▁ ▁could ▁only ▁carry ▁vertical / short ▁take off ▁and ▁landing ▁aircraft ▁and ▁hel ic op ters . ▁The ▁two ▁new ▁ ▁carri ers , ▁due ▁to ▁enter ▁service ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁and ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁were ▁originally ▁designed ▁to ▁operate ▁V / ST OL ▁aircraft . ▁Despite ▁expert ▁advice , ▁and ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁reduce ▁costs , ▁the ▁UK ▁government ▁requested ▁that ▁the ▁new ▁carri ers ▁be ▁modified ▁to ▁operate ▁conventional ▁C AT OB AR ▁( cat ap ult - ass isted ▁take off ▁and ▁bar rier / arr ested ▁recovery ) ▁aircraft . ▁F itting ▁elect romagnet ic ▁cat ap ult s ▁would ▁have ▁required ▁huge ▁struct ural ▁changes ▁and ▁an ▁upgrade ▁of ▁the ▁ships ' ▁energy ▁generation , ▁which ▁proved ▁in fe as ible ▁and ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁decision ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁original ▁configuration . ▁ ▁A ircraft ▁and ▁squad rons ▁ ▁Haw ker ▁Sea ▁Haw k ▁de ▁Hav ill and ▁Sea ▁Ven om ▁F aire y ▁G ann et ▁West land ▁Wy vern ▁Gr um man ▁Aven ger ▁Mc D onn ell ▁Douglas ▁Ph antom ▁F G . 1 ▁Black burn ▁Bu cc ane er ▁Super marine ▁Sc im itar ▁de ▁Hav ill and ▁Sea ▁V ixen ▁West land ▁Dragon fly ▁West land ▁Sea ▁King ▁West land ▁W esse x ▁ ▁Command ing ▁officers ▁ 1 9 5 4 – 1 9 5 6 : ▁Captain ▁Dennis ▁Camb ell ▁R N ▁ 1 9 5 6 – 1 9 5 8