. ▁The ▁same ▁aircraft , ▁now ▁having ▁been ▁red es igned ▁and ▁developed ▁as ▁the ▁British ▁A eros pace ▁Sea ▁Har rier , ▁was ▁later ▁accepted ▁as ▁the ▁primary ▁strike ▁cap ability ▁of ▁the ▁future ▁third ▁and ▁last ▁Ark ▁Royal ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁on wards . ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Be ira ▁Pat rol ▁enfor cing ▁the ▁naval ▁block ade ▁of ▁Rh odes ia ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁The ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁Def ence ▁White ▁P aper ▁planned ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁British ▁aircraft ▁carri ers ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁but ▁she ▁went ▁into ▁dock ▁for ▁her ▁ref it ▁to ▁head ▁off ▁dock yard ▁redund an cies ▁and ▁the ▁likely ▁political ▁issues . ▁A ▁new ▁government ▁re - ex am ined ▁the ▁case ▁for ▁carri ers ▁finding ▁that ▁shore - based ▁aircraft ▁could ▁not ▁provide ▁ade qu ate ▁cover ▁for ▁British ▁concerns ▁" E ast ▁of ▁S uez ". ▁ ▁On ▁ 9 ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁while ▁in ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁a ▁NAT O ▁exercise ▁she ▁coll ided ▁with ▁Bra v yy , ▁a ▁Soviet ▁Navy ▁ ▁which ▁was ▁shadow ing ▁Ark ▁Royal ▁( a ▁common ▁practice ▁during ▁the ▁Cold ▁War ). ▁Ark ▁Royal ▁was ▁slightly ▁dam aged , ▁while ▁the ▁Soviet ▁destroy er ▁sust ained ▁minor ▁damage ▁and ▁two ▁missing ▁crew . ▁Ark ▁Roy als ▁command ing ▁officer , ▁Captain ▁Ray ▁Ly go , ▁was ▁cleared ▁of ▁bl ame ▁at