rier ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁and , ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁de comm ission ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁was ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ' s ▁last ▁remaining ▁conventional ▁cat ap ult ▁and ▁arrested - land ing ▁aircraft ▁car rier . ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁aircraft ▁car rier ▁to ▁be ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁ang led ▁flight ▁deck ▁at ▁its ▁commission ing ; ▁her ▁sister ▁ship , ▁, ▁was ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ' s ▁first ▁angle - deck ed ▁aircraft ▁car rier ▁after ▁modification ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁Ark ▁Royal ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁non - Un ited ▁States ▁vessel ▁to ▁operate ▁the ▁Mc D onn ell ▁Douglas ▁Ph antom ▁at ▁sea . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁and ▁modifications ▁ ▁Ark ▁Royal ▁was ▁the ▁sister ▁ship ▁to ▁, ▁which ▁was ▁initially ▁named ▁HMS ▁A uda cious , ▁hence ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁class . ▁Four ▁A uda cious - class ▁ships ▁were ▁laid ▁down , ▁but ▁two ▁( H MS ▁Africa ▁and ▁the ▁original ▁HMS ▁E agle ) ▁were ▁cancel led ▁when ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ended , ▁and ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁two ▁was ▁susp ended ▁for ▁several ▁years . ▁Both ▁surv iving ▁ships ▁were ▁extens ively ▁upgrad ed ▁throughout ▁their ▁lif et imes . ▁ ▁The ▁contract ▁was ▁placed ▁with ▁C amm ell ▁La ird ▁ ▁of ▁Bir ken head ▁/ ▁She ff ield ▁in ▁ 1 8 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁to ▁build ▁vessel ▁number ▁ 1 1 1 9 . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁originally ▁designated ▁Ir res