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HMS Illustrious, affectionately known as Lusty, made a proud return to her home port of Portsmouth after receiving a £40million upgrade. The Royal Navy's last fixed-wing aircraft carrier has been converted into a helicopter carrier and is now capable of carrying a force of up to 20 helicopters and 600 personnel. The 22,000-tonne ship was based at the Rosyth dockyard in Fife for 16 months while it underwent modifications. ... Illustrious will take over the role currently fulfilled by HMS Ocean when it goes for a refit. It is due for completion by 2014. A Navy spokesman said: 'This will...

Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious has completed a successful visit to Malta, the first time she has visited the island since 2005. Illustrious is currently en route to the Indian Ocean as part of the Orion 08 deployment, following hot on the heels of three other Orion 08 ships, HMS Westminster, SPS Mendez Nunez and USS Cole. Illustrious was accompanied to Malta by Portsmouth-based destroyer HMS Edinburgh, the combined ships' companies of over 1,000 sailors lining the upper decks as they entered Grand Harbour to the sound of a three gun salute. Illustrious and Edinburgh are now continuing their...

Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious left Portsmouth today, Monday 21 January 2008, to lead a multi-national Task Group to the Indian Ocean region for a series of exercises which will take place over the next four months. The Task Group incorporates more than 2,500 personnel, 13 ships, a nuclear powered submarine and fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. 'Orion 08' is an element of the UK's continued commitment to boosting peace and stability in the area by exercising with a number of navies in the region. During its deployment the Task Group will be visiting 20 ports in the...

Fourteen United States AV8B Harrier Jets have joined up with the UK aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious ahead of a major joint exercise in the United States. The Harriers, from the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Marine Aircraft Group (MAG)14, have embarked on HMS Illustrious, the UK's and NATO's High Readiness Maritime Strike Carrier, ahead of a US-led Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFX) which is set to take place off the eastern coast of the United States. The Air Group was welcomed on board by Commodore Alan Richards, Commander UK Strike Group and Commander of one of the three Carrier Task...