Amsterdam, Netherlands 10 February 1986 on her maiden voyage
Bart Molendijk/Collection Anefo
Call sign GCDG. Nickname Noah’s Ark. Motto Zeal Does Not Resist. Originally to be named Indomitable but public resentment when the Ark Royal was broken up resulted in renaming her Ark Royal. Part of the Invincible-class consisting of the Invincible, Illustrious and Ark Royal, preceded by the Audacious-class fleet carriers and Centaurus-class light cruisers and succeeded by the Queen Elizabeth-class. Building ordered in December 1976, laid down by Swan Hunter, Tyne and Wear, Wallsend, United Kingdom on 14 December 1978, launched on 2 June 1981, commissioned on 1 November 1985, overhauled May 1999-22 November 2001 at Rosyth and 2004-22 March2007, decommissioned on 11 March 2011, departed Portsmouth, England on 20 May 2013 arriving at Aliaga, Turkey on 10 June 2013 to be broken up.
Displacement 22.000 tons and as dimensions 210 x 36 x 7,5 metres or 689.0 x 118.1 x 24.6 feet. Machinery consisted of 4 Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B turbines and 8 Paxman Valenta diesel generators supplying totally 97,000shp allowing a speed of 30 knots and with a speed of 18 knots a range of 18 knots. Crew numbered 685 to which another 366 were added as aircraft personnel. The armament consisted of 3 Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS and 2-2cm GAM-B01 guns.
