aircraft carrier australia

Short answer: Australia currently has no aircraft carrier.

The Royal Australian Navy retired its last one, HMAS Melbourne, in 1982, and the modern Canberra-class LHDs are amphibious assault ships—great for helicopters and troops, not for fixed‑wing jets.

Yes, people love to daydream about F‑35Bs popping onto the deck, but that would need major mods and isn’t on the government’s to‑do list.

So if you’re after a floating runway, look overseas; if you want amphibious punch and disaster relief muscle, we’ve already got it in spades.