-13 | | | Deployment | | | R06 HMS Illustrious departed UK for a Far East deployment | |
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| 1997-nov-29 | | | Port Visit | | | R05 HMS Invincible visit to Barcelona, until 4 Dec 1997 | |
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| 1998-jan-9 | | | Deployment | | | R05 HMS Invincible departed HMNB Portsmouth for Persian Gulf and Mediterranean deployment | |
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| 1998-aug-28 | | | | | | R05 HMS Invincible International Festival of Sea Portsmouth on board Sea King XV664, ZE422 | |
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| 1999 | | | Refit | | | R05 HMS Invincible refit at HMD Portsmouth for removal of Sea Dart, extension of flight deck and more space for air group and its support equipment; until spring 2000 | |
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| 1999-jun | | | Refit | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal extensive refit at Rosyth until Mar 2001, including facilities to Operate Merlin and Sea King ASaC.7 and rejoined fleet in summer 2001 | |
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| 1999-sep-28 | | | Port Visit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious from 28 September to 1 October Amsterdam, Netherlands. on board Sea King from 820Sqn. and 849Sqn. XV649 : XV650 : XV706 : XZ571 : XZ574 : ZA128 : ZA133 : ZD630 : ZD633 : ZE420. Plus 7 Sea Harrier from 801Sqn. | |
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| 2000-jan-17 | | | Deployment | | | R06 HMS Illustrious departed HMNB Portsmouth for a Persian Gulf deployment, returning, after diversions on 14 Jun. | |
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| 2000-may | | | Deployment | | | R06 HMS Illustrious Operation Palliser ordered off Freetown, Sierra Leone to support Operation Palliser. | |
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| 2001-mar-31 | | | | | | R05 HMS Invincible into extended readiness at HMNB Portsmouth until Jul 2001 | |
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| 2001-jul | | | Trials | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal post refit shake down and work up | |
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| 2001-jul | | | | | | R05 HMS Invincible departed HMNB Portsmouth at end of Jul for Rosyth, to prepare for refit | |
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| 2001-sep-3 | | | Deployment | | | R06 HMS Illustrious departed HMNB Portsmouth for Persian Gulf and exercise Saif Sareea II. | |
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| 2001-dec | | | Refit | | | R05 HMS Invincible refit at Rosyth, until late 2003 | |
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| 2002-dec | | | Refit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious Refit until Dec 2004 to convert for Merlin operations. | |
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| 2003-jan-11 | | | Deployment | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal Operation Telic to support combat operations in Iraq, completing 17 May 2003 | |
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| 2004-mar-17 | | | | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal entered a period of extended readiness | |
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| 2004-jul-4 | | | Port Visit | | | R05 HMS Invincible to New York, NY for Independence Day celebrations | |
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| 2004-oct | | | Refit | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal refit at Babcock in Rosyth to add a third mast, upgrade aviation facilities and improve communications, until Sep 2006, rejoining the fleet in Dec 2006 | |
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| 2005-aug-3 | | | Decommissioned | | | R05 HMS Invincible into low readiness reserve at HMNB Portsmouth | |
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| 2006-mar-29 | | | Deployment | | | R06 HMS Illustrious departed HMNB Portsmouth, leading the Aquila 06 deployment to the Persian Gulf, supported by RFA Brambleleaf, RFA Diligence and RFA Fort Victoria | |
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| 2006-jul | | | Deployment | | | R06 HMS Illustrious Operation Highbrow assisted in evacuation of British nationals from Beirut, during Israel-Lebanon war | |
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| 2009-may-6 | | | Port Visit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious visited London for Fly Navy 100 (celebrating 100 years of the Fleet Air Arm), moored at Greenwich Reach on the River Thames. Departed 10 May 2009. | |
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| 2010-feb-8 | | | Refit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious after entering Crombie for de-storing, HMS Ilustrious began a 16 month refit at Babcock in Rosyth, departing 20 Jun 2011. | |
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| 2010-apr | | | Deployment | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal Embarked both 815 Squadron 212 Flight Lynx HAS.3ICE, on loan from HMS Endurance until Aug 2010. | |
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| 2010-jun-28 | | | Port Visit | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal Fleet Review: 100th anniversary of Canadian Navy visited Halifax for MARLANT Fleet Review | |
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| 2010-sep-10 | | | Struck | | | R05 HMS Invincible Ended readiness reserve. | |
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| 2010-oct | | | Aircraft | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal hosted 656 Squadron (AAC) Apaches for maritime operations trials for c. 3 weeks. | |
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| 2010-nov-17 | | | Port Visit | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal 5 day visit to North Shields, departing 22 Nov | |
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| 2010-nov-24 | | | | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal Flew off her last Sea King and 4 Harriers (2 from 800NAS and 2 from RAF 1 Squadron). | |
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| 2010-dec-3 | | | | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal She returned to Portsmouth that day from a 5 day visit to Hamburg. | |
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| 2011-mar | | | Fate: scrapped | | | R05 HMS Invincible During March 2011, Invincible hull was towed from Portsmouth harbour to Leyal Ship Dismantling and Recycling in Turkey for scrapping. | |
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| 2011-mar-11 | | | Decommissioned | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal Ark Royal was decommissioned at HMNB Portsmouth, 3 years early following defence cuts announced in the SDSR spending review of Oct 2010. | |
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| 2011-dec | | | Port Visit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious visited Hamburg, following completion of post refit training | |
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| 2012-feb-3 | | | Deployment | | | R06 HMS Illustrious departed HMNB Portsmouth for 8 week cold weather work up off northern Norway | |
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| 2012-feb-29 | | | Port Visit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious visited North Shields for 4 day visit to Tyneside, departed on 3 Mar. | |
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| 2012-mar-9 | | | | | | R06 HMS Illustrious collided with tug in Harstad (Norway) and holed twice above waterline. Returned to HMNB Portsmouth on 18 Mar for repairs. | |
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| 2012-sep | | | Trials | | | R06 HMS Illustrious first of type trials for Merlin HM.2 ZH826 for 12 day performance assessment period, off Plymouth | |
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| 2012-oct-1 | | | Deployment | | | R06 HMS Illustrious departed HMNB Portsmouth for 3 month Cougar 12 deployment in the Mediterranean, with a detachment of Apache from 656 Sq AAC | |
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| 2012-nov-19 | | | Port Visit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious 5 day visit to Valetta, Malta, including 2 day Ship Open to Visitors, departing 23 Nov. | |
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| 2013-feb-14 | | | Port Visit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious to Liverpool for 5 day visit including Ship Open to Visitors on 16 and 17 Feb. | |
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| 2013-apr-26 | | | Port Visit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious on completion of Exercise Joint Warrior, visited Dublin and departed 29 Apr | |
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| 2013-may-8 | | | Port Visit | | | R06 HMS Illustrious moored on the Thames at Greenwich Reach, for Battle of the Atlantic commemorations. | |
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| 2013-may-20 | | | Fate: scrapped | | | R07 HMS Ark Royal departed Portsmouth under tow for scrapping in Turkey | |
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