This allowed the carrier's Sea Harriers to take off with a higher disposal payload, while shortening the take-off run, leaving more space for helicopter operations.

[9] As built, defensive armament consisted of a twin Sea Dart surface to air missile launcher in the ship's bows.

[6][12][a] In September 1982, after returning from the Falklands War, Invincible had her close-in armament supplemented by two Phalanx CIWS and two Oerlikon 20 mm anti-aircraft autocannons.

More trials and work-up followed for the ship and her air wing followed before she was declared operational on 19 June 1981,[7] joining the fleet's other carrier Hermes in service.

Three days later, a naval task force headed by Invincible and Hermes left HMNB Portsmouth bound for the South Atlantic.

On 23 April, while en route from Ascension Island to the Falklands, Invincible mistakenly locked her Sea Darts on a VARIG Brazilian Airlines DC-10 rather than on the Argentine Air Force Boeing 707 that had been monitoring the fleet's movements.

As the 707 would be no direct threat to the fleet, Woodward ordered Weapons Tight[24] and the continued tracking of the aircraft's course while a Sea Harrier was dispatched to investigate.

"[23] On 30 May, two Dassault-Breguet Super Étendards, one carrying Argentina's last remaining air-launched Exocet, accompanied by four A-4C Skyhawks each with two 500 lb (230 kg) bombs, took off to attack Invincible.

[25][26] Argentine intelligence had sought to determine the position of the carriers from analysis of aircraft flight routes from the task force to the islands.

[25] However, the British had a standing order that all aircraft conduct a low level transit when leaving or returning to the carriers to disguise their position.

[31][32] The aircraft carrier was carrying 10 nuclear depth bombs as part of her standard armament when she deployed for the Falklands, and was one of several Royal Navy warships so equipped during the war.

[33] On 1 June, the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, advised the British government that the sale of Invincible to Australia could be cancelled if desired.

In July 1983, a year after the end of the Falklands conflict,[34] the Ministry of Defence announced that it had withdrawn its offer to sell Invincible so it could maintain a three-carrier force.

[35] In December 1983, Invincible was refused the use of dry dock facilities in Sydney when the Royal Navy declined to divulge to the Australian authorities whether or not the ship was carrying nuclear weapons.

In 1997, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral Alan West, Commander United Kingdom Task Group, Invincible led a deployment that included 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines.

In 2003, Invincible featured in a skit of the BBC show Top Gear involving The Stig racing a white Jaguar XJS on the deck in an attempt to reach 100 mph and stop before the end of the runway.

On 10 September 2010, she was struck off the Naval Reserve List[39] and, in December, offered for sale by the Disposal Services Authority (DSA) with tenders due by 5 January 2011.

[2] On 8 January 2011, the British press relayed an earlier report in the South China Morning Post that a £5-million bid had been made for the ship by the UK-based Chinese businessman Lam Kin-bong with plans to moor her at Zhuhai or Liverpool as a floating international school.

[41] A month later, in February 2011, BBC News reported that the Ministry of Defence had announced the sale of Invincible to Leyal Ship Recycling in Turkey.