The Invincible-class through-deck cruiser was a small carrier built primarily to defend a fleet and support anti-submarine warfare. Sea Harriers supplied limited air cover against aircraft threatening the task group. Sea King helicopters extended the ship's anti-submarine reach. The combination gave the fleet a useful defensive capability, but the ship's limited scale meant it was not conceived chiefly as a strike carrier.
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Invincible-class carriers as defensive sea-control ships
The Invincible class paired Sea Harriers and Sea Kings for fleet air defence and anti-submarine warfare, but its limited scale constrained any strike role.