Editing Invincible-class aircraft carrier (section)

==Final years==
[[File:HMS Queen Elizabeth alongside HMS Illustrious.jpg|thumb|''Illustrious'' (top) moored alongside {{HMS|Queen Elizabeth|R08|2}} at Rosyth in 2014, showing the difference in size between the ''Invincible'' class and the ships that will replace them]]
The Sea Harrier was officially retired on 1 April 2006. The principal weapon of the ''Invincible''-class carriers then became the [[Harrier GR9]] flown by two [[Fleet Air Arm]] and two RAF squadrons until they were retired in 2010.

''Invincible'' was decommissioned in July 2005, and was mothballed until September 2010.<ref name="reserve"/> On 24 March 2011 ''Invincible'' left Portsmouth under tow for scrapping at Leyal Ship Recycling, Turkey.<ref name=Towed24Mar11>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-12845457 |title=Former HMS Invincible leaves Portsmouth |work=BBC News |date=24 March 2011 |access-date=21 June 2021 }}</ref>

''Ark Royal'' took over as the flagship, was planned to be decommissioned in 2016, but retired in 2010 following the [[Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010|Strategic Defence and Security Review]].

''Illustrious'' remained the only one of the class in service, but was also retired in 2014. After being laid up it left Portsmouth under tow to the shipbreakers in Turkey on 7 December 2016.<ref name="Ministry of Defence">{{cite web |url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/ChangesToRoyalNavysSurfaceFleetAnnounced.htm |title=Changes to Royal Navy's surface fleet announced|date=15 December 2010 |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=15 December 2010}}</ref>

Two larger {{sclass|Queen Elizabeth|aircraft carrier|2}}s replaced the Invincible class, with the first, [[HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08)|HMS ''Queen Elizabeth'']], commissioned in late 2017.  They displace around 65,000 tonnes each<ref name=CVFnaval-technology>{{cite web |url=http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/cvf/ |title=Queen Elizabeth Class (CVF), United Kingdom |work=naval-technology.com | year=2015 |access-date=17 October 2015}}</ref> – more than three times the displacement of the ''Invincible'' class.