"Centaur" was refitted at Portsmouth from September 1960 until March 1961, during which the upgraded arrestor wires were fitted and additional air-conditioning units installed. Her new commanding officer, Captain J.A.C.Henley, RN, had already joined the ship on 18 August 1960. Following sea-trials off Portland in March, she embarked her new air group during April, consisting of between six and eight Scimitar F1 of 807 Squadron, between six and nine Sea Vixen FAW1 of 893 Squadron, four Fairey Gannet AEW3 of 849 Squadron, A Flight, and eight Whirlwind HAS7 of 824 Squadron.