Currently the HMS Illustrious, is now helicopter based assault
carrier. The HMS Royal Ark was decomissioned spring of 2011. The
Royal Navy has commissioned the Queen Elizabeth class super
carriers and two are being built now, with the first expected to
join service in 2016 and the second 2018.
To give you an idea of the difference in the carriers, the
Illustrious is 2,000 long tons (22,000 t) with4 Olympus gas turbine
engines, 2 Shafts.
The new carriers (first will be the HMS Queen Elizabeth, the
second HMS Prince of Wales) will be 65,000 long tons (66,000 t)
powered by 2 x Rolls-Royce MT30 Gas Turbines.