HMAS Melbourne (R21)

HMAS Melbourne (R21) was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Originally ordered for the Royal Navy as HMS Majestic in 1943, construction was suspended at the end of World War II. She was purchased by Australia in 1947, and completed to a modified design. Melbourne was the first aircraft carrier to serve in the RAN, and upon commissioning in 1955, she became the flagship of the Australian fleet.

Throughout her career, Melbourne was involved in two major collisions with allied warships. In 1964, she collided with and sank HMAS Voyager, resulting in the loss of 82 lives. A second collision occurred in 1969, when she collided with and sank USS Frank E. Evans, killing 74 American sailors. These incidents led to significant controversy and inquiries into the causes of the collisions and the carrier's safety record.

Melbourne was primarily used for anti-submarine warfare and fighter interception. Her air wing typically comprised a mix of fixed-wing aircraft, such as the Grumman S-2 Tracker and de Havilland Sea Venom, and helicopters.

Decommissioned in 1982, Melbourne was sold to China in 1985. She was later towed to Guangzhou and broken up, with portions being used as a floating restaurant and a naval museum exhibit. Her service life highlighted the challenges and complexities of operating an aircraft carrier within the RAN and the broader geopolitical landscape of the Cold War.