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Although the British Navy ordered eight
Centaur class carriers during World War
Two, it took until 1953/54 for
Centaur, Albion and
Bulwark to be completed. The
fourth carrier Hermes entered
service five years later with a slightly
modified design. The order for the other
four carriers was cancelled at the end of
the war. Harrier jump jets began
entering service for the British Navy in
1969. This led to Hermes being
fitted with a ski jump in 1977 so
Harriers with heavy loads could save fuel
on takeoff. Argentine forces invaded the
Falkland’s in April 1982 claiming
the islands belonged to Argentina, as
they were situated in Argentine waters.
The Falkland’s had been fought over
by the British, French, Spanish and
Argentines since their discovery in the
15th Century. The British eventually took
control of the islands and declared them
a British Colony in 1842.
The British response to the invasion
was to assemble all their available
warships. The two carriers selected were
Hermes with 12 Harrier jump jets
and the newly commissioned
Invincible vertical take off and
landing carrier with 8 Harriers. The two
carriers led a task force consisting of 8
destroyers, 15 frigates, 6 submarines and
various types of support ships.
Throughout the invasion of the Falkland
Islands, the sub sonic Harriers shot down
22 Argentine aircraft, some of which were
supersonic. Of the six Harriers lost,
none were to Argentine aircraft. The
Harrier success was put down to their
greater maneuverability and with them
using the American designed Sidewinder
missiles. Hermes returned to
Britain unscathed after the Argentines
surrendered June 14th 1982. Following the
arrival of another two Invincible class
carriers, Illustrious in 1982 and
Ark Royal V in 1985,
Hermes was taken out of service
and sold to India in 1986. Under her new
name Viraat, she is expected to
stay in service with the Indian Navy
until the year 2010.
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