Timeline for aircraft carrier service

Aircraft carriers have their origins during the days of World War I. The earliest experiments constisted of fitting temporary "flying off" platforms to the gun turrets of the warships of several nations, notably the United States and the United Kingdom. The first ship to be modified with a permanent flight deck was the light cruiser HMS Furious which initially had a single flying off deck forward of the original superstructure. Subsequently she was modified with a separate "landing on" deck aft and later with a full flush deck. Other ships, often liners, were modified to have full flush flight decks, HMS Argus being the first to have such modification begun. Those first faltering steps gave little indication of just how important the aircraft carrier was to prove to be. During the inter-war years (between the World Wars), Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States built up significant carrier fleets so that by the beginning of World War II, they had 18 carriers between them. The 1940 Battle of Taranto and the 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor in retrospect showed the world that the aircraft carrier was to be the most important ship in the modern fleet. Today, aircraft carriers are the capital ships of the navies they serve in, and in the case of modern US "supercarriers", they embark an airgroup that is effectively a small air force.

This timeline is an attempt to provide a unified chronology of key dates^[I] in carrier service. Aircraft carriers^[II] often serve their navies for many decades and this chronology^[III] enables the reader to track the progress of the carrier as it has developed alongside the evolution of aircraft for nearly a hundred years.

Pre-Carrier History

1907

• The British Admiralty, according to legend, politely refused the Wright brothers' offer to sell them one or more aircraft, by saying that they could see no place for aviation in naval circles.^[1][IV]

1910

• 14 November — First successful launch of an aircraft from a ship, using a temporary wooden platform for a flight deck on the cruiser USS Birmingham.^[1][2]

1911

• 18 January — First deck landing, using a temporary wooden platform on USS Pennsylvania; first use of a tailhook-arrested landing system.^[1]

1912

• January — First launch of an aircraft from a British ship, HMS Africa.^[3]
• 2 May — First recorded flight from a moving ship, HMS Hibernia, steaming at 10.5 knots.^[4]

World War I

1914

• 28 June — Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand; World War I begins.
• October — First aircraft carrying ship to be sunk in action, (former cruiser) seaplane carrier HMS Hermes sunk by U-27.^[5]
• 25 December — Attack on Cuxhaven, the first attack from the sea upon a land target using aircraft (seaplanes).^[4]

1915

• 12 August — First attack using an air-launched torpedo, from a Short Type 184 seaplane flown by Flight Commander Charles H. K. Edmonds from seaplane carrier HMS Ben-my-Chree.^[4][6]
• 5 November — First catapult launch of an aircraft from a ship, USS North Carolina.^[7]

1916

• May 31 — First use of an aeroplane during a battle at sea, the Battle of Jutland.^[8]
• August — Incomplete Italian liner Conte Rosso purchased by the Royal Navy for completion and conversion to an aircraft carrier, HMS Argus.^[9]

1917

• February — Incomplete large light cruiser HMS Furious has its forward gun replaced with a flying-off deck.^[10]
• 19 July — Tondern raid, the first attack by aircraft launched from a carrier flight deck.
• 2 August — First aircraft landing aboard a moving ship, HMS Furious; this ship was subsequently modified with a stern-mounted landing deck in late 1917.^[10]
• 21 August — First air to air kill from a ship launched aircraft, Zeppelin L23 shot down by a Sopwith Pup from cruiser HMS Yarmouth.^[8]
• 2 December — HMS Argus launched.^[9]

1918

• 15 January — HMS Hermes laid down;^[11] Hermes was the first ship specifically designed to be built as an aircraft carrier and the first carrier to feature an island superstructure.^[4][12]
• 28 February — Incomplete Chilean battleship Almirante Cochrane purchased by the Royal Navy to be completed as the carrier HMS Eagle.^[13]
• 8 June — HMS Eagle launched.^[13]
• 9 July — First strike by aircraft launched from a carrier, the Tondern raid.^[8]
• 14 September — HMS Argus commissioned.^[4]
• 11 November — Armistice signed, signalling the end of WWI.

Between the wars

1919

• 11 July — USS Jupiter authorised to be converted to a carrier.^[14]
• 11 September — HMS Hermes launched.^[11]
• 16 December — Hōshō laid down, possibly as the tanker Hiryu.^[15]

1920

• 24 March — USS Jupiter decommissioned for conversion to a carrier.^[14]
• 21 April — USS Jupiter renamed USS Langley.^[14]
• 1 November — U.S. Navy sinks USS Indiana during an exercise testing aerial bombardment.^[14]
• 6 December — Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi laid down.^[16]

1921

• 13 November — Hōshō launched.^[15]

1922

• 6 February — Washington Naval Treaty limiting naval forces signed.
• HMS Furious flush-deck conversion begun.^[10]
• 20 March — USS Langley commissioned.^[14]
• 1 July — Battle cruisers USS Lexington and USS Saratoga reclassified to be completed as carriers.^[14]
• 27 December — Hōshō commissioned.^[15]

1923

• July – HMS Hermes commissioned^[11]
• August – Conversion of the French Normandie-class battleship Béarn to an aircraft carrier started.^[17]
• Kaga carrier conversion begun.^[18]

1924

• 26 February — HMS Eagle commissioned.^[13]
• June — Light cruiser HMS Courageous carrier conversion started.^[19]

1925

• Light cruiser HMS Glorious carrier conversion started.^[19]
• 7 April — USS Saratoga launched.^[14]
• 22 April — Akagi launched.^[16]
• 1 July — First night deck landing made by F/Lt Boyce flying a Blackburn Dart onto HMS Furious^[8]
• September — HMS Furious re-enters service with flush flight deck.^[10]
• 3 October — USS Lexington launched.^[14]

1926

• 6 May — First night deck landing, aboard HMS Furious.^[20]

1927

• 25 March — Akagi commissioned^[16]
• May — Béarn commissioned.^[17]
• 16 November — USS Saratoga commissioned.^[14]
• 14 December — USS Lexington commissioned.^[14]

1928

• 5 May — HMS Courageous commissioned as a carrier;^[19] first carrier to be fitted with transverse arrestor gear (friction-based).^[21]
• 31 March — Kaga commissioned.^[18]

1929

• 26 November — Ryūjō laid down.^[22]

1930

• 10 March — HMS Glorious recommissioned as an aircraft carrier.^[19]
• March — HMS Argus placed in reserve.^[23]

1931

• 2 January — First carrier fitted with hydraulic arresting gear, HMS Courageous.^[4]
• 2 April — Ryūjō launched.^[22]
• 26 September – USS Ranger laid down.^[24]

1933

• 25 February — USS Ranger launched.^[24]
• 9 May — Ryūjō commissioned.^[22]

1934

• 21 May — USS Yorktown laid down.^[14]
• 4 June — USS Ranger commissioned.^[24]
• 16 July — USS Enterprise laid down.^[25]
• 20 November — Sōryū laid down.^[26]

1935

• 9 September – First landing of a rotary winged aircraft aboard a carrier – a Cierva autogyro onto HMS Furious^[8]
• 16 September — HMS Ark Royal laid down.^[27]
• 21 December — Sōryū launched.^[26]

1936

• January 15 — Japan exits the Washington Naval Treaty.
• 1 April — USS Wasp laid down.^[14]
• 4 April — USS Yorktown launched.^[14]
• 8 July — Hiryū laid down.^[26]
• 3 October — USS Enterprise launched.^[14]
• 25 October — USS Langley taken in hand for conversion to a seaplane tender.^[14]
• 28 December — Flugzeugträger A (Graf Zeppelin) laid down.^[28]

1937

• 29 January — Sōryū commissioned.^[26]
• 26 February — USS Langley recommissioned as a seaplane tender.^[14]
• 13 April — HMS Ark Royal launched.^[27]
• 27 April — HMS Illustrious laid down.^[29]
• 4 May — HMS Victorious laid down.^[29]
• 17 June — HMS Formidable laid down.^[29]
• 30 September — USS Yorktown commissioned.^[14]
• 10 November — HMS Indomitable laid down.^[29]
• 16 November — Hiryū launched.^[26]
• 12 December — Shōkaku laid down.^[30]

1938

• Takasaki carrier conversion started.^[31]
• Flugzeugträger B laid down.^[32]
• 12 May — USS Enterprise commissioned.^[14]
• 25 May — Zuikaku laid down.^[30]
• 8 December — Graf Zeppelin launched.^[28][32]
• 16 December — HMS Ark Royal commissioned;^[27] first carrier with deck armour.^[4]

1939

• 21 February — HMS Implacable laid down.^[33]
• 4 April — USS Wasp launched.^[14]
• 5 April — HMS Illustrious launched.^[29]
• 1 June — Shōkaku launched.^[30]
• 26 June — HMS Unicorn laid down.^[34]
• 5 July — Hiryū commissioned.^[26]
• 17 August — HMS Formidable launched.^[29]

World War II

1939

• 1 September — Germany invades Poland, World War II begins.
• 14 September — HMS Victorious launched.^[29]
• 17 September — HMS Courageous sunk in action.^[19]
• 25 September — USS Hornet laid down.^[25]
• 26 September — First Allied air victory in WWII, a Dornier Do 18 shot down by Lt B.S. McEwan flying a Blackburn Skua of 803 Squadron from HMS Ark Royal.^[4]
• 27 November — Zuikaku launched.^[30]
• 3 November — HMS Indefatigable laid down.^[33]

1940

• Idzumo Maru carrier conversion started, renamed Hiyō.^[35]
• Kashiwara Maru carrier conversion started, renamed Junyō.^[35]
• HMS Argus recommissioned as training and transport carrier.^[9]
• 28 February — Flugzeugträger B cancelled while under construction.^[32]
• 26 March — HMS Indomitable launched.^[29]
• 25 April — USS Wasp commissioned.^[14]

• May — Graf Zeppelin construction temporarily suspended.^[28]
• 25 May — HMS Illustrious commissioned;^[29] first fully armoured carrier.^[4]
• June — Béarn interned at Martinique.^[17]
• 18 June — HMS Glorious sunk in action.^[19]
• 21 June — Attack on Scharnhorst, first ever torpedo attack by aircraft on a capital ship at sea.^[36]
• 25 June — France falls to Germany.
• 11 November — Battle of Taranto witnessed the first carrier-based torpedo-bomber attack.^[4]
• 24 November — HMS Formidable commissioned.^[29]
• 14 December — USS Hornet launched.^[14]
• 27 December — Takasaki carrier conversion completed, commissioned as Zuihō.^[31]

1941

• Submarine tender Tsurugisaki carrier conversion started.^[31]
• Italian passenger liner Roma carrier conversion started, renamed Aquila^[37]
• 28 April — USS Essex laid down.^[38]
• May — Incomplete passenger liners Kasuga Maru, Yawata Maru and Nitta Maru carrier conversions started.^[39]
• 1 may — USS Independence laid down as light cruiser USS Amsterdam.^[40]
• 26 May — German battleship Bismarck disabled by aircraft launched from HMS Ark Royal and later sunk.
• 15 May — HMS Victorious commissioned.^[29]
• 24 June — Hiyō launched.^[35]
• 26 June — Junyō launched.^[35]

• 10 July — Taihō laid down.^[41]
• 15 July — USS Cabot laid down.^[14]
• 8 August — Shōkaku commissioned.^[30]
• 2 September — Kasuga Maru carrier conversion completed.^[42]
• 15 September — USS Bunker Hill laid down;^[38] Kasuga Maru commissioned as Taiyō^[43][39]
• 25 September — Zuikaku commissioned.^[30]
• 10 October — HMS Indomitable commissioned.^[29]
• 20 October — USS Hornet commissioned.^[14]
• 13 November — HMS Ark Royal sunk in action.^[27]

• 20 November — HMS Unicorn launched.^[34]
• 1 December — USS Bon Homme Richard^[14], USS Intrepid^[44] laid down.
• 7 December — Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor naval base Hawaii and Philippines; United States enters World War II.
• 20 December — Submarine tender Taigei carrier conversion started.^[42]

1942

• 26 January — Tsurugisaki carrier conversion completed, commissioned as Shōhō.^[31]
• February — SS Scharnhorst carrier conversion started by Japan.^[42]
• 16 February — Light cruisers USS Tallahassee and USS New Haven reclassified for completion as carriers.^[14]
• 27 February — USS Langley sunk in action.^[14]
• 16 March — USS Wilmington laid down.^[45]
• 18 March — USS Oriskany laid down.^[14]

• 27 March — Light cruisers USS Dayton^[14] and USS Huntington reclassified for completion as carriers; Huntington renamed USS Cowpens.^[40]
• 31 March — USS Tallahassee renamed USS Princeton,^[14] USS New Haven renamed USS Belleau Wood, USS Dayton renamed USS Monterey.^[14]
• 9 April — HMS Hermes sunk in action.^[11]
• 11 April — Originally intended as light cruiser USS Fargo, USS Crown Point laid down.^[14]
• May — Béarn demilitarised;^[17] Graf Zeppelin construction resumed^[28]
• 4 May — Battle of the Coral Sea commences – first carrier-to-carrier naval engagement in history, and first naval engagement where neither fleet directly fired upon nor came within sight of the other fleet.
• 5 May — Junyō commissioned.^[35]
• 7 May — Shōhō sunk in action.^[31]

• 8 May — USS Lexington sunk in action;^[14] Battle of the Coral Sea ends.
• 31 May — Yawata Maru carrier conversion completed, commissioned as Unyō.^[43]
• June — Incomplete Yamato class battleship Shinano carrier conversion started.^[42]
• 1 June — HMS Colossus laid down,^[46] and HMS Edgar laid down.^[46]
• 4 June — Battle of Midway commenced, generally considered to be the most important naval battle in the Pacific during World War II; Akagi^[16], Kaga^[18], Sōryū^[26] severely damaged in action,^[42] with Kaga and Sōryū subsequently scuttled.^[42]
• 5 June — Hiryū sunk in action^[26], Akagi^[16] scuttled.
• 7 June — USS Yorktown sunk in action;^[14] Battle of Midway ended.
• 16 June — USS Cabot renamed USS Lexington.^[14]
• 23 June — USS Wilmington renamed USS Cabot.^[45]

• 31 July — Hiyō commissioned;^[35] USS Essex launched.^[44]
• 1 August — Unryū laid down.^[47]
• 3 August — USS Kearsarge laid down.^[14]
• 11 August — HMS Eagle sunk in action.^[13]
• 22 August — USS Independence launched.^[14]
• 24 August — Ryūjō sunk in action.^[22]
• 27 August — HMS Glory laid down.^[46]
• 31 August — USS Bataan laid down;^[44] Kasuga Maru reclassified as warship;^[42]

• 15 September — USS Wasp sunk in action.^[14]
• 26 September — USS Bon Homme Richard renamed USS Yorktown;^[14] USS Lexington launched.^[14]
• 1 October — Amagi laid down.^[47]
• 18 October — USS Princeton launched.^[24]
• 24 October — HMS Audacious laid down.^[48]
• 26 October — USS Reprisal laid down.^[14]
• 27 October — USS Hornet sunk in action.^[14]
• 8 November — HMS Ocean laid down.^[46]
• 12 November — HMS Vengeance laid down.^[49]
• 13 November — USS Crown Point renamed USS Langley,^[14] USS Oriskany renamed USS Wasp.^[14]

• 25 November — Nitta Maru carrier conversion completed, renamed and commissioned as Chūyō.^[43][39]
• 28 November — Taigei carrier conversion completed, renamed and commissioned as Ryūhō.^[50]
• 2 December — HMS Ethalion laid down, subsequently renamed HMS Mars.^[46][12]
• 3 December — HMS Venerable laid down.^[46]
• 6 December — USS Belleau Wood launched.^[14]
• 7 December — USS Franklin laid down,^[38] USS Bunker Hill launched.^[14]
• 8 December — Katsuragi laid down;^[47] HMS Indefatigable launched.^[33]
• 10 December — HMS Implacable launched;^[33] Argentina Maru carrier conversion started.^[42]
• 12 December — HMS Warrior laid down.^[46]
• 15 December — USS Bennington laid down.^[14]

• 31 December — USS Essex commissioned.^[44]

1943

• 6 January — HMS Theseus laid down.^[46]
• 14 January — USS Independence commissioned.^[14]
• 15 January — USS Shangri-La laid down.^[14]
• 17 January — USS Cowpens launched.^[14]
• 21 January — USS Yorktown launched.^[14]
• 22 January — USS Kearsarge renamed USS Hornet.^[38]
• 26 January — Chitose carrier conversion started^[42]; USS Ticonderoga laid down.^[14]
• 27 January — HMS Triumph laid down.^[46]
• 30 January — USS Reprisal renamed USS San Jacinto;^[24] Graf Zeppelin construction stopped and project cancelled.^[28]
• February — SS Scharnhorst acquired to be completed as Shinyo.^[42]
• 1 February — USS Hancock^[14] and USS Bon Homme Richard laid down.^[38]
• 17 February — USS Lexington commissioned.^[14]

• 25 February — USS Princeton commissioned.^[14]
• 28 February — USS Monterey launched.^[14]
• March — Chiyoda carrier conversion started.^[42]
• 12 March — HMS Unicorn commissioned.^[34]
• 15 March — USS Antietam^[24] and USS Lake Champlain^[14] laid down.
• 31 March — USS Belleau Wood commissioned.^[14]
• 4 April — USS Cabot launched.^[45]
• 7 April — Taihō launched.^[41]
• 14 April – Kasagi laid down.^[47]
• 15 April — HMS Majestic laid down;^[51] USS Yorktown commissioned.^[14]
• 19 April — HMS Terrible laid down.^[52]
• 26 April — USS Intrepid launched.^[14]
• 1 May — USS Hancock renamed USS Ticonderoga,^[14] USS Ticonderoga renamed USS Hancock.^[14]
• 3 May — HMS Ark Royal laid down.^[48]
• 10 May — USS Randolph laid down.^[14]
• 22 May — USS Langley launched.^[14]
• 24 May — USS Bunker Hill commissioned.^[14]
• 28 May — USS Cowpens commissioned.^[14]
• 8 June – Aso laid down.^[47]

• 17 June — USS Monterey commissioned.^[14]
• 30 June — Béarn transferred to the Free French forces.^[17]
• 5 July – Ikoma laid down.^[47]
• 24 July — USS Cabot commissioned.^[45]
• 29 July — HMS Magnificent laid down.^[53][12]
• 1 August — USS Bataan launched.^[44]
• 16 August — USS Intrepid commissioned.^[14]
• 17 August — USS Wasp launched.^[14]
• 30 August — USS Hornet launched.^[14]
• 31 August — USS Langley commissioned.^[14]
• September – Incomplete carrier Aquila taken over by Germany after Italian surrender, but never completed^[37]
• 7 September — USS Valley Forge (CV-45) laid down.^[24]
• 13 September — USS Boxer laid down.^[44]
• 14 September — USS Valley Forge (CV-37) laid down.^[14]
• 25 September — Unryū launched.^[47]
• 26 September — USS San Jacinto launched.^[14]
• 30 September — HMS Colossus launched.^[54]
• 12 October — HMS Hercules laid down.^[54]
• 14 October — USS Franklin launched.^[24]
• 15 October — Amagi launched.^[47]
• 18 October — HMS Leviathan laid down.^[46]
• 27 October — USS Midway laid down.^[14]
• 31 October — Chiyoda carrier conversion completed, recommissioned.^[55]
• 15 November — ex SS Scharnhorst commissioned as Shinyo;^[42] USS San Jacinto commissioned.^[14]
• 17 November — USS Bataan commissioned.^[44]

• 23 November — Argentina Maru carrier conversion completed, commissioned as Kaiyo.^[56]
• 24 November — USS Wasp commissioned.^[14]
• 27 November — HMS Glory launched,^[46]HMS Powerful laid down.^[12][53]
• 29 November — USS Hornet commissioned.^[14]
• 1 December — USS Coral Sea laid down.^[57]
• 4 December — Chūyō sunk in action.^[43]
• 30 December — HMS Venerable launched.^[46]

1944

• 1 January — Chitose carrier conversion completed, commissioned.^[55]
• 19 January — Katsuragi launched.^[47]
• 24 January — USS Hancock launched.^[14]
• 31 January — USS Franklin commissioned.^[14]
• 7 February — USS Ticonderoga launched.^[14]
• 21 February — USS Crown Point laid down.^[14]
• 23 February — HMS Vengeance launched.^[49]
• 24 February — USS Shangri-La launched.^[14]
• 26 February — USS Bennington launched.^[14]
• 1 March — USS Tarawa,^[14]USS Kearsarge laid down.^[38]
• 7 March — Taihō commissioned.^[41]
• 23 March — HMS Albion laid down.^[58][59]
• 25 March — First deck landing by a twin engined aircraft, a Mosquito on HMS Indefatigable.^[4]
• 26 March — HMS Edgar launched.^[46]
• 15 April — USS Hancock commissioned.^[14]
• 29 April — USS Bon Homme Richard launched.^[14]
• 1 May — USS Oriskany laid down.^[14]

• 3 May — HMS Indefatigable commissioned.^[33]
• 8 May — USS Ticonderoga commissioned.^[14]
• 20 May — HM Ships Mars and Warrior launched.^[46]
• 30 May – HMS Centaur laid down.^[58]
• 19 June — Shōkaku^[30] and Taihō^[41] sunk in action.
• 20 June — Hiyō sunk in action.^[35]
• 21 June — HMS Hermes laid down as HMS Elephant,(construction suspended at end of WWII).^[58]
• 28 June — USS Randolph launched.^[14]
• 1 July — USS Reprisal laid down.
• 6 July — HMS Theseus launched.^[46]
• 8 July — HMS Ocean launched;^[46] USS Valley Forge (CV-40) launched.^[14]
• 10 July — USS Coral Sea^[44] and USS Saipan^[14] laid down.
• 6 August — Unryū commissioned;^[47] USS Bennington commissioned.^[14]
• 10 August — Amagi commissioned.^[47]
• 18 August — Taiyō sunk in action.^[43]
• 19 August — USS Philippine Sea laid down.^[14]
• 20 August — USS Antietam launched.^[24]
• 21 August — USS Wright laid down.^[14]
• 28 August — HMS Implacable commissioned.^[33]
• 7 September — USS Valley Forge (CV-45) laid down.
• 15 September — USS Shangri-La commissioned;^[14] HMS Furious decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[60][12]
• 16 September — Unyō sunk in action.^[43]
• 30 September — HMS Terrible launched.^[52]
• 2 October — HMS Triumph launched.^[46][61]

• 8 October — Shinano launched.^[62]
• 9 October — USS Randolph commissioned.^[14]
• 15 October — Katsuragi commissioned.^[42]
• 19 October – Kasagi launched, never completed and broken up after the war.^[47]
• 24 October — USS Princeton sunk in action.^[14]
• 25 October — Chitose,^[55] Chiyoda,^[55] Zuihō^[31] and Zuikaku^[30] sunk in action.
• 1 November – Aso launched, never completed and broken up after the war.^[47]
• 2 November — USS Lake Champlain launched.^[14]
• 16 November — HMS Magnificent launched.^[53]
• 17 November — Ikoma launched, never completed and broken up after the war;^[47] Shinyo sunk in action.^[56]
• 18 November — USS Valley Forge (CV-45) launched.
• 19 November — Shinano commissioned.^[42]
• 21 November — USS Valley Forge (CV-37) renamed USS Princeton.^[14]
• 26 November — USS Bon Homme Richard commissioned.^[14]
• 29 November — Shinano sunk in action.^[62]
• December — HMS Argus designated an accommodation ship.^[9]
• 14 December — USS Boxer launched.^[44]

• 16 December — HMS Colossus commissioned.^[46]
• 19 December — Unryū sunk in action.^[47]

1945

• 15 January — HMS Vengeance commissioned.^[49]
• 28 January — USS Antietam commissioned.^[24]
• 8 February — HMS Mars commissioned as HMS Pioneer.^[46]
• 27 February — HMS Powerful launched (construction suspended at end of WWII).^[53]
• 28 February — HMS Majestic launched.^[51]
• 17 January — HMS Venerable commissioned.^[46]
• March – Ryūhō severely damaged by US air attack.^[50]
• 20 March — USS Midway launched.^[14]
• 2 April — HMS Glory commissioned.^[46]
• 9 April — Escort carrier HMS Biter returned to U.S. Navy, immediately transferred to France, recommissioned as Dixmude.^[17]
• 16 April — USS Boxer commissioned.^[44]

• 20 April — Ryūhō placed in reserve.^[42]
• 25 April — Incomplete Graf Zeppelin scuttled by Germany.^[63]
• 29 April — USS Coral Sea launched.^[14]
• 5 May — USS Kearsarge launched.^[14]
• 7 May — Nazi Germany surrenders.
• 8 May — USS Crown Point renamed USS Leyte,^[14] USS Coral Sea renamed USS Franklin D. Roosevelt.^[14]
• 12 May — USS Tarawa launched.^[14]
• 10 May — HMS Bulwark laid down.^[64]
• 3 June — USS Lake Champlain commissioned.^[14]
• 7 June — HMS Leviathan launched (ship never completed).^[54]
• 8 July — USS Princeton and USS Saipan launched.^[14]
• 24 July — Amagi heavily damaged during air raid.^[42]
• 25 July — Kaiyo, having been damaged in action the previous day, is deliberately grounded and later refloated.^[42]
• 28 July — Kaiyo further damaged in action, settles on bottom with 20-degree list to port.^[42]
• 29 July — Attempts to refloat Kaiyo abandoned.^[42]
• 29 July — Amagi capsized.^[42]
• 6 August — U.S. nuclear strike on Hiroshima.
• 8 August — HMS Ocean commissioned.^[46]
• 9 August — Last of caretaker crew leave Kaiyo;^[42] U.S. nuclear strike on Nagasaki.
• 12 August — USS Reprisal canceled.^[14]
• 15 August — Japan surrenders WWII ends.

Post-war 1945–1949

1945

• USS Reprisal (incomplete) launched to clear slipway.^[14]
• 23 August — USS Leyte launched.^[14]
• 1 September — USS Wright launched.^[14]
• 5 September — USS Philippine Sea launched.^[14]
• 10 September — USS Midway commissioned.^[14]
• 22 September — HMS Hercules launched, laid up for possible future use.^[54]
• 13 October — USS Oriskany launched;^[14] Katsuragi assigned to repatriation duty.^[42]
• 19 October — HMS Edgar renamed and commissioned as HMS Perseus.^[46]
• 27 October — USS Franklin D. Roosevelt commissioned.^[14]
• 18 November — USS Princeton commissioned.^[14]
• 20 November — Kaiyo decommissioned.^[42]
• 30 November — Junyō and Ryūhō decommissioned.^[42]
• 3 December — First landing by a jet-powered aircraft on a carrier, HMS Ocean.^[65]
• 8 December — USS Tarawa commissioned.^[14]

1946

• Ryūhō sold for scrap.^[50]
• HMS Unicorn decommissioned and placed in reserve;^[34]
• January — HMS Audacious renamed HMS Eagle.^[48]
• 9 February — HMS Theseus commissioned.^[46]
• March — Graf Zeppelin refloated by the Soviet Union, repaired, and designated "PO-101" (Floating Base Number 101).^[32]
• 2 March — USS Kearsarge commissioned.^[14]
• 14 Mar — HMS Warrior commissioned as HMCS Warrior.^[66]
• 19 March — HMS Eagle launched.^[48]
• April — Katsuragi placed on standby.^[42]
• 2 April — USS Coral Sea launched.^[44]
• 11 April — USS Leyte commissioned.^[14]

• 9 May — HMS Triumph commissioned.^[46]
• 11 May — USS Philippine Sea commissioned.^[14]
• 1 July — USS Independence and USS Saratoga used during a Bikini Atoll atomic test; both ships were damaged, but survived the test.^[14]
• 14 July — USS Saipan commissioned.^[14]
• 21 July — FH Phantom became the first purely jet-powered aircraft to operate from an American aircraft carrier.
• 25 July — USS Saratoga sunk by an underwater atomic bomb test at Bikini Island.^[14]
• 6 August — HMS Colossus renamed Arromanches and loaned to France.^[17]
• 16 August — Hōshō decommissioned.^[15]
• 28 August — USS Independence decommissioned.^[14]
• September — First helicopter landing aboard a naval escort vessel at sea.^[8]
• 1 September — Hulk of Kaiyo sold for scrap.^[42]
• 18 October — USS Ranger decommissioned.^[24]
• 3 November — USS Valley Forge commissioned.^[14]
• 8 November — USS Bennington decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 15 November — Katsuragi decommissioned.^[42]
• December — HMS Indefatigable decommissioned.^[48]

^[12]

• December — HMS Argus sold for scrap.^[9]
• 19 December — First Indochina War begins.
• 22 December — Katsuragi sold for scrap.^[42]

1947

• HM Ships Indomitable^[12] & Formidable^[29] placed in reserve.
• HM Ships Majestic and Terrible purchased by Australia.^[67]
• Junyō sold for scrap.^[35]
• 9 January — USS Essex,^[24] USS Yorktown,^[14] USS Bon Homme Richard,^[14] USS Bunker Hill,^[14] and USS Ticonderoga^[14] decommissioned, placed in reserve.
• 13 January — USS Belleau Wood and USS Cowpens decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 15 January — USS Hornet decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 28 January — USS Ranger sold for scrap.^[24]

• 9 February — USS Wright commissioned.^[14]
• 11 February — USS Cabot, USS Monterey,^[14] USS Langley, and USS Bataan decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[24]
• 17 February — USS Lake Champlain,^[14] USS Enterprise,^[14] USS Franklin,^[24] and USS Wasp^[14] decommissioned, placed in reserve.
• 1 March — USS San Jacinto decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 22 March — USS Intrepid decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• April — HMS Venerable decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[68]
• 22 April – HMS Centaur launched.^[58]
• 23 April — USS Lexington decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 30 April — Hōshō sold for scrap.^[15]
• 6 May — HMS Albion launched.^[58][59]
• 9 May — USS Hancock decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 16 August — Graf Zeppelin sunk in target practice by the Soviet Union.^[32]
• 12 August — USS Oriskany construction suspended.^[14]

• 1 October — USS Coral Sea commissioned.^[44]
• 7 November — USS Shangri-La decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]

1948

• January — HMS Furious sold for scrap.^[60][12]
• 25 February — USS Randolph decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 21 March — HMS Magnificent loaned to Canada and commissioned as HMCS Magnificent.^[53]
• 23 March — HMS Warrior returned to UK.^[53]
• May — HMS Venerable sold to Netherlands.^[69]
• 28 May — HMS Venerable recommissioned as HNLMS Karel Doorman.^[69]
• 20 June — USS Princeton decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 22 June — HMS Bulwark launched.^[58]
• 24 June — Soviet blockade of Berlin increased tensions in what would become the Cold War between NATO-allied nations and the Warsaw Pact.
• 27 October — USS Cabot recommissioned.^[14]
• November — HMS Warrior recommissioned, fitted with a rubber deck for trials.^[46]
• 16 December — HMS Terrible commissioned as HMAS Sydney.^[52]

1949

• HMS Unicorn recommissioned as transport carrier.^[34]
• Dixmude converted for use as a transport.^[14]
• 18 April — USS United States laid down.^[14]
• 4 April — NATO alliance formed.
• 23 April — USS United States cancelled.^[14]
• 21 June — USS Antietam decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 30 June — USS Tarawa decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[24]
• 2 August — USS Reprisal (incomplete) sold for scrap.^[14]

1950–1959

1950

• HMS Indomitable recommissioned;^[12] HMS Indefatigable recommissioned as a training ship.^[33]
• 3 May — HMS Ark Royal launched.^[48]
• 13 May — USS Bataan recommissioned.^[24]
• June — USS Oriskany construction resumed.^[14]
• 16 June — USS Kearsarge decommissioned, taken in hand for modernisation.^[14]
• 25 June — Korean War begins.
• 28 August — USS Princeton recommissioned.^[14]
• 15 September — USS Monterey recommissioned.^[14]
• 25 September — USS Oriskany commissioned.^[14]

1951

• Aquila sold for scrap^[37]
• Aromanches purchased by France.^[17]
• January — USS Langley loaned to France.^[40]
• 15 January — USS Bon Homme Richard recommissioned.^[14]
• 16 January — USS Essex recommissioned.^[24]
• 17 January — USS Antietam recommissioned.^[38]
• 29 January — USS Independence sunk in weapons tests.^[14]
• 3 February — USS Tarawa recommissioned.^[14]
• 20 March — USS Hornet recommissioned.^[14]
• 10 May — USS Shangri-La recommissioned.^[14]
• 12 May — USS Hornet decommissioned for conversion to CVA.^[14]
• 6 June — USS Langley recommissioned as La Fayette.^[17]
• July — First trials of a steam catapult, on HMS Perseus.^[65][70]
• 31 July — HMS Vidal launched, first small ship designed to carry a helicoptes.^[8]—
• 10 September — USS Wasp recommissioned as CVA.^[14]
• 1 October — HMS Eagle commissioned.^[48]

1952

• First trial of angled flight deck, on HMS Triumph.^[65][70]
• First trial of mirror landing aid, on HMS Illustrious.^[65][71]
• 9 February — USS Intrepid recommissioned.^[14]
• 15 February — USS Kearsarge recommissioned.^[14]
• 31 January — USS Ticonderoga recommissioned.^[14]
• 4 April — USS Ticonderoga decommissioned for conversion to CVA.^[14]
• 9 April — USS Intrepid decommissioned for conversion to CVA.^[14]
• 23 April — HMS Powerful sold to Canada, work recommenced.^[12][53]
• 14 July — USS Forrestal laid down.^[44]
• 19 September — USS Lake Champlain recommissioned.^[14]
• October — USS Boxer reclassified CVA.^[14]
• 13 November — HMS Vengeance loaned to Australia, recommissioned as HMAS Vengeance;^[49] USS Bennington recommissioned as CVA.^[14]
• 14 November — USS Shangri-La decommissioned for modernisation.^[14]
• 16 December — USS Saratoga laid down.^[14]

1953

• HMS Formidable sold for scrap.^[29]
• HMS Unicorn decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[34]
• 16 February — HMS Hermes launched.^[58]
• 20 February — USS Yorktown recommissioned.^[14]
• May — HMS Indomitable sold for scrap.^[29]
• 15 May — USS Bon Homme Richard decommissioned, commenced extensive refit.^[14]
• 1 July — USS Randolph recommissioned.^[14]
• 27 July — Korean War fighting ends with the Korean armistice agreement.
• 1 September – HMS Centaur launched.^[58]
• 5 September — USS Belleau Wood loaned to France.^[14]

• 5 September — USS Belleau Wood recommissioned as Bois Belleau.^[17]
• 11 September — USS Hornet recommissioned.^[14]

1954

• HMS Perseus decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[72]
• Mid 1954 — HM Ships Implacable & Indefatigabledecommissioned.^[33]
• 15 February — USS Hancock recommissioned as CVA.^[14]
• 9 April — USS Bataan decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[44]
• 23 April – USS Franklin D Roosevelt decommissioned for modernisation.^[14]
• 26 May — HMS Albion commissioned.^[58][59]
• 18 June — USS Intrepid recommissioned in reserve.^[14]
• 1 August — First Indochina War ends.
• 2 August — USS Ranger laid down.^[14]
• September — HMS Pioneer decommissioned and sold for scrap;^[46][12]
• 11 September — USS Ticonderoga recommissioned after modernisation.^[14]

• 15 October — USS Intrepid returned to full commission.^[14]
• 4 November — HMS Bulwark commissioned.^[58]
• December — HMS Illustrious decommissioned.^[29][12]
• 11 December — USS Forrestal launched.^[44]

1955

• 10 January — USS Shangri-La recommissioned.^[14]
• 21 January — USS Cabot decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[45]
• 25 February — HMS Ark Royal commissioned.^[48]
• 6 April – USS Franklin D Roosevelt recommissioned with angled flight deck, steam catapult and hurrican bow.^[14]
• 14 May — Warsaw Pact formed.
• July — USS Midway decommissioned for modernisation.^[24]
• 1 July — USS Independence laid down.^[44]
• 13 August — HMS Vengeance returned to UK.^[46][12]
• 15 August — USS Lexington recommissioned as CVA.^[14]
• 6 September — USS Bon Homme Richard recommissioned.^[14]
• 29 September — USS Forrestal commissioned.^[44]
• 8 October — USS Saratoga launched.^[14]
• 25 October — HMAS Vengeance decommissioned.^[49]
• 26 October — HMS Majestic christened as HMAS Majestic.^[73]

• 28 October — HMAS Majestic renamed and commissioned as HMAS Melbourne;^[74] HMS Vengeance recommissioned in reserve.^[49]
• November – HMS Implacable sold for scrap.^[33]
• 1 November — Clemenceau (France) laid down.^[17]
• 15 November — USS Boxer reclassified as CVS.^[14]

1956

• HMS Indefatigable sold for scrap.^[33]
• HMS Glory decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[46][12]
• 16 January — USS Monterey decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 15 March — USS Wright decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 13 April — USS Hancock decommissioned.^[14]
• 14 April — USS Saratoga commissioned.^[14]
• 26 September — USS Ranger launched.^[14]
• 29 October — Suez Crisis begins.
• 3 November — HMS Illustrious sold for scrap.^[29]
• 15 November — USS Hancock recommissioned.^[14]

• 14 December — HMS Vengeance sold to Brazil.^[49]
• 27 December — USS Kitty Hawk laid down.^[75]

1957

• HMS Theseus decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[46]
• January — HMS Hercules sold to India, construction restarted.^[76]
• 2 January — USS Oriskany decommissioned, started modernisation.^[14]
• 17 January — HMS Powerful commissioned as HMCS Bonaventure.^[53]
• 15 February — Foch (France) laid down.^[77]
• 24 May — USS Coral Sea decommissioned for modernisation.^[14]
• 14 June — HMCS Magnificent returned to UK and placed in reserve as HMS Magnificent.^[53]

• 10 August — USS Ranger commissioned.^[14]
• 14 September — USS Constellation laid down.^[75]
• 30 September — USS Midway recommissioned.^[14]
• 3 October — USS Saipan decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 5 December — HMS Ocean decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[46][12]
• 21 December — Clemenceau launched.^[17][78]

1958

• HM Ships Perseus & Ocean sold for scrap.^[46]
• February — HMS Warrior decommissioned.^[79]
• 4 February — USS Enterprise laid down.^[80]
• 30 May — HMAS Sydney decommissioned, held in reserve.^[52]
• 6 June — USS Independence launched.^[14]
• 1 July — USS Enterprise (Yorktown class) sold for scrap.^[14]
• 4 November — Ex HMS Warrior sold to Argentina.^[79]
• 28 December — USS Philippine Sea decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]

1959

• 10 January — USS Independence commissioned.^[14]
• 26 January — Ex HMS Warrior commissioned as ARA Independencia.^[81]
• 30 January — USS Boxer reclassified LPH.^[24]
• 2 March — USS Princeton reclassified LPH.^[14]
• 7 March — USS Oriskany recommissioned.^[14]
• 15 May — USS Leyte decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• June — HMS Unicorn sold for scrap.^[34][12]
• 1 November — USS Cowpens sold for scrap.^[24]
• 18 November — HMS Hermes commissioned.^[58]

1960–1969

1960

• Dixmude hulked as an accommodation ship.^[82]
• HM Ships Ocean and Theseus sold for scrap.^[46]
• 25 January — USS Coral Sea recommissioned.^[14]
• May — USS Tarawa decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 21 May — USS Kitty Hawk launched.^[75]
• 28 July — Foch launched.^[77][83]
• September — Bois Belleau (USS Belleau Wood) returned to USN.^[17]
• 24 September — USS Enterprise launched.^[80]
• 1 October — Bois Belleau struck.^[14]
• 8 October — USS Constellation launched.^[75]
• 21 November — USS Belleau Wood sold for scrap.^[14]
• 6 December — ex HMS Vengeance recommissioned as NAeL Minas Gerais.^[49][66]

1961

• 9 January — USS America laid down.^[44]
• 4 March — HMS Hercules commissioned as INS Vikrant.^[76]
• 29 April — USS Kitty Hawk commissioned.^[75]
• May — USS Bataan sold for scrap.^[24]
• 1 July — USS Valley Forge reclassified LPH.^[14]
• 27 October — USS Constellation commissioned.^[75]
• 22 November — Clemenceau commissioned.^[17][78]
• 25 November — USS Enterprise commissioned;^[80] first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.^[84]

1962

• 7 March — HMAS Sydney recommissioned as fast troop carrier.^[52]
• 15 March — USS Wright conversion to command and control ship started.^[14]
• Mid 1962 – HMS Albion designated as commando carrier.^[58]
• August — Indonesia plans invasion of West New Guinea; war plans include sinking of Dutch carrier Karel Doorman using Soviet-supplied bombers with anti-ship missiles, but ceasefire ended the threat.

1963

• 7 January — USS Antietam decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[24]
• 8 February — Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) test aircraft and pre-Harrier prototype Hawker P.1127 first operates from HMS Ark Royal.^[65]
• 15 July — Foch commissioned.^[77][83]
• March — La Fayette (USS Langley) returned to USN.^[17]
• March — USS Saipan conversion to communications command ship started.^[14]
• 11 May — USS Wright recommissioned as command and control ship.^[14]

1964

• 19 February – USS Langley sold for scrap.^[24]
• 1 February — USS America launched.^[44]
• 2 August — Gulf of Tonkin Incident led U.S. to greatly increase its overt role in the Vietnam War.
• 1 September — USS Saipan reclassified as Major Communications Relay Ship (AGMR).^[14]
• 22 October — USS John F. Kennedy laid down.^[75]

1965

• 23 January — USS America commissioned.^[44]
• 8 April — USS Saipan renamed USS Arlington.^[14]
• July — HMS Magnificent sold for scrap.^[53]

1966

• HMS Centaur designated as depot ship.^[58]
• Béarn decommissioned.^[17]
• British 1966 Defence White Paper cancels defense projects such as CVA-01 and begins plans for phased end to UK carrier aviation.
• Dixmude returned to U.S. Navy^[17], sunk as target.
• 15 February — USS Midway decommissioned for further modernisation.^[14]
• 2 May — USS Lake Champlain decommissioned.^[14]
• 27 July — USS Franklin sold for scrap.^[14]
• 27 August — USS Arlington recommissioned as communication relay ship.^[14]

1967

• HMS Victorious decommissioned for re-fit, subsequently damaged in a minor fire leading to decision to scrap.^[29][85]
• 30 August — USS Cabot loaned to Spain, recommissioned as Dédalo.^[45][86]
• 31 March — Béarn sold for scrap.^[17]
• 27 May — USS John F. Kennedy launched.^[75]

1968

• Arromanches redesignated as a helicopter carrier.^[87]
• 26 April — HNLMS Karel Doorman decommissioned, placed in reserve, end of Dutch carrier aviation.^[69]
• 22 June — USS Nimitz laid down^[88]
• July — USS Franklin D. Roosevelt decommissioned for modernisation.^[24]
• 7 September — USS John F. Kennedy commissioned.^[75]
• 3 October — USS Tarawa sold for scrap.^[14]
• 15 October — HNLMS Karel Doorman sold to Argentina.^[89]

1969

• 1 January — USS Lexington reclassified as a training carrier (CVT).^[14]
• 13 February — USS Randolph decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 12 March — ex HNLMS Karel Doorman recommissioned as ARA Veinticinco de Mayo.^[89]
• 26 May — USS Franklin D. Roosevelt recommissioned.^[24]
• 30 June — USS Essex decommissioned.^[24]
• July – HMS Victorious sold for scrap.^[29]
• 1 December — USS Boxer decommissioned;^[44] USS Philippine Sea struck.^[14]

1970–1979

1970

• ARA Independencia decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[90]
• 14 January — USS Arlington decommissioned.^[14]
• 15 January — USS Bennington decommissioned, placed in reserve;^[14] USS Valley Forge decommissioned.^[14]
• 30 January — USS Princeton decommissioned.^[24]
• 31 January — USS Midway recommissioned.^[24]
• 13 February — USS Kearsarge decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[24]
• 27 May — USS Wright decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 26 June — USS Hornet decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 27 June — USS Yorktown decommissioned.^[14]
• 3 July — HMCS Bonaventure decommissioned.^[12][53]
• 15 August — USS Dwight D. Eisenhower laid down.^[88]
• September — Soviet aircraft carrier Kiev laid down.^[91]
• September — USS Leyte sold for scrap.^[24]

1971

• HMS Centaur decommissioned.^[58]
• March — HMCS Bonaventure sold for scrap.^[53]
• 13 March — USS Boxer sold for scrap.^[24]
• 17 March — ARA Independencia sold for scrap.^[89]
• 23 March — USS Philippine Sea sold for scrap.^[24]
• May — USS Monterey and USS Princeton sold for scrap.^[24]
• 2 July — USS Bon Homme Richard decommissioned, placed in reserve.
• 30 July — USS Shangri-La decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 29 October — USS Valley Forge sold for scrap.^[14]
• 3 December — Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 begins. Indian carrier INS Vikrant carries out airstrikes against land and naval targets; Pakistani submarine PNS Ghazi sent to hunt the Vikrant, but sinks under mysterious circumstances.
• 15 December — USS San Jacinto sold for scrap.^[14]

1972

• HMS Centaur sold for scrap.^[58]
• HMS Albion decommissioned and sold for scrap.^[58]
• 26 January — HMS Eagle decommissioned.^[48][12]
• 28 April — USS Lake Champlain sold for scrap.^[24]
• 13 May — USS Nimitz launched.^[88]
• 1 July — USS Wasp decommissioned.^[14]
• 5 December — Loan of Dédalo (ex USS Cabot) to Spain converted to sale.^[86]
• December — Kiev launched, Minsk laid down.^[91]

1973

• USS Bunker Hill sold for scrap.^[14]
• 27 January — Paris Peace Accords; U.S. forces withdraw from the Vietnam War.
• 21 May — USS Wasp sold for scrap.^[14]
• 20 July — HMS Invincible laid down.^[92]
• 1 September — USS Ticonderoga decommissioned.^[14]
• 12 November — HMAS Sydney decommissioned.^[52]

1974

• 22 January — Arromanches decommissioned.^[17]
• 28 February — USS Antietam sold for scrap.^[24]
• 1 March — USS Kearsarge sold for scrap.^[24]
• 15 March — USS Intrepid decommissioned.^[44]

1975

• HMS Triumph decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[46]
• 1 April — USS Randolph sold for scrap.^[44]
• May — Kiev commissioned.^[91]
• 3 May — USS Nimitz commissioned.^[88]
• 1 June — USS Essex sold for scrap.^[24]
• 1 September — USS Ticonderoga sold for scrap.^[24]
• 30 September — Minsk launched;^[93] Novorossiysk laid down.^[94]
• 11 October — USS Dwight D. Eisenhower launched;^[88]USS Carl Vinson laid down.^[88]
• 13 October — USS Yorktown preserved as museum ship.^[14]
• 28 October — HMAS Sydney sold for scrap.^[52]

1976

• 30 January — USS Hancock decommissioned.^[24]
• March — HMS Bulwark decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[58]
• 1 June — USS Arlington sold for scrap.^[24]
• 1 September — USS Hancock sold for scrap.^[24]
• September STOVL Harriers equip Spanish aircraft carrier Dédalo, returning her to fixed-wing carrier operations; first STOVL aircraft carrier.
• 30 September — USS Oriskany decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[14]
• 7 October — HMS Illustrious laid down.^[92]

1977

• 3 May — HMS Invincible launched.^[92]
• 30 September — USS Franklin D. Roosevelt decommissioned.^[24]
• 18 October — USS Dwight D. Eisenhower commissioned.^[88]

1978

• Arromanches sold for scrap.^[17]
• 1 April — USS Franklin D. Roosevelt sold for scrap.^[24]
• 27 September — Minsk commissioned.^[93]
• 17 February — Baku laid down.^[95]
• October — HMS Eagle sold for scrap.^[48]
• 1 December — HMS Illustrious launched.^[92]
• 14 December — HMS Ark Royal (Invincible class) laid down.^[92]
• 26 December — Novorossiysk launched.^[94]

1979

• February — HMS Ark Royal (Audacious class) decommissioned;^[48] end of conventional Catapult-Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) carrier operations for the UK.
• 23 February — HMS Bulwark recommissioned.^[58]
• 8 October — Principe de Asturias laid down.^[96]

1980–1989

1980

• HMS Bulwark placed in reserve.^[58]
• 15 March — USS Carl Vinson launched.^[88]
• 11 July — HMS Invincible commissioned;^[92] first purpose-built STOVL carrier, first ship to include a ski-jump ramp.
• 1 August — USS Wright sold for scrap.^[24]
• 22 September — HMS Ark Royal (Audacious class) sold for scrap.^[48][12]

1981

• 26 March — Giuseppe Garibaldi laid down.^[97]
• 27 March — HMS Bulwark decommissioned.^[58]
• 10 April — HMS Bulwark sold for scrap.^[12]
• 9 May — First carrier fitted with a ski jump, HMS Hermes.^[65]
• 2 June — HMS Ark Royal launched.^[92]
• 13 October — USS Theodore Roosevelt laid down.^[88]
• 9 December — HMS Triumph sold for scrap.^[12][61]

1982

• 25 February — Australian government announces its intention to purchase HMS Invincible and rename it HMAS Australia.
• 13 March — USS Carl Vinson commissioned.^[88]
• 19 March — Argentina invades South Georgia, launching the Falklands War; this war provides the impetus to slow the drawdown of the Royal Navy, including carrier aviation; deal to sell the HMS Invincible to Australia cancelled.
• 23 March — USS Intrepid struck, preserved as a museum ship.^[44]
• 1 April — Baku launched.^[95]
• 1 May — Argentine carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo detects and attempts airstrike against British fleet, but is unable to launch due to unfavorable winds.
• 2 May — Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano sunk by British submarine; carrier Veinticinco de Mayo withdraws to safe port for the duration of the war.
• 22 May — Principe de Asturias launched.^[96]
• 30 May — HMAS Melbourne decommissioned.^[74]
• 14 June — Argentine land forces in the Falkland Islands surrender, ending the conflict.
• 20 June — HMS Illustrious commissioned.^[92]
• 5 July — USS Shangri-La struck.^[44]
• September — Novorossiysk commissioned.^[98]

1983

• 22 February — Leonid Brezhnev laid down.^[99]
• 4 June — Giuseppe Garibaldi launched.^[97]

1984

• 12 April — HMS Hermes decommissioned, placed in maintained reserve.^[58]
• 27 October — USS Theodore Roosevelt launched.^[88]
• 3 November — USS Abraham Lincoln laid down.^[88]

1985

• ARA Veinticinco de Mayo inoperable, laid up for possible modernisation.^[100]
• HMAS Melbourne sold for scrap.^[74]
• 30 September — Giuseppe Garibaldi commissioned as helicopter anti-submarine warfare carrier.^[97]
• 1 November — HMS Ark Royal commissioned.^[92]
• 5 December — Leonid Brezhnev launched.^[99]
• 10 December — Riga laid down.^[101]

1986

• April — HMS Hermes sold to India.^[102]
• 15 April — U.S. 1986 Bombing of Libya by carrier- and land-based aircraft.
• 25 August — USS George Washington laid down.^[88]
• 25 October — USS Theodore Roosevelt commissioned.^[88]

1987

• 11 December — Baku commissioned.^[95][103]

1988

• 13 February — USS Abraham Lincoln launched.^[88]
• 30 May — Principe de Asturias commissioned.^[96]
• 9 August — USS Shangri-La sold for scrap.^[44]
• October — Leonid Brezhnev renamed Tbilisi.^[101]
• December — Ulyanovsk laid down.^[101]
• 4 December — Riga launched.^[101]

1989

• Giuseppe Garibaldi takes on Harrier aircraft, initiating Italian fixed-wing carrier operations.
• INS Vikrant ends CATOBAR operations and is converted with ski jump to all-STOVL operations.^[102]
• 14 April — Charles de Gaulle laid down;^[104] first non-U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier.^[105]
• 20 May — Ex HMS Hermes commissioned as INS Viraat.^[102]
• 25 July — USS Hornet struck, preserved as a museum ship;^[14] USS Oriskany struck to be preserved as a museum ship or scrapped.^[14]
• 5 August — Dédalo decommissioned.^[45][106]
• 20 September — U.S. Ships Bon Homme Richard and Bennington struck.^[44]
• 11 November — USS Abraham Lincoln commissioned.^[88]

1990–1999

1990

• Riga renamed Varyag.^[101]
• 30 April — USS Coral Sea decommissioned.^[44]
• 21 July — USS George Washington launched.^[88]
• 2 August — Gulf War begins with Iraq invading Kuwait.
• 4 October — Tbilisi renamed Admiral Kuznetsov.^[107]

1991

• Baku renamed Admiral Gorshkov.^[103]
• 21 January — Admiral Kuznetsov commissioned.^[99]
• 28 February — Gulf War ends with ceasefire.
• 13 March — USS John C. Stennis laid down.^[88]
• 1 November — Ulyanovsk cancelled at 40% complete.^[108]
• 8 November — USS Lexington decommissioned.^[44]
• 25 December — Soviet Union dissolves, Cold War ends.

1992

• Construction of Varyag stopped, transferred to the Ukraine.^[109]
• 4 February — Ulyanovsk scrapped;^[108] USS Bon Homme Richard sold for scrap.^[24]
• 11 April — USS Midway decommissioned, preserved as a museum ship.^[24]
• 15 June — USS Lexington donated as a museum ship.^[24]
• 4 July — USS George Washington commissioned.^[88]
• September — Novorossiysk laid up in reserve.^[108]

1993

• 7 May — USS Coral Sea sold for scrap.^[24]
• 30 June — Kiev,^[110] Minsk^[93] and Novorossiysk^[108] decommissioned.
• 10 July — USS Ranger decommissioned, on donation hold as of 2004.^[44]
• 11 September — USS Forrestal decommissioned,^[44] on donation hold.^[24]
• 13 November — USS John C. Stennis launched.^[88]
• 29 November — USS Harry S. Truman laid down.^[88]

1994

• 1 December — USS Bennington sold for scrap.^[24]
• 7 May — Charles de Gaulle launched.^[104]
• 12 July — HTMS Chakri Naruebet laid down.^[111]
• 20 August — USS Saratoga decommissioned.^[24]

1995

• 1 August — Novorossiysk and Minsk sold for scrap, Minsk not scrapped.^[108]
• 9 September — USS Oriskany sold for scrap, not scrapped.^[24]
• 9 December — USS John C. Stennis commissioned.^[88]

1996

• 20 January — HTMS Chakri Naruebet launched.^[111]
• 9 August — USS America decommissioned.^[44]
• 14 September — USS Harry S. Truman launched.^[88]

1997

• ARA Veinticinco de Mayo decommissioned.^[106]
• 31 January — INS Vikrant decommissioned, to be converted to a museum ship at Mumbai.^[112]
• 27 March — HTMS Chakri Naruebet commissioned.^[111]
• 30 July — USS Oriskany repossessed by the USN due to default by scrapping contractor.^[24]
• 1 October — Clemenceau decommissioned.^[78]

1998

• 12 February — USS Ronald Reagan laid down.^[44]
• April — Varyag sold to China.^[109]
• August — Minsk towed to China for use in an amusement park.^[93]
• 30 September — USS Independence decommissioned.^[44]
• 25 July — USS Harry S. Truman commissioned.^[88]

1999

• January — ARA Veinticinco de Mayo sold for scrap.^[113]

2000–2009

2000

• 1 January — USS Saratoga placed on donation hold.^[24]
• October — Scrapping of Dédalo commenced.^[45]
• 15 November — Foch decommissioned, and recommissioned as NAe São Paulo.^[114]

2001

• 10 March — USS Ronald Reagan launched.^[44]
• 18 May — Charles de Gaulle commissioned.^[115]
• 17 July — Cavour laid down.^[116]
• 7 October — War in Afghanistan begins.
• 16 October — NAeL Minas Gerais decommissioned.^[117]

2003

• 20 March — US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq launched.
• 12 July — USS Ronald Reagan commissioned.^[44]
• 7 August — USS Constellation decommissioned.^[14][44]
• 6 September — USS George H.W. Bush laid down.^[118]
• 11 September — USS Forrestal designated for disposal.^[44]
• 2 December — USS Constellation striken.^[44]

2004

• NAeL Minas Gerais sold for scrap.^[117]
• 20 January — Admiral Gorshkov sold to India; being refurbished and renamed INS Vikramaditya.^[119]
• April — USS Independence nominated to be sunk as artificial reef.
• 20 July — Cavour launched.^[116]

2005

• 11 April — INS Vikrant steel plate cutting started.^[120]
• 19 April — USS America towed to sea for live firing tests.^[121]
• May — Juan Carlos I laid down.^[122]
• 14 May — USS America scuttled.^[24]
• 3 August — HMS Invincible decommissioned, placed in reserve until 2010.^[123]

2006

• 17 May — USS Oriskany sunk as an artificial reef.^[14][24]
• 31 May — Minsk sold at auction, disposition unknown.^[93]
• 7 October — USS George H. W. Bush launched.^[118]

2007

• 1 August — USS John F. Kennedy decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[44]

2008

• February — USS Forrestal prepared to be sunk as a reef; USS Independence and USS Constellation scheduled to be scrapped within five years.^[124]
• 10 March — Juan Carlos I launched.^[122]
• 27 March — Cavour commissioned.^[116]

2009

• 10 January — USS George H. W. Bush commissioned;^[125] final ship of the Nimitz class.
• 28 February — INS Vikrant keel laid^[120]
• 12 May — USS Kitty Hawk decommissioned, placed in reserve.^[126]
• 7 July — First steel cut for HMS Queen Elizabeth^[127]

2010–present

2010

• 30 September — Juan Carlos I commissioned^[128]
• October 2010 — UK government decides to construct HMS Queen Elizabeth with catapults and arresting gear^[129]

2011

• 11 Mar — HMS Ark Royal decommissioned^[130]
• 26 May — First steel cut for HMS Prince of Wales^[131]
• 10 August — The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy's first aircraft carrier, the ex-Varyag completed, and began undergoing sea trials.^[132]

Footnotes

Citations