HMS Barracuda is the lead ship of the Barracuda-class submarine aircraft carriers. Designed to combine the air superiority of the Royal Air Force with the long reach of the Royal Navy, the Barracuda-class was intended to provide the British Empire with an airborne striking force anywhere in the world. Launched in 1931 at Barrow-in-Furness, HMS Barracuda was first deployed as a propaganda tool, appearing at several exhibitions and air shows, using her prodigious onboard aircraft capacity as part of the displays.