Helicopter carrier
JDS Hyūga, a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Hyūga-class helicopter destroyer
A helicopter carrier is a type of aircraft carrier whose primary purpose is to operate helicopters. A helicopter carrier has a large flight deck that occupies a large part of the ship, which can extend the full length of the ship like HMS Ocean[1] of the Royal Navy (RN), or only partway, usually aft, as in the Soviet Navy's Moskva class, the Chinese Navy's Type 0891A or the RN's RFA Argus. It often also has a hangar deck for the storage of aircraft.
Pure helicopter carriers are difficult to define in the 21st century. The advent of STOVL aircraft such as the Harrier Jump Jet, and now the F-35, have complicated the classification; the United States Navy's Wasp class, for instance, carries six to eight Harriers as well as over 20 helicopters. Only smaller carriers unable to operate the Harrier and older pre-Harrier-era carriers can be regarded as true helicopter carriers. In many cases, other carriers, able to operate STOVL aircraft, are classified as "light aircraft carriers". Other vessels, such as the Wasp class, are also capable of embarking troops such as marines and landing them ashore; they are classified as amphibious assault ships.
Helicopter carriers have been used as anti-submarine warfare carriers and amphibious assault ships.
HMS Hermes and two of her sisters were 22,000 ton fleet carriers converted to "commando carriers" only able to operate helicopters. Hermes was later converted to a STOVL carrier.
Contents
1 Helicopter carriers by country
2 Helicopter carriers
2.1 Helicopter carriers currently in use
2.2 Retired helicopter carriers
3 See also
4 References
5 External links
Helicopter carriers by country
| Country | Navy | In service | In reserve | Under construction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Australia |  Royal Australian Navy | 2 | 0 | 0 |
 Brazil |  Brazilian Navy | 1 | 0 | 0 |
 Egypt |  Egyptian Navy | 2 | 0 | 0 |
 France |  French Navy | 3 | 0 | 0 |
 India |  Indian Navy | 0 | 0 | 0 (4 planned total) |
 Japan |  Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force | 4 | 0 | 0 |
 Russia |  Russian Navy | 0 | 0 | 0 (3 planned total) |
 South Korea | Republic of Korea Navy | 2 | 0 | 1 |
 Spain | Royal Spanish Navy | 1 | 0 | 0 |
 Thailand |  Royal Thai Navy | 1 | 0 | 0 |
 Turkey | Turkish Naval Forces | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 United Kingdom |  Royal Navy | 0 | 0 | 0 |
 United States | United States Navy | 9 | 3 | 1 (11 planned total) |
Helicopter carriers
Helicopter carriers currently in use
| Country | Name (Hull number) | Length | Tonnage (mt) | Class | Propulsion | Type | Classification | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Canberra (L02) | 230.82 230.82 m (757.3 ft) | 027500 27,500 mt | Canberra (modified Juan Carlos I) | Conventional | STOVL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 28 November 2014 |
| Australia | Adelaide (L01) | 230.82 230.82 m (757.3 ft) | 027500 27,500 mt | Canberra (modified Juan Carlos I) | Conventional | STOVL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 4 December 2015 |
| Brazil | PHM Atlântico (A140) | 203.4 203.4 m (667 ft) | 021500 21,500 mt | Conventional | VTOL | Landing Platform Helicopter | 29 June 2018[2] | |
| Egypt | Gamal Abdel Nasser (L1010) | 199 199 m (653 ft) | 021300 21,300 mt | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 2 June 2016[3] |
| Egypt | Anwar El Sadat (L1020) | 199 199 m (653 ft) | 021300 21,300 mt | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 16 September 2016 |
| France | Mistral (L9013) | 199 199 m (653 ft) | 021300 21,300 mt | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing Helicopter Dock | December 2005 |
| France | Tonnerre (L9014) | 199 199 m (653 ft) | 021300 21,300 mt | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing Helicopter Dock | December 2006 |
| France | Dixmude (L9015) | 199 199 m (653 ft) | 021300 21,300 mt | Mistral | Conventional | VTOL | Landing Helicopter Dock | December 2011 |
| Japan | JS Kaga (DDH-184) | 248 248 m (814 ft) | 027000 27,000 mt | Izumo | Conventional | VTOL | Helicopter destroyer | 22 March 2017 |
| Japan | JS Izumo (DDH-183) | 248 248 m (814 ft) | 027000 27,000 mt | Izumo | Conventional | VTOL | Helicopter destroyer | 25 March 2015 |
| Japan | JS Hyūga (DDH-181) | 197 197 m (646 ft)[4] | 013950 19,000 mt | Hyūga | Conventional | VTOL | Helicopter destroyer | 18 March 2009 |
| Japan | JS Ise (DDH-182) | 197 197 m (646 ft)[4] | 013950 19,000 mt | Hyūga | Conventional | VTOL | Helicopter destroyer | 16 March 2011 |
| South Korea | Dokdo (LPH-6111) | 199 199 m (653 ft) | 018800 18,800 mt | Dokdo | Conventional | VTOL | Landing Platform Helicopter | 3 July 2007 |
| South Korea | Marado (LPH-6112) | 199 199 m (653 ft) | 018800 18,800 mt | Dokdo | Conventional | VTOL | Landing Platform Helicopter | 3 July 2018 |
| Spain | Juan Carlos I (L-61) | 230.82 230.82 m (757.3 ft) | 027079 27,079 mt | Juan Carlos I | Conventional | STOVL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 30 September 2010 |
| UK | Argus (A135)[5] | 175.1 175.1 m (574 ft) | 020081 20,081 mt | Unique merchant conversion | Conventional | VTOL | Aviation Training Ship | 1 June 1988 |
| US | America (LHA-6) | 257.3 257.3 m (844 ft) | 045000 45,000 mt | America[6] | Conventional | STOVL | Landing Helicopter Assault | 11 October 2014[7] |
| US | Wasp (LHD-1) | 257 257 m (843 ft) | 040532 40,532 mt | Wasp[6] | Conventional | STOVL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 29 July 1989 |
| US | Essex (LHD-2) | 257 257 m (843 ft) | 040650 40,650 mt | Wasp | Conventional | STOVL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 17 October 1992 |
| US | Kearsarge (LHD-3) | 257 257 m (843 ft) | 040500 40,500 mt | Wasp | Conventional | STOVL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 16 October 1993 |
| US | Boxer (LHD-4) | 257 257 m (843 ft) | 040722 40,722 mt | Wasp | Conventional | STOVL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 11 February 1995 |
| US | Bataan (LHD-5) | 257 257 m (843 ft) | 040358 40,358 mt | Wasp | Conventional | STOVL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 20 September 1997 |
| US | Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) | 257 257 m (843 ft) | 040500 40,500 mt | Wasp | Conventional | STOVL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 15 August 1998 |
| US | Iwo Jima (LHD-7) | 257 257 m (843 ft) | 040530 40,530 mt | Wasp | Conventional | STOVL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 30 June 2001 |
| US | Makin Island (LHD-8) | 258 258 m (846 ft) | 041649 41,649 mt | Wasp | Conventional | STOVL | Landing Helicopter Dock | 24 October 2009 |
Retired helicopter carriers
Albion (R07), (Royal Navy) – helicopter carrier of the 1960s–1980s
Bulwark (R08), (Royal Navy) – helicopter carrier of the 1960s–1980s
Cobb (WPG-181) (US Coast Guard), decommissioned in 1946 – World's first helicopter carrier.
Illustrious (R06) (Royal Navy) An Invincible-class light aircraft carrier, which operated as a helicopter carrier when HMS Ocean was being refitted.[8]
Iwo Jima (LPH-2) (United States Navy) – lead of the seven-ship Iwo Jima class, active from the early 1960s to the early 2000s
Jeanne d'Arc (French Navy), decommissioned in 2010
Leningrad (Soviet Navy) - second of the two-ship Moskva class - active 1969 - 1991
Moskva (Soviet Navy) - lead of the two-ship Moskva-class, active 1967 - 1991
ex-Ocean (L12), (Royal Navy) – helicopter carrier 1998-2018, decommissioned March 2018.
Sold to Brazil in February 2018, expected to arrive in Brazil by the end of 2018 after a maintenance period in the UK. Planned commissioning into the Brazilian Navy by 2020. To be renamed Atlântico (A140).
Vittorio Veneto 550 (Italian Marina Militare) - a helicopter cruiser active from 1969 to 2003
See also
- Amphibious assault ship
- ASW carrier
- Landing Platform Helicopter
- Light aircraft carrier
References
^ "HMS Ocean (LPH01) Helicopter Carrier". Naval Technology. 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2014-04-20..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ "Brazil commissions helicopter carrier". www.janes.com. 29 June 2018.
^ "DCNS delivers the second Mistral-class helicopter carrier to the Egyptian Navy, the LHD Anwar El Sadat". 16 September 2016.
^ ab "Hyuga Class". JMSDF Gallery (in Japanese). JMSDF. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
^ B. Ireland and F. Crosby (2011). The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Aircraft Carriers And Naval Aircraft. Hermes House. p. 189.CS1 maint: Uses authors parameter (link)
^ ab World Wide Aircraft Carriers
^ "America 'Sails Away' for Maiden Transit to San Diego Homeport". United States Navy. 10 October 2014.
^ "BBC News – Warship HMS Illustrious starts sea trials". Bbc.co.uk. 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
External links
Media related to Helicopter carriers at Wikimedia Commons
