Icarus-class fleet carrier
 HHS Illustrious (CVA-02)
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Icarus Class Fleet Carrier |
| Builders: | Arthuristan Dynamics |
| Operators: | Commonwealth Navy, Afalian Royal Navy |
| Preceded by: | Venerable class |
| Succeeded by: | Vengeance-class fleet carrier |
| Completed: | 2 |
| Active: | 1 |
| Retired: | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Fleet Carrier |
| Displacement: | 54,000-65,000 tonnes |
| Length: | 282m |
| Beam: | 56m |
| Draught: | 10m |
| Propulsion: | 6 × boilers, 3 shafts, 135,000 hp shp |
| Speed: | In excess of 30kn |
| Complement: | 3,250 |
| Sensors and processing systems: | As of 1990: Type 1022 3D Air Search radar, Type 996 medium-range radar, navigation radar |
| Armament: | Present configuration: 4 × Phalanx CIWS, 4x 12.7mm twin mounts |
| Armour: | armoured flight deck, aluminium shrapnel sheets, kevlar spall liners |
| Aircraft carried: | 50 |
The Icarus Class is a class of fleet carriers of the Commonwealth Navy. They were built in early- to mid-70's as a replacement for the Audacious-class aircraft carriers of late-40s vintage. The designers originally planned for a 70,000 tonnes nuclear-powered medium carrier, although cost considerations forced them to scale back. The Icarus formed the backbone of Arthuristan ocean-going naval power for the more than forty years until they were, in turn, gradually replaced from the late-2010s by the Vengeance-class fleet carrier.
Vessels of the class were continuously upgraded during their service life. Their self-defence armament included four Sea Cat launchers for point defence. The ineffectual Sea Cat was replaced by the Phalanx CIWS in the 1980s. Their original Type-965P and Type-992 radar sets were exchanged for Type-1022 and Type-996 respectively in the 1980's.
The Icarus Class is being replaced by the Vengeance-class fleet carrier. Of the ships of the class.
Typical air groups
1970s
- 16 x Continental Reaper
- 16 x Arthuristan Dynamics Mercury
- 6 x Gannet AEW.3
- 4 x Gannet ASW
- 8 x Westland Wessex
1980s
- 16 x Cyclone
- 16 x Arthuristan Dynamics Fury
- 4 x Arthuristan Dynamics Mercury ECR
- 3 x Aigios Seiren
- 11 x Sea King
2010s
- 32 x UFC Tempest
- 4 x Arthuristan Dynamics Mercury ECR
- 3 x Aigios Seiren
- 11 x AW.101 Merlin
Vessels list
- Icarus (retired)
- Illustrious