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{{short description|Aircraft carrier that is smaller than the standard carriers of a navy}}
A '''light aircraft carrier''' is an [[aircraft carrier]] that is smaller than the standard carriers of a [[navy]]. The precise definition of the type varies by country, typically having a capacity of 1/2 to 2/3 of the aircraft of a full-sized carrier. In [[WWII]], the american Light Aircraft Carriers were sometimes called, "'''Jeep Carriers'''.
[[File:INS Viraat front view.jpg|thumb|[[Indian Navy]]'s [[INS Viraat|INS ''Viraat'']]. All modern light aircraft carriers are equipped with ski jump ramps.]]
A '''light aircraft carrier''', or '''light fleet carrier''', is an [[aircraft carrier]] smaller than the standard carriers of a [[navy]]. The precise definition of the type varies by country; light carriers typically have a complement of aircraft only one-half to two-thirds the size of a full-sized [[fleet carrier]]. A light carrier was similar in concept to an [[escort carrier]] in most respects; however, light carriers were intended for higher speeds to be deployed alongside fleet carriers, while escort carriers were typically relatively slow and usually defended equally slow convoys, as well as providing air support during amphibious operations.


==History==
In the post War period, the [[Royal Navy]] operated a force of Light Aircraft Carriers, all of which were born out of Wartime designs.
[[File:HMS Invincible During T200 Celebrations MOD 45144681 (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Royal Navy]]'s [[HMS Invincible (R05)|HMS ''Invincible'']] is the first light aircraft carrier equipped with a [[Ski-jump (aviation)|ski jump]] ramp.]]
In [[World War II]], the [[United States Navy]] produced a number of light carriers by converting [[cruiser]] hulls. The [[Independence class aircraft carrier]]s, converted from [[Cleveland class cruiser|''Cleveland''-class light cruisers]], were unsatisfactory ships for aviation with their narrow, short decks and slender, high-sheer hulls; in virtually all respects the [[escort carrier]]s were superior aviation vessels. The Independence class ships, however, had the virtue of being available at a time when available carrier decks had been reduced to [[USS Enterprise (CV-6)|''Enterprise'']] and [[USS Saratoga (CV-3)|''Saratoga'']] in the Pacific and [[USS Ranger (CV-4)|''Ranger'']] in the Atlantic. Late in the war, two [[Baltimore class cruiser|''Baltimore''-class heavy cruiser]]s were converted to [[Saipan class aircraft carrier|''Saipan''-class light carrier]]s, they were completed after the war's end and after very brief lives as carriers, ended prematurely by the rapid advances in aircraft technology brought on in the 1950s, were converted to command and communication ships.


In [[World War II]], the [[United States Navy]] produced a number of light carriers by converting [[cruiser]] hulls. These {{sclass|Independence|aircraft carrier|1}}s, converted from {{sclass|Cleveland|cruiser|0}} [[light cruiser]]s, were unsatisfactory ships for aviation with their narrow, short decks and slender, high-[[Sheer (ship)|sheer]] hulls; in virtually all respects the [[escort carrier]]s were superior aviation vessels. These issues were superseded{{clarify|date=May 2024}}{{Fix|text=how?}} by ''Independence''-class ships' virtue of being available at a time when available carrier decks had been reduced to {{USS|Enterprise|CV-6|2}} and {{USS|Saratoga|CV-3|2}} in the Pacific and {{USS|Ranger|CV-4|2}} in the Atlantic. In addition, they had enough speed to take part in fleet actions with the larger carriers while escort carriers did not. Late in the war, a follow on to the ''Independence'' class, the {{sclass|Saipan|aircraft carrier|4}}, was designed. Two vessels in this class—{{USS|Saipan|CVL-48|2}} and {{USS|Wright|CVL-49|2}}—were completed after the war's end. After very brief lives as carriers, the ''Saipan''s were converted to command and communication ships.
Some modern references call the French [[FS Charles de Gaulle|''Charles de Gaulle'']] a "light carrier," though at 40,000 tons and nuclear powered she dwarfs the vast majority of the world's aircraft carriers with the exception of the American [[supercarrier]]s.


By the start of World War II, the [[Royal Navy]]'s {{HMS|Hermes|95|6}}, the first purpose-built aircraft carrier (launched 1919, sunk 1942) was being considered as equivalent to a light aircraft carrier, due to her small size, small aircraft complement and lack of armour. The [[United Kingdom|British]] [[1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier]], originally designated the ''Colossus'' class, was a scaled-down version of their {{sclass|Illustrious|aircraft carrier|0}} fleet carrier. The design could be built in a yard with little or no experience of warship construction. Although built to merchant standards, the design incorporated better [[watertight subdivision]]. Expected to have a lifetime of about three years, the last of the design was taken out of service in 2001. The first ten were built as the ''Colossus'' class, though two of these were modified whilst under construction into aircraft maintenance carriers. An additional five carriers, none of which were completed in time for service in World War II, were built with revisions upgrading the design to handle larger and heavier aircraft, receiving the designation ''Majestic'' class. In the post-war period, the [[Royal Navy]] operated a force of the ten ''Colossus'' carriers, while the five ''Majestic'' carriers were sold, during construction, to Australia, Canada and India.<ref name="ches129-134">Chesneau (1998), pp. 129–134</ref> The ''Majestics'' were followed, after the war, by the four light carriers of the ''Centaur'' class.
==Argentinean Navy==


In the 1970s the Royal Navy introduced a new type of light carrier, designed to operate the [[V/STOL]] [[Hawker Siddeley Harrier]]. Originally classed as "through-deck cruisers", the three-ship [[Invincible-class aircraft carrier|Invincible class]] served into the early 21st century; HMS ''Invincible'' was key to the British victory in the [[Falklands War]].
* [[ARA Independencia]] - one ship (ex-[[Colossus class carrier|Colossus-class]])
* [[ARA Vienticino de Mayo]] - one ship (ex-[[Colossus class carrier|Colossus-class]])


== List of light carriers ==
==Brazilian Navy==
[[File:Nave cavour Salerno.jpg|thumb|[[Italian aircraft carrier Cavour|Light carrier ''Cavour'']] of the Italian Navy]]
[[File:Spanish amphibious assault ship Juan Carlos I (L-61) underway in the Adriatic Sea, 22 February 2023 (230222-N-MW880-1248) (cropped).JPG|thumb|{{ship|Spanish amphibious assault ship-aircraft carrier|Juan Carlos I||2}} of the Spanish Navy]]
[[File:Chakri Naruebet 2001.JPEG|thumb|[[HTMS Chakri Naruebet|Light carrier ''Chakri Naruebet'']] of the Thailand Navy]]


=== Active ===
* [[NAeL Minas Gerais]] - one ship (ex-[[Colossus class carrier|Colossus-class]])
* [[NAeL São Paulo]] - one ship (ex-[[Clemenceau class carrier|Clemenceau-class]])


; Italy
==French Navy==


* {{Ship|Italian aircraft carrier|Cavour||2}}
* [[Lafayette class carrier|Lafeyette-class]] - two ships (ex-[[Independence class carrier|Independence-class]])
* [[FS Arromanches]] - one ship (ex-[[Colossus class carrier|Colossus-class]])


; Spain
==Indian Navy==
* {{ship|Spanish amphibious assault ship-aircraft carrier|Juan Carlos I||2}}


; Thailand
* [[INS Vikrant]] - one ship (ex-[[Majestic class carrier|Majestic-class]])


* {{HTMS|Chakri Naruebet}}
==Royal Navy==


; Japan
* [[Hermes class carrier|Hermes-class]] - four ships
* [[JS Kaga]]
* [[Colossus class carrier|Colossus-class]] - eight ships
* [[JS Izumo]]
* [[Majestic class carrier|Majestic-Class]] - five ships


==Royal Australian Navy==
=== Retired ===
; Argentina
* {{ship|ARA|Independencia|V-1|6}} (''Colossus'' class)
* {{ship|ARA|Veinticinco de Mayo|V-2|6}} (''Colossus'' class)
; Australia
* {{HMAS|Sydney|R17|6}} (''Majestic'' class)
* [[HMS Vengeance (R71)|HMAS ''Vengeance'']] (''Colossus'' class)
* {{HMAS|Melbourne|R21|6}} (''Majestic'' class)
; Brazil
* {{ship|Brazilian aircraft carrier|Minas Gerais||2}} (''Colossus'' class)
; Canada
* {{HMCS|Warrior|R31|6}} (''Colossus'' class)
* {{HMCS|Magnificent|CVL 21|6}} (''Majestic'' class)
* {{HMCS|Bonaventure|CVL 22|6}} (''Majestic'' class)
; France
* ''Lafayette'' class (ex-''Independence'' class):
** {{ship|French aircraft carrier|Bois Belleau|R97|2}}
** {{ship|French aircraft carrier|La Fayette|R96|2}}
* {{ship|French aircraft carrier|Arromanches||2}} (''Colossus'' class)
; India
* {{INS|Vikrant|1961|6}} (''Majestic'' class)
* {{INS|Viraat}} (''Centaur'' class)
; Italy
* {{Ship|Italian aircraft carrier|Giuseppe Garibaldi||2}}
;Japan
* {{Ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Hōshō||2}}
* {{Ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Ryūjō||2}}
* {{sclass|Zuihō|aircraft carrier|4}}<ref name="Watts1967p.49">Watts (1967), p. 49</ref><ref name="Brown1977pp.21-22">Brown (1977), pp. 21–22</ref>
** {{Ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Zuihō||2}}
** {{Ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Shōhō||2}}
* {{Ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Ryūhō||2}}<ref>Watts (1967), pp. 54 & 56</ref><ref>Brown (1977), pp. 26–27</ref>
* {{sclass|Chitose|aircraft carrier|4}}<ref name="Watts1967p.56">Watts (1967), p. 56</ref><ref name="Brown1977pp.27-28">Brown (1977), pp. 27–28</ref>
** {{Ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Chitose||2}}
** {{Ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Chiyoda||2}}
; Netherlands
* {{HNLMS|Karel Doorman|R81|6}} (''Colossus'' class)
; Spain
* {{ship|Spanish aircraft carrier|Dédalo||2}} (''Independence'' class)
* {{ship|Spanish aircraft carrier|Príncipe de Asturias||2}}
; United Kingdom
* {{HMS|Hermes|95|6}}
* {{HMS|Unicorn|I72|6}}
* [[1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier]]
** ''Colossus'' class
*** {{HMS|Colossus|R15|6}}
*** {{HMS|Glory|R62|6}}
*** {{HMS|Ocean|R68|6}}
*** {{HMS|Venerable|R63|6}}
*** {{HMS|Vengeance|R71|6}}
*** {{HMS|Pioneer|R76|6}} (maintenance carrier)
*** {{HMS|Warrior|R31|6}}
*** {{HMS|Theseus|R64|6}}
*** {{HMS|Triumph|R16|6}}
*** {{HMS|Perseus|R51|6}} (maintenance carrier)
** ''Majestic'' class (none saw service in the [[Royal Navy]])
*** [[HMAS Melbourne (R21)|''Majestic'']] (entered service as HMAS ''Melbourne'')
*** [[HMAS Sydney (R17)|''Terrible'']] (entered service as HMAS ''Sydney'')
*** [[HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21)|''Magnificent'']] (entered service as HMCS ''Magnificent'')
*** [[INS Vikrant (1961)|''Hercules'']] (entered service as INS ''Vikrant'')
*** [[HMCS Bonaventure (CVL 22)|''Powerful'']] (entered service as HMCS ''Bonaventure'')
* {{sclass|Centaur|aircraft carrier|4}}
** {{HMS|Centaur|R06|6}}
** {{HMS|Albion|R07|6}}
** {{HMS|Bulwark|R08|6}}
** {{HMS|Hermes|R12|6}}
* {{sclass|Invincible|aircraft carrier|4}}
** {{HMS|Invincible|R05|6}}
** {{HMS|Illustrious|R06|6}}
** {{HMS|Ark Royal|R07|6}}
; United States
* {{sclass|Independence|aircraft carrier|4}}
** {{USS|Bataan|CVL-29|6}}
** {{USS|Belleau Wood|CVL-24|6}}
** {{USS|Cabot|CVL-28|6}}
** {{USS|Cowpens|CVL-25|6}}
** {{USS|Independence|CVL-22|6}}
** {{USS|Langley|CVL-27|6}}
** {{USS|Monterey|CVL-26|6}}
** {{USS|Princeton|CVL-23|6}}
** {{USS|San Jacinto|CVL-30|6}}
* {{sclass|Saipan|aircraft carrier|4}}
** {{USS|Saipan|CVL-48|6}}
** {{USS|Wright|CVL-49|6}}


==See also==
* [[HMAS Sydney (1944)|HMAS Sydney]] - one ship (ex-[[Majestic class carrier|Majestic-class]])
* [[Anti-submarine warfare carrier]]
* [[HMS Vengeance (R71)|HMAS Vengeance]] - one ship (ex-[[Colossus class carrier|Colossus-class]])
* [[Escort carrier#Post-World War II|Escort carrier of post-World War II]]
* [[HMAS Melbourne (1945)|HMAS Melbourne]] - one ship (ex-[[Majestic class carrier|Majestic-class]])
* [[Helicopter carrier]]
* [[Amphibious assault ship]]
* [[Landing helicopter assault]]
* [[Landing helicopter dock]]
* [[Landing platform helicopter]]
* [[List of aircraft carriers by configuration#Navies with STOVL carriers|List of STOVL carriers]]
* [[List of aircraft carriers of World War II]]
* [[List of escort aircraft carriers of the Second World War]]


==Notes==
==Royal Canadian Navy==
{{reflist}}


==References==
* [[HMCS Warrior]] - one ship (ex-[[Colossus class carrier|Colossus-class]])
* {{cite book| title=Aircraft Carriers |author=Brown, David |publisher=Arco Publishing |year=1977 |isbn=0-668-04164-1}}
* [[HMCS Magnificent]] - one ship (ex-[[Majestic class carrier|Majestic-class]])
* {{cite book | last = Chesneau | first = Roger | year = 1998 | title = Aircraft Carriers of the World, 1914 to the Present. An Illustrated Encyclopedia (Rev Ed) | location = London | publisher = Brockhampton Press | pages = 288 | isbn = 1-86019-875-9}}
* [[HMCS Bonaventure]] - one ship (ex-[[Majestic class carrier|Majestic-class]])
* {{cite book| title=Japanese Warships of World War II |author=Watts, Anthony J. |publisher=Doubleday & Company |year=1967|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_zpQAQAAIAAJ}}
{{Warship types of the 19th & 20th centuries}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Light Aircraft Carrier}}
==Royal Netherlands Navy==
[[Category:Light aircraft carrier classes]]

[[Category:Aircraft carriers by type]]
* [[HMNLS Karel Doorman II]] - one ship (ex-[[Colossus class carrier|Colossus-class]])

==United States Navy==

* [[Independence class aircraft carrier|Independence-class]] - nine ships
* [[Saipan class aircraft carrier|Saipan-class]] - two ships

An older style Jeep carier of an undetermaned name is morred accros from the farry building in Valejo, California.

[[Category:Ship types]]

Latest revision as of 18:17, 18 November 2024

Indian Navy's INS Viraat. All modern light aircraft carriers are equipped with ski jump ramps.

A light aircraft carrier, or light fleet carrier, is an aircraft carrier smaller than the standard carriers of a navy. The precise definition of the type varies by country; light carriers typically have a complement of aircraft only one-half to two-thirds the size of a full-sized fleet carrier. A light carrier was similar in concept to an escort carrier in most respects; however, light carriers were intended for higher speeds to be deployed alongside fleet carriers, while escort carriers were typically relatively slow and usually defended equally slow convoys, as well as providing air support during amphibious operations.

History

[edit]
Royal Navy's HMS Invincible is the first light aircraft carrier equipped with a ski jump ramp.

In World War II, the United States Navy produced a number of light carriers by converting cruiser hulls. These Independence-class aircraft carriers, converted from Cleveland-class light cruisers, were unsatisfactory ships for aviation with their narrow, short decks and slender, high-sheer hulls; in virtually all respects the escort carriers were superior aviation vessels. These issues were superseded[clarification needed][how?] by Independence-class ships' virtue of being available at a time when available carrier decks had been reduced to Enterprise and Saratoga in the Pacific and Ranger in the Atlantic. In addition, they had enough speed to take part in fleet actions with the larger carriers while escort carriers did not. Late in the war, a follow on to the Independence class, the Saipan class, was designed. Two vessels in this class—Saipan and Wright—were completed after the war's end. After very brief lives as carriers, the Saipans were converted to command and communication ships.

By the start of World War II, the Royal Navy's HMS Hermes, the first purpose-built aircraft carrier (launched 1919, sunk 1942) was being considered as equivalent to a light aircraft carrier, due to her small size, small aircraft complement and lack of armour. The British 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier, originally designated the Colossus class, was a scaled-down version of their Illustrious-class fleet carrier. The design could be built in a yard with little or no experience of warship construction. Although built to merchant standards, the design incorporated better watertight subdivision. Expected to have a lifetime of about three years, the last of the design was taken out of service in 2001. The first ten were built as the Colossus class, though two of these were modified whilst under construction into aircraft maintenance carriers. An additional five carriers, none of which were completed in time for service in World War II, were built with revisions upgrading the design to handle larger and heavier aircraft, receiving the designation Majestic class. In the post-war period, the Royal Navy operated a force of the ten Colossus carriers, while the five Majestic carriers were sold, during construction, to Australia, Canada and India.[1] The Majestics were followed, after the war, by the four light carriers of the Centaur class.

In the 1970s the Royal Navy introduced a new type of light carrier, designed to operate the V/STOL Hawker Siddeley Harrier. Originally classed as "through-deck cruisers", the three-ship Invincible class served into the early 21st century; HMS Invincible was key to the British victory in the Falklands War.

List of light carriers

[edit]
Light carrier Cavour of the Italian Navy
Juan Carlos I of the Spanish Navy
Light carrier Chakri Naruebet of the Thailand Navy

Active

[edit]
Italy
Spain
Thailand
Japan

Retired

[edit]
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Canada
France
India
Italy
Japan
Netherlands
Spain
United Kingdom
United States

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Chesneau (1998), pp. 129–134
  2. ^ Watts (1967), p. 49
  3. ^ Brown (1977), pp. 21–22
  4. ^ Watts (1967), pp. 54 & 56
  5. ^ Brown (1977), pp. 26–27
  6. ^ Watts (1967), p. 56
  7. ^ Brown (1977), pp. 27–28

References

[edit]
  • Brown, David (1977). Aircraft Carriers. Arco Publishing. ISBN 0-668-04164-1.
  • Chesneau, Roger (1998). Aircraft Carriers of the World, 1914 to the Present. An Illustrated Encyclopedia (Rev Ed). London: Brockhampton Press. p. 288. ISBN 1-86019-875-9.
  • Watts, Anthony J. (1967). Japanese Warships of World War II. Doubleday & Company.
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