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Helicopter carrier

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Helicopter destroyer" redirects here. For more detail on destroyer-sized hybrid warships, see Aircraft cruiser.
HMAS Canberra. Most modern helicopter carriers are amphibious assault ships.

A helicopter carrier is a type of aircraft carrier whose primary purpose is to operate helicopters. It has a large flight deck that occupies a substantial part of the deck, which can extend the full length of the ship like HMS Ocean[1] of the Royal Navy (RN), or extend only partway, usually aft, as in the Soviet Navy's Moskva class[2] or in the Chinese Navy's Type 0891A. It often also has a hangar deck for the storage and maintenance of rotorwing 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.[3] 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 landing helicopter docks.[3]

Helicopter carriers have been used as anti-submarine warfare carriers and amphibious assault ships.[4]

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.

Helicopter carriers by country

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Country Navy In service In reserve Under construction
 Australia  Royal Australian Navy 2 0 0
 Brazil  Brazilian Navy 1 0 0
 China  People's Liberation Army Navy 3 1 1 (4 planned)
 Egypt  Egyptian Navy 2 0 0
 France  French Navy 3 0 0
 India  Indian Navy 0 0 0 (4 planned total)
 Italy  Italian Navy 2 0 1
 Japan  Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force 4 0 0
 Portugal  Portuguese Navy 0 0 1
 Russia  Russian Navy 0 0 2 (3 planned total)
 South Korea  Republic of Korea Navy 2 0 0
 Spain  Spanish Navy 1 0 0
 Thailand  Royal Thai Navy 1 0 0
 Turkey  Turkish Naval Forces 1 0 0
 United States  United States Navy 9 3 2 (11 planned total)

Helicopter carriers

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Helicopter carriers currently in service

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Country Name Length Tonnage (MT) Class Propulsion Type Classification Commission
 Australia Canberra 230.82 230.82 m (757 ft 3 in) 027500 27,500 t (27,100 long tons) Canberra
(modified Juan Carlos I) 		Conventional STOVL Landing helicopter dock 28 November 2014
 Australia Adelaide 230.82 230.82 m (757 ft 3 in) 027500 27,500 t (27,100 long tons) Canberra
(modified Juan Carlos I) 		Conventional STOVL Landing helicopter dock 4 December 2015
 Brazil Atlântico 203.4 203.4 m (667 ft 4 in) 021500 21,500 t (21,200 long tons) Ocean Conventional VTOL Multipurpose helicopter carrier 29 June 2018[5]
 China Hainan 232 m (761 ft 2 in) 36,000 t (35,000 long tons) Type 075 (NATO reporting name Yushen class) Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 23 April 2021[6]
 China Guangxi 232 m (761 ft 2 in) 36,000 t (35,000 long tons) Type 075 (NATO reporting name Yushen class) Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 26 December 2021[7][8][9]
 China Anhui 232 m (761 ft 2 in) 36,000 t (35,000 long tons) Type 075 (NATO reporting name Yushen class) Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 1 October 2022[10][11]
 China Shichang 125 125 m (410 ft 1 in) 09500 9,500 t (9,300 long tons) Type 0891A Conventional VTOL Training ship January 1997
 Egypt Gamal Abdel Nasser 199 199 m (652 ft 11 in) 021300 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) Mistral Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 2 June 2016[12]
 Egypt Anwar El Sadat 199 199 m (652 ft 11 in) 021300 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) Mistral Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 16 September 2016
 France Mistral 199 199 m (652 ft 11 in) 021300 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) Mistral Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock December 2005
 France Tonnerre 199 199 m (652 ft 11 in) 021300 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) Mistral Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock December 2006
 France Dixmude 199 199 m (652 ft 11 in) 021300 21,300 t (21,000 long tons) Mistral Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock December 2011
 Japan Kaga 248 248 m (813 ft 8 in) 027000 27,000 t (27,000 long tons) Izumo Conventional VTOL Helicopter destroyer 22 March 2017
 Japan Izumo 248 248 m (813 ft 8 in) 027000 27,000 t (27,000 long tons) Izumo Conventional VTOL Helicopter destroyer 25 March 2015
 Japan Hyūga 197 197 m (646 ft 4 in)[13] 013950 19,000 t (19,000 long tons) Hyūga Conventional VTOL Helicopter destroyer 18 March 2009
 Japan Ise 197 197 m (646 ft 4 in)[13] 013950 19,000 t (19,000 long tons) Hyūga Conventional VTOL Helicopter destroyer 16 March 2011
 South Korea Dokdo 199 199 m (652 ft 11 in) 018800 18,800 t (18,500 long tons) Dokdo Conventional VTOL Landing platform helicopter 3 July 2007
 South Korea Marado 199 199 m (652 ft 11 in) 018800 18,800 t (18,500 long tons) Dokdo Conventional VTOL Landing platform helicopter 28 June 2021
 Spain Juan Carlos I 230.82 230.82 m (757 ft 3 in) 027079 27,079 t (26,651 long tons) Juan Carlos I Conventional STOVL Landing helicopter dock 30 September 2010
 Thailand Chakri Naruebet 182.65 182.65 m (599 ft 3 in) 11486 11,486 t (11,305 long tons) Príncipe de Asturias Conventional STOVL Helicopter carrier ("Light aircraft carrier") 27 March 1997
 Turkey Anadolu 232 m (761 ft 2 in) 27,079 t (26,651 long tons) Anadolu Conventional STOVL Landing helicopter dock 10 April 2023
 US America 257.3 257.3 m (844 ft 2 in) 045000 45,000 t (44,000 long tons) America[14] Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter assault 11 October 2014[15]
 US Tripoli 257.3 257.3 m (844 ft 2 in) 045000 45,000 t (44,000 long tons) America Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter assault 15 July 2020
 US Wasp 257 257 m (843 ft 2 in) 040532 40,532 t (39,892 long tons) Wasp[14] Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 29 July 1989
 US Essex 257 257 m (843 ft 2 in) 040650 40,650 t (40,010 long tons) Wasp Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 17 October 1992
 US Kearsarge 257 257 m (843 ft 2 in) 040500 40,500 t (39,900 long tons) Wasp Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 16 October 1993
 US Boxer 257 257 m (843 ft 2 in) 040722 40,722 t (40,079 long tons) Wasp Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 11 February 1995
 US Bataan 257 257 m (843 ft 2 in) 040358 40,358 t (39,721 long tons) Wasp Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 20 September 1997
 US Iwo Jima 257 257 m (843 ft 2 in) 040530 40,530 t (39,890 long tons) Wasp Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 30 June 2001
 US Makin Island 258 258 m (846 ft 5 in) 041649 41,649 t (40,991 long tons) Wasp Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 24 October 2009

Retired helicopter carriers

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "HMS Ocean (LPH01) Helicopter Carrier". Naval Technology. 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  2. ^ "Overview | Moskva Class | Collections | Research | National Cold War Exhibition". www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  3. ^ a b "LHD Wasp Class Amphibious Assault Ships". Naval Technology. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  4. ^ "Depth from Above: Reinventing Carrier ASW | Center for International Maritime Security". 2022-10-12. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  5. ^ "Brazil commissions helicopter carrier". www.janes.com. 29 June 2018.
  6. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (2021-04-24). "China Commissions a Type 055 DDG, a Type 075 LHD and a Type 094 SSBN in a Single Day". Naval News. Retrieved 2021-04-25.
  7. ^ "12月26日正式服役！ 4萬噸"廣西艦"入列東部戰區，16個月創造奇蹟，預示關鍵時間點，針對台海詭譎，一錘定音！【一號哨所】". YouTube. 26 December 2021.
  8. ^ "New pictures released of Chinese Type 075 LHD Guangxi". Navy Recognition. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  9. ^ "China's Third Type 075 LHD Starts Sea Trials". 28 November 2021.
  10. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (2022-10-01). "China's 3rd Type 075 LHD Anhui 安徽 Commissioned With PLAN". Naval News. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  11. ^ "Chinese navy's new warship takes part in 'combat-oriented training'". South China Morning Post. 2022-11-11. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  12. ^ "DCNS delivers the second Mistral-class helicopter carrier to the Egyptian Navy, the LHD Anwar El Sadat". 16 September 2016.
  13. ^ a b "Hyuga Class". JMSDF Gallery (in Japanese). JMSDF. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  14. ^ a b World Wide Aircraft Carriers
  15. ^ "America 'Sails Away' for Maiden Transit to San Diego Homeport". United States Navy. 10 October 2014.
  16. ^ "BBC News – Warship HMS Illustrious starts sea trials". Bbc.co.uk. 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
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