A helicopter carrier is a type of aircraft carrier whose primary purpose is to operate helicopters. It has a large flight deck that occupies a substantial part of the deck, which can extend the full length of the ship like of the Royal Navy (RN), or extend only partway, usually aft, as in the Soviet Navy's or in the Chinese Navy's Type 0891A. It often also has a hangar deck for the storage and maintenance of rotorwing aircraft.
Pure helicopter carriers are difficult to define in the 21st century. The advent of STOVL aircraft such as the Harrier jump jet, and now the F-35B, have complicated the classification; the United States Navy's , 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 landing helicopter docks.
Helicopter carriers have been used as anti-submarine warfare carriers and amphibious assault ships.
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 Fitting out Under construction 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 (8 planned total) 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (4 planned total) 2 0 0 1 4 0 0 000010010 0 0 0 2 (3 planned total) 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 9 3 0 2 (11 planned total)
Helicopter carriers
Helicopter carriers currently in service Country Name Length Tonnage (MT) Class Propulsion Type Classification Commission 230.82 027500 (modified ) Conventional STOVL Landing helicopter dock 230.82 027500 (modified ) Conventional STOVL Landing helicopter dock 203.4 021500 Conventional VTOL Multipurpose helicopter carrier Hainan232 036000 Type 075 (NATO reporting name Yushen class)ConventionalVTOLLanding helicopter dock23 April 2021Guangxi232 036000 Type 075 (NATO reporting name Yushen class)ConventionalVTOLLanding helicopter dock26 December 2021Anhui232 036000 Type 075 (NATO reporting name Yushen class)ConventionalVTOLLanding helicopter dock1 October 2022Hubei232 036000 Type 075 (NATO reporting name Yushen class)ConventionalVTOLLanding helicopter dock1 August 2025 199 021300 ConventionalVTOLLanding helicopter dock 199 021300 ConventionalVTOLLanding helicopter dock 199 021300 Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 199 021300 Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 199 021300 Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 248 027000 Conventional VTOL Helicopter destroyer 248 027000 Conventional VTOL Helicopter destroyer 197 013950 Conventional VTOL Helicopter destroyer 197 013950 Conventional VTOL Helicopter destroyer 199 018800 Conventional VTOL Landing platform helicopter 199 018800 Conventional VTOL Landing platform helicopter 28 June 2021 230.82 027079 Conventional STOVL Landing helicopter dock 182.65 011486 Conventional STOVL Helicopter carrier ("Light aircraft carrier") 232 027079 ConventionalSTOVLLanding helicopter dock10 April 2023 257.3 045000 World Wide Aircraft Carriers Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter assault 257.3 045000 Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter assault 257 040532 Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 257 040650 Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 257 040500 Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 257 040722 Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 257 040358 Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 257 040530 Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock 258 041649 Conventional VTOL Landing helicopter dock
Retired helicopter carriers
(Royal Navy) – converted from light carrier and operating in helicopter carrier role from 1962 to 1973 (Italian Navy) – an helicopter cruiser active from 1964 to 1992 (United States Navy) – landing helicopter dock, active 1998–2020 (Royal Navy) – converted from light carrier and operating in helicopter carrier role from 1960 to 1981 (Italian Navy) - an Andrea Doria-class helicopter cruiser active from 1964 to 1989 (US Coast Guard), decommissioned in 1946 – world's first helicopter carrier. (Royal Navy) – an light aircraft carrier, which operated as a helicopter carrier when HMS Ocean was being refitted. (United States Navy) – lead of the seven-ship , active from the early 1960s to the early 2000s (French Navy), decommissioned in 2010 (Soviet Navy) – second of the two-ship - active 1969–1991 (Soviet Navy) – lead of the two-ship Moskva class, active 1967–1991 ex- (Royal Navy) – helicopter carrier 1998–2018, decommissioned March 2018. Sold to Brazil in February 2018, renamed Atlântico (Italian Navy) – a helicopter cruiser active from 1969 to 2003
See also Amphibious transport dock Amphibious warfare ship Aviation-capable naval vessel List of STOVL carriers VSTOL Support Ship Light aircraft carrier Amphibious assault ship Landing helicopter assault Landing helicopter dock
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