range ▁system ▁were ▁fitted ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁ 9 8 6 ▁sets . ▁Sign ific antly , ▁Ark ▁Royal ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁and ▁only ▁R N ▁car rier ▁fitted ▁with ▁a ▁US N ▁car rier ▁approach ▁system , ▁the ▁AN - SP N ▁ 3 5 ▁rad ar , ▁increasing ▁night ▁aircraft ▁oper ational ▁cap ability ▁and ▁safety . ▁Her ▁flight ▁deck ▁size ▁was ▁increased ▁port ▁a ft ▁giving ▁her ▁extra ▁deck - park ▁space ▁for ▁her ▁air group ▁that ▁E agle ▁did ▁not ▁have . ▁She ▁was ▁also ▁fitted ▁for ▁four ▁Sea ▁Cat ▁miss ile ▁launch ers , ▁for ▁def ensive ▁arm ament ▁which ▁were ▁oper ational ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁Sign ific antly , ▁there ▁was ▁little ▁more ▁than ▁an ▁over ha ul ▁of ▁her ▁steam ▁tur b ines ▁and ▁bo ilers , ▁meaning ▁that ▁mechan ically ▁she ▁was ▁very ▁dated ; ▁however , ▁the ▁stri pping ▁out ▁of ▁E agle ▁meant ▁that ▁for ▁a ▁time ▁essential ▁sp ares ▁were ▁available . ▁ ▁Ark ▁Royal ▁was ▁then ▁scheduled ▁for ▁at ▁the ▁most ▁only ▁five ▁years ' ▁more ▁service ▁by ▁a ▁new ▁government ▁policy ▁to ▁sc rap ▁the ▁carri ers ▁by ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁Int ensive ▁maintenance ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁new ▁programme ▁of ▁continuous ▁serv icing ▁and ▁repair ▁( with ▁R N ▁maintenance ▁ships ▁always ▁in ▁her ▁task ▁groups ), ▁was ▁able ▁kept ▁her ▁going ▁until ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁though ▁increasing ▁mechanical ▁and ▁elect rical ▁fail ures ▁led