HMS Illustrious (87) was a Royal Navy aircraft carrier that served during World War II and the Falklands War. Commissioned in 1940, she played a crucial role in various operations, including the Malta convoys and the Allied landings in Sicily. During the Falklands War in 1982, Illustrious operated as the flagship of the British task force and provided essential air support. The ship underwent several modernizations and upgrades throughout her service life, including the addition of a ski jump ramp to accommodate Harrier jump jets. After decades of service, Illustrious was decommissioned in 2014 and later sold for scrap in 2016. As one of the last of the Royal Navy's "three carriers in commission" during the Falklands conflict, HMS Illustrious holds a significant place in naval history for her contributions to important military operations and her role in projecting British power around the world.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.