HMS Invincible (R05)
1980-2005
CVS · Aircraft Carrier V STOL
| Flight Deck: | N |
| Call Sign: | GUCL |
| Shipyard: | BAE Systems (Vickers) |
Timeline
| Date | |
|---|---|
| Apr 17, 1973 | |
| Jul 20, 1973 | |
| May 3, 1977 | ceremony included a flypast by 3 Sea King HAS.1 from 819 Squadron |
| May 1979 | Largs Bay During trials in Largs Bay in May 1979, 819 NAS Sea King HAS.2A XV710/310-PW was first aircraft to perform a deck landing. Trials in Largs Bay |
| Mar 6, 1980 | 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. Accident |
| May 19, 1980 | first landing of Sea Harrier on an Invincible class deck |
| Jul 11, 1980 | at HMNB Portsmouth, fitted at this stage with Sea Dart and its Type 910 fire direction radar. |
| Apr 4, 1982 | 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. Operation Corporate |
| Nov 5, 1982 |  Roosevelt Roads At Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico until 11 Nov 1982 |
| Nov 12, 1982 | At Fort Lauderdale, Florida until 19 Nov 1982 |
| Nov 22, 1982 | At Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until 29 Nov 1982, returning to HMNB Portsmouth by 8 Dec 1982. |
| Sep 1, 1983 | 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 |
| Nov 30, 1983 |  Auckland - Princes Wharf visited Auckland, until 5 Dec. |
| May 1986 | 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 (to replace post-South Atlantic conflict Phalanx) and an increase in the air group capacity. Returned to service in 1989. Goalkeeper CIWS upgrade Goalkeeper |
| Oct 7, 1991 | West Mediterranean 📷 during the NATO exercise Display Determination 91 |
| May 12, 1992 |  Sembawang naval base led Group Deployment to Far East for Orient Express 92, consisting of HMSs Boxer, Newcastle, Norfolk and RFAs Fort Austin and Olwen, returning Nov 1992. Embarked were 7 Sea King HAS.5 of 814 NAS, 2 Sea King HC.4 of 845 NAS and 3 Sea King AEW.2 of 849 NAS. Task Group 318.1 Orient 92 deployment |
| Jul 22, 1993 |  Dalmatian coast departed HMNB Portsmouth and relieved HMS Ark Royal on station in the Adriatic during Aug, assisting UNPROFOR, until Jan 1994. UNPROFOR |
| Nov 17, 1993 |  Port of Trieste Visit Trieste, Italy. Sea king XV703 onboard |
| Aug 24, 1994 | Dalmatian coast departed HMNB Portsmouth with 814 NAS and 849 NAS A Flt embarked, for return to the Adriatic to relieve HMS Ark Royal in Sep. On station until Feb 1995 when relieved by HMS Illustrious. UNPROFOR |
| Jul 1995 | Dalmatian coast returned to the Adriatic with 814 NAS and 849 NAS embarked, to relieve HMS Illustrious. On station until 9 Dec 1995. UNPROFOR |
| Dec 1995 | alongside in HMNB Portsmouth for maintenance period after Adriatic deployment, until Mar 1996. |
| Aug 1996 | departed from HMNB Portsmouth at end Aug 1996 in company with HMS Sheffield, RFA Oakleaf (A111) and RFA Fort Grange for exercises in Mediterranean and Persian Gulf (from Nov) before returning to Portsmouth on 19 Dec. Task Group TG 333.01 |
| Nov 29, 1997 |  Barcelona Harbour visit to Barcelona, until 4 Dec 1997 Barcelona |
| Jan 9, 1998 | departed HMNB Portsmouth for Persian Gulf and Mediterranean deployment, supported by HMS Nottingham, HMS Coventry, RFA Fort Victoria and RFA Bayleaf. |
| Aug 28, 1998 | HMNB Portsmouth Portsmouth on board Sea King XV664, ZE422 International Festival of Sea |
| Jan 9, 1999 | northern Ionian departed HMNB Portsmouth, escorted by HMS Newcastle, for a Persian Gulf and Adriatic deployment, embarking an Air Group including 814 NAS Sea King HAS.6 and 849 NAS A Flt Sea King AEW.2, whilst underway. Left Persian Gulf on 1 Apr. Task Force 347.01 |
| May 21, 1999 | withdrawn from Kosovo theatre, to be replaced by RFA Argus on 1 Jun. Adriatic |
| Aug 1999 | 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 |
| Mar 31, 2001 | into extended readiness at HMNB Portsmouth until Jul 2001 |
| Jul 2001 | departed HMNB Portsmouth at end of Jul for Rosyth, to prepare for refit |
| Dec 2001 | refit at Rosyth, until Mar 2003, including removal of Sea Dart twin launcher. |
| Jul 4, 2004 | to New York, NY for Independence Day celebrations |
| Aug 3, 2005 | into low readiness reserve at HMNB Portsmouth |
| Sep 10, 2010 | Ended readiness reserve. |
| Apr 12, 2011 |  Aliaga March 24 2011 Invincible hull was towed from Portsmouth harbour to Leyal Ship Dismantling and Recycling in Turkey for scrapping. Completed January 2012 Shipbreakers |