While Ark Royal was under construction, the prestige attached to her name discouraged a sale to Australia, so Invincible became the candidate instead. After Sea Harrier performance in the Falklands War revived interest, Britain also offered to build additional ships for Australia. Ark Royal later supported Balkan operations and the 2003 invasion of Iraq before conversion toward a landing-platform-helicopter role. These changes extended her work beyond the North Atlantic duties around which the class had been conceived.
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Ark Royal adapted from fleet carrier duties to helicopter assault
Ark Royal shifted from Sea Harrier carrier to helicopter assault ship across Bosnia and Iraq, illustrating the Invincible class's operational flexibility.