Helicopter carrier

USS Boxer, a U.S. Navy Wasp class amphibious assault ship

A helicopter carrier is a type of aircraft carrier whose primary purpose is to operate helicopters. Helicopter carriers have been used as anti-submarine warfare carriers and amphibious assault ships.

Helicopter carriers can either have a full-length aircraft deck like HMS Ocean,^[1] or have a large helicopter deck, usually aft, as in the Soviet Navy's Moskva class or RFA Argus. A full-length deck maximises deck space for helicopter landing spots. Such a design also allows for a hangar deck.

Pure helicopter carriers are difficult to define in the 21st century. The advent of STOVL aircraft such as the Harrier Jump Jet have complicated the classification; the United States Navy's Wasp class, for instance, carries six to eight Harriers as well as over 20 helicopters. 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 amphibious assault ships.

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

Country	Navy	In service	In reserve	Under construction
United States	United States Navy	9	4	1 (+10 planned)
United Kingdom	Royal Navy	1	0	0
France	French Navy	3	0	0
Japan	Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	3	0	1
Algeria	Algerian National Navy	1	0	0 (+1 planned)^[2]
South Korea	Republic of Korea Navy	1	0	0
Thailand	Royal Thai Navy	1	0	0
Russia	Russian Navy	0	0	2
Australia	Royal Australian Navy	1	0	1
Turkey	Turkish Navy	0	0	0 (+1 planned)
India	Indian Navy	0	0	0 (+4 planned)

Helicopter carriers

Helicopter carriers currently in use

Country	Name (Hull number)	Length	Tonnage (mt)	Class	Propulsion	Type	Classification	Commission
Australia	Canberra (L02)	230.82 230.82 m (757.3 ft)	027500 27,500 mt	Canberra (modified Juan Carlos)	Conventional	STOVL	Landing Helicopter Dock	28 November 2014
France	Mistral (L9013)	199 199 m (653 ft)	021300 21,300 mt	Mistral	Conventional	VTOL	Landing Helicopter Dock	2005-12-01 December 2005
France	Tonnerre (L9014)	199 199 m (653 ft)	021300 21,300 mt	Mistral	Conventional	VTOL	Landing Helicopter Dock	2006-12-01 December 2006
France	Dixmude (L9015)	199 199 m (653 ft)	021300 21,300 mt	Mistral	Conventional	VTOL	Landing Helicopter Dock	2011-10-01 December 2011
Japan	JDS Izumo (DDH-183)	248 248 m (814 ft)	027000 27,000 tons	Izumo	Conventional	VTOL	Helicopter destroyer	2015-03-25 25 March 2015
Japan	Hyūga (DDH-181)	197 197 m (646 ft)^[3]	019000 19,000 mt	Hyūga	Conventional	VTOL	Helicopter destroyer	2009-03-18 18 March 2009
Japan	Ise (DDH-182)	197 197 m (646 ft)^[3]	019000 19,000 mt	Hyūga	Conventional	VTOL	Helicopter destroyer	2011-03-16 16 March 2011
South Korea	Dokdo (LPH-6111)	199 199 m (653 ft)	018800 18,800 mt	Dokdo	Conventional	VTOL	Landing Platform Helicopter	2007-07-03 3 July 2007
Spain	Juan Carlos I (L-61)	230.82 230.82 m (757.3 ft)	027079 27,079 mt	Juan Carlos	Conventional	STOVL	Landing Helicopter Dock	30 September 2010
UK	Ocean (L12)	203.4 203.4 m (667 ft)	021500 21,500 mt	Ocean	Conventional	VTOL	Landing Platform Helicopter	1998-09-30 30 September 1998
US	Peleliu (LHA-5)	250 250 m (820 ft)	039438 39,438 mt	Tarawa^[4]	Conventional	STOVL	Landing Helicopter Assault	3 May 1980
US	America (LHA-6)	257.3 257.3 m (844 ft)	045000 45,000 mt	America^[4]	Conventional	STOVL	Landing Helicopter Assault	11 October 2014^[5]
US	Wasp (LHD-1)	257 257 m (843 ft)	040532 40,532 mt	Wasp^[4]	Conventional	STOVL	Landing Helicopter Dock	29 July 1989
US	Essex (LHD-2)	257 257 m (843 ft)	040650 40,650 mt	Wasp	Conventional	STOVL	Landing Helicopter Dock	17 October 1992
US	Kearsarge (LHD-3)	257 257 m (843 ft)	040500 40,500 mt	Wasp	Conventional	STOVL	Landing Helicopter Dock	16 October 1993
US	Boxer (LHD-4)	257 257 m (843 ft)	040722 40,722 mt	Wasp	Conventional	STOVL	Landing Helicopter Dock	11 February 1995
US	Bataan (LHD-5)	257 257 m (843 ft)	040358 40,358 mt	Wasp	Conventional	STOVL	Landing Helicopter Dock	20 September 1997
US	Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6)	257 257 m (843 ft)	040500 40,500 mt	Wasp	Conventional	STOVL	Landing Helicopter Dock	15 August 1998
US	Iwo Jima (LHD-7)	257 257 m (843 ft)	040530 40,530 mt	Wasp	Conventional	STOVL	Landing Helicopter Dock	30 June 2001
US	Makin Island (LHD-8)	258 258 m (846 ft)	041649 41,649 mt	Wasp	Conventional	STOVL	Landing Helicopter Dock	24 October 2009

Retired helicopter carriers

USS Iwo Jima (United States Navy) - the lead ship of the Iwo Jima class
HMS Bulwark, HMS Albion, (Royal Navy) - helicopter carriers of the 1960s-1980s
Moskva class (Soviet Navy)
Vittorio Veneto class (Italian Marina Militare)
Jeanne d'Arc (French Navy, decommissioned in 2010)
USCGC Cobb (WPG-181) (US Coast Guard, decommissioned in 1946) - World's first helicopter carrier.
HMS Illustrious (Royal Navy) An Invincible-class light aircraft carrier, which operated as a helicopter carrier when HMS Ocean was being refitted.^[6]

Helicopter carriers under construction

Dixmude a Mistral class helicopter carrier of the French Navy

Mistral class amphibious assault ship. Two ships under construction for the Russian Navy. More ordered.

References

↑ "HMS Ocean (LPH01) Helicopter Carrier". Naval Technology. 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
↑ "OSN delivers Algerian Navy's new flagship". IHS Jane's 360. 2014-09-08. Retrieved 2015-02-14.
↑ 3.0 3.1 "Hyuga Class". JMSDF Gallery(Japanese). JMSDF. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 World Wide Aircraft Carriers
↑ "America 'Sails Away' for Maiden Transit to San Diego Homeport.". United States Navy. 10 October 2014.
↑ "BBC News - Warship HMS Illustrious starts sea trials". Bbc.co.uk. 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2014-04-20.

Modern naval ships and warships

List of naval ship classes in service submarine auxiliary

Aircraft carriers	Aircraft cruiser Amphibious assault ship Anti-submarine warfare carrier Balloon carrier CAM ship Escort carrier Fighter catapult ship Fleet carrier Helicopter carrier Light aircraft carrier Merchant aircraft carrier Seaplane tender Submarine aircraft carrier Supercarrier

Battleships	Coastal defence ship Dreadnought Fast battleship Pre-dreadnought battleship Super-dreadnought (Standard-type battleship) Treaty battleship

Cruisers	Armored cruiser Battlecruiser Flight deck cruiser Heavy cruiser Pocket battleship Light cruiser Merchant raider Protected cruiser Strike cruiser Unprotected cruiser

Escort	Aviso Convoy rescue ship Destroyer Destroyer escort Destroyer leader Frigate Guided missile destroyer Kaibokan Sloop

Transport	Amphibious transport dock Amphibious warfare ship Attack transport Dock landing ship Landing craft Landing craft carrier Landing ship heavy Landing ship, infantry Landing ship medium Landing ship support, large Landing ship, tank Landing ship vehicle Troopship

Patrol craft	Armed boarding steamer Armed yacht Coastal motor boat Corvette Gunboat Harbour defence motor launch Motor launch Naval drifter Naval trawler Ocean boarding vessel Patrol boat Q-ship Steam gun boat Submarine chaser Torpedo boat

Fast attack craft	E-boat MAS MGB Missile boat MTB MTM MTSM PT boat Shinyo

Mine warfare	Danlayer Destroyer minesweeper Mine countermeasures vessel Mine planter Minehunter Minelayer Minesweeper

Command and support	Amenities ship Ammunition ship Auxiliary repair dock Auxiliary ship Collier Combat stores ship Command ship Crane vessel Depot ship Destroyer tender Dispatch boat Fast combat support ship General stores issue ship Hospital ship Net laying ship Repair ship Replenishment oiler Submarine tender

Submarines	Attack submarine Ballistic missile submarine Coastal submarine Cruise missile submarine Cruiser submarine Deep-submergence vehicle DSRV Fleet submarine Midget submarine U-boat

Miscellaneous	Arsenal ship Barracks ship Breastwork monitor Flagship Guard ship Littoral combat ship Monitor River monitor Training ship