The UK will decommission Albion-class amphibious assault ships, one Type 23 frigate and Wave-class tankers by March 2025.

British Navy Albion-class amphibious assault ship HMS Albion (L 14). (Michael Nitz)

The UK Government has announced plans to decommission the Royal Navy’s (RN) Albion-class amphibious assault ships. Albion (L 14) and HMS Bastion (L 15), Duke-class frigate HMS (Type 23). Northumberland (F 238) and Wave RFA class large fleet tankers of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Knight of Waves (A 389) and RFA Lord of Waves (A 390).

In an oral statement to the House of Commons on 20 November and an associated written ministerial statement, Secretary of State for Defense John Healey announced the decision to withdraw the ships from service as part of a wider decommissioning of equipment. Northumberland it is currently scheduled to be decommissioned in March 2025, with the Albion and Wave classes scheduled to be retired by the end of the same month.

Healey said so Albion AND Bastion have not gone to sea since 2023 and 2017 respectively and are on a reduced state of readiness, with no plans to return to sea before the originally planned decommissioning dates of 2033 and 2034. He added that the ships “in fact, have been suspended , but their maintenance still cost the taxpayer around £9 million ($11.3 million) a year.” He added that most of the ship companies have already been reassigned and the rest will be reallocated after the ships are decommissioned.

Limitation of damage

Healey said the ships were to be replaced by planned multi-mission support ships (MRSS), with the British commando force being supported by three Bay-class landing dock auxiliaries and the main casualty receiving ship RFA Argus

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