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Ageing assault ships to be decommissioned

The HMS 'Albion' and HMS 'Bulwark' will be decommisioned,, alongside the HMS 'Northumberland', as well as several other capabilities, the Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed in Parliament on Nov 20, 2024, as part of a broader push to modernise the UK Armed Forces. The decision comes as part of a series of measures to retire what the Government called outdated military equipment, saving £150 million over the next two years and up to £500 million over five years. The HMS 'Albion' and HMS 'Bulwark' had already been in extended readiness under previous governments, incurring significant maintenance costs without being actively deployed. Both ships were effectively retired by previous ministers but superficially kept on the books at a cost of £9 million a year. The HMS 'Northumberland' has been deemed uneconomical to repair due to structural damage. The decommissioning decisions were made in close consultation with service chiefs and align with the ongoing Strategic Defence Review (SDR).