List of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy


The following is a list of fleet aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.
There are two carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, currently in service.

Fleet carriers

HMS ''Unicorn''

HMS Unicorn was an aircraft repair ship and light aircraft carrier; an "aircraft maintenance carrier".

''Colossus'' class

The 1942 Design Light Fleet Carriers were designed and constructed by civilian shipyards to serve as an intermediate step between the expensive, full-size fleet aircraft carriers and the less expensive but limited-capability escort carriers. Perseus and Pioneer were modified to operate as maintenance carriers.

''Majestic'' class

The 1942 design was modified to take more modern aircraft and these ships became the Majestic-class. Not completed until after the end of the war, most ended up purchased by other navies.

''Malta'' class

ShipAircraftDisplacementPropulsionFate
804 or 5 x shafts
Steam turbines
8 x boilers
Cancelled 13 December 1945
HMS New Zealand804 or 5 x shafts
Steam turbines
8 x boilers
Cancelled 13 December 1945
HMS Gibraltar804 or 5 x shafts
Steam turbines
8 x boilers
Cancelled 15 October 1945
HMS Africa804 or 5 x shafts
Steam turbines
8 x boilers
Cancelled 15 October 1945

''Queen Elizabeth'' class (CVA-01)

ShipAircraftDisplacementPropulsion
ShipAircraftDisplacementPropulsionFate
CVA-01 503 x shafts
Parsons turbines
6 boilers
Cancelled 1966
HMS Duke of Edinburgh 503 x shafts
Parsons turbines
6 boilers
Cancelled 1963
HMS Prince of Wales 503 x shafts
Parsons turbines
6 boilers
Cancelled 1963
HMS Princess Royal 503 x shafts
Parsons turbines
6 boilers
Cancelled 1963