In its heyday the ship was powered by four Rolls-Royce gas turbine engines,
could reach a top speed of 28 knots, and had a range of 7,000 nautical
miles. It was equipped with up 18 Sea Harrier, four Sea King helicopters and
had a ships compliment of 1,050.

The ship underwent a major refit in 2004 but was decommissioned in 2005 with
the proviso that she could be “reactivated” at 18 months notice if
a crisis beckoned. But over the years her engines, pumps and gear boxes were
cannibalised for use in other ships. Of her total weight of 17,0000 tons,
10,000 is compose of metal which made her attractive on the scrap market.

Leavesley International said they are interested in using the ship for its
scrap metal. The company’s operations manager Stuart Halsley said: “I
haven’t made any decision. I’m still pricing it up at the moment. There’s
certainly a lot of ship there but anybody looking at doing the job needs to
look at the associated costs involved.'”

Bids for the ship, which served from 1980 until 2005, must be tabled by
January 5 2011.

Invincible was due to be sold to the Australian navy for £175 million in 1982
but the deal fell through after the Falklands War broke out.

The ship was built at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Ship Building and
Engineering. Her hull was laid down in 1973 and she joined the fleet on 3rd
May 1977.

Richard Scott, naval consultant for Jane’s Defence Weekly, said: ‘She
certainly carved her name out in history in 1982. But every ship reaches the
end of its career and she is at the end of hers.’