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| HMS Illustrious returns to Portsmouth for final time | HMS Illustrious returns to Portsmouth for final time |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| The Royal Navy's helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious has returned to Portsmouth for the final time. | |
| Crowds lined the port to welcome the warship, which will retire after 32 years of service. | |
| The carrier, which has clocked up 898,893 miles on operations, will be replaced by HMS Ocean, which has just received a £65m refit. | The carrier, which has clocked up 898,893 miles on operations, will be replaced by HMS Ocean, which has just received a £65m refit. |
| The Ministry of Defence has invited tenders from private companies and trusts to secure Illustrious's future. | The Ministry of Defence has invited tenders from private companies and trusts to secure Illustrious's future. |
| Vice Admiral Sir Philip Jones said: "HMS Illustrious has a long and proud history with the Royal Navy. | Vice Admiral Sir Philip Jones said: "HMS Illustrious has a long and proud history with the Royal Navy. |
| "The decision to replace her in service with HMS Ocean will ensure that the Royal Navy has her most advanced and capable ships working to protect the nation." | "The decision to replace her in service with HMS Ocean will ensure that the Royal Navy has her most advanced and capable ships working to protect the nation." |
| HMS Illustrious, nicknamed Lusty, is the last of the Invincible class of aircraft carriers which included the Ark Royal and Invincible, introduced into the navy in the 1980s. | HMS Illustrious, nicknamed Lusty, is the last of the Invincible class of aircraft carriers which included the Ark Royal and Invincible, introduced into the navy in the 1980s. |
| Its entry into service was brought forward so it could assist in the Falklands War effort. | Its entry into service was brought forward so it could assist in the Falklands War effort. |
| It has also been deployed to conflict zones in Bosnia, Iraq, Sierra Leone and helped aid efforts after Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines in December. | It has also been deployed to conflict zones in Bosnia, Iraq, Sierra Leone and helped aid efforts after Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines in December. |
| But the decision to retire the ship has been criticised by specialist publishers Warship World, which said the date had been brought forward due to a "manpower crisis" on other ships. | But the decision to retire the ship has been criticised by specialist publishers Warship World, which said the date had been brought forward due to a "manpower crisis" on other ships. |
| In a statement, the publisher said: "The problem goes back many years when recruiting for the Navy was almost halted, when plans to drastically cut it back in size were announced. | In a statement, the publisher said: "The problem goes back many years when recruiting for the Navy was almost halted, when plans to drastically cut it back in size were announced. |
| "The serious effects are only now being felt with sufficient well-trained, experienced engineers now being unavailable for sea service. Replacements cannot be trained overnight." | "The serious effects are only now being felt with sufficient well-trained, experienced engineers now being unavailable for sea service. Replacements cannot be trained overnight." |
| This has been denied by the Navy which said it was an operational decision and part of a long-standing plan. | This has been denied by the Navy which said it was an operational decision and part of a long-standing plan. |
| While its sister ships were sold for scrap, the government has indicated that Illustrious could be turned into a floating museum, as a tribute to the decommissioned class of warship. | While its sister ships were sold for scrap, the government has indicated that Illustrious could be turned into a floating museum, as a tribute to the decommissioned class of warship. |