Everything about Light Aircraft Carrier totally explained
A
light aircraft carrier is an
aircraft carrier that's smaller than the standard carriers of a
navy. The precise definition of the type varies by country; light carriers typically have half to two thirds of the aircraft complement of a full-sized carrier.
In
World War II, the
United States Navy produced a number of light carriers by converting
cruiser hulls. The
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. The
Independence class ships, however, had the 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, unlike escort carriers, they'd enough speed to take part in fleet actions with the larger carriers. Late in the war, a follow on design to the Independence class, the
Saipan class light carrier, was designed. Two vessels in this class, US Ships
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.
In the post war period, the
British Royal Navy also operated a force of light aircraft carriers, all of which were born out of wartime designs. British-built light fleet carriers of the
Colossus and
Majestic classes were also sold to Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, India and The Netherlands.
Some modern references call the French
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
supercarriers and the Russian
Admiral Kuznetsov. By the standards of U.S. nuclear aircraft carriers, however, the primary example of which is the 100,000 ton
Nimitz class, CdG is indeed "light."
List of light carriers
Argentine Navy
Brazilian Navy
NAeL Minas Gerais - one ship (ex-Colossus-class)
French Navy
Lafeyette-class - two ships (ex-Independence-class)
FS Arromanches - one ship (ex-Colossus-class)
Indian Navy
INS Vikrant - one ship (ex-Majestic-class)
Spanish Navy
Dédalo - one ship (ex-Independence class)
Príncipe de Asturias - one ship
Royal Navy
Centaur class - four ships
Colossus class - eight ships
Majestic class - five ships
Invincible class - three ships
Royal Australian Navy
HMAS Sydney - one ship (ex-Majestic-class)
HMAS Vengeance - one ship (ex-Colossus-class)
HMAS Melbourne - one ship (ex-Majestic-class)
Royal Canadian Navy
HMCS Warrior - one ship (ex-Colossus-class)
HMCS Magnificent - one ship (ex-Majestic-class)
HMCS Bonaventure - one ship (ex-Majestic-class)
Royal Netherlands Navy
HNLMS Karel Doorman II - one ship (ex-Colossus-class)
Royal Thailand Navy
HTMS Chakri Naruebet - one ship
United States Navy
Independence-class - nine ships
Saipan-class - two shipsFurther Information
Get more info on 'Light Aircraft Carrier'.
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