In this snapshot of the Royal Navy and RFA’s current fleet status, UK Defence Journal looks at the status of individual ships and what they’re up to. Just over 19 percent of the Royal Navy’s major surface combatants are active or immediately deployable. If ships in maintenance are included, that figure reaches around 43 percent.
This percentage reflects the rigorous demands and complexities associated with maintaining a modern and technologically advanced fleet. coupled with crewing concerns.
When considering the ships currently in maintenance, which could realistically be regenerated and return to sea over a reasonable length of time, the total percentage of ships potentially ready for operations increases to around 43 percent. This higher percentage indicates a significant portion of the fleet is in a transitional phase of readiness, ensuring ongoing maintenance and upgrades are balanced with the need for available combatants at any given time.
The Royal Navy continues to meet its operational commitments, this article is not intended to explain the why, how or rationale for various levels of availability. A special word of gratitude goes to the diligent efforts of Open Source Intelligence analyst and renowned UK naval commentator, Britsky (@TBrit90). We deeply appreciate his permission to utilise information he gathered for this article, providing our readers with an insightful glimpse into the state of the Royal Navy and RFA.
Now, here are the figures.
The Royal Navy
Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers
Total Number: 2, Currently Active: 0 (0% of the class)
- HMS Queen Elizabeth: Maintenance at Rosyth.
- HMS Prince of Wales: Maintenance at Portsmouth.
Albion Class Landing Platform Docks
Total Number: 2, Currently Active: 0 (0% of the class)
- HMS Albion: Inactive.
- HMS Bulwark: Inactive, undergoing refit.
Type 45 Destroyers
Total Number: 6, Currently Active: 1 (16.67% of the class), Currently Inactive: 5 (83.33% of the class)
- HMS Daring: Refit at Portsmouth.
- HMS Dauntless: Maintenance at Portsmouth,
- HMS Diamond: Deployed in the Red Sea, participating in Operation Prosperity Guardian.
- HMS Dragon: Refit at Portsmouth.
- HMS Defender: Refit at Portsmouth.
- HMS Duncan: Maintenance at Portsmouth.
Type 23 Frigates
Total Number: 11, Currently Active: 3 (27.27% of the class), Currently Inactive: 8 (72.73% of the class)
- HMS Argyll: Refit at Devonport.
- HMS Lancaster: Deployed in the Indian Ocean, part of Operation Kipion.
- HMS Iron Duke: Maintenance at Portsmouth.
- HMS Northumberland: Refit at Devonport.
- HMS Richmond: Maintenance at Devonport.
- HMS Somerset: Maintenance at Devonport.
- HMS Kent: Refit at Devonport.
- HMS Portland: Active, operating in UK waters, serving in the TAPS role.
- HMS St Albans: Active, operating in the English Channel during work-up.
River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels
Total Number: 8, Currently Active: 5 (62.5% of the class), Currently Inactive: 1 (12.5% of the class, HMS Mersey in refit)
- HMS Tyne: Active, patrolling in Portsmouth.
- HMS Severn: Active, operating in the English Channel.
- HMS Mersey: Undergoing refit in Falmouth.
- HMS Forth: Deployed in the Falklands as a Falkland Islands Patrol Vessel (FIPV).
- HMS Medway: Deployed in Gibraltar.
- HMS Trent: Deployed in the Caribbean.
- HMS Tamar: Deployed to Fiji, operating in the Indo-Pacific.
- HMS Spey: Deployed in Japan, operating in the Indo-Pacific.
Hunt Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels
Total Number: 6, Currently Active: 3 (50% of the class), Currently Inactive: 3 (50% of the class)
- HMS Ledbury: In refit at Portsmouth.
- HMS Cattistock: Active, operating in Devonport.
- HMS Brocklesby: In refit at Portsmouth.
- HMS Middleton: Deployed in the Persian Gulf, part of Operation Kipion.
- HMS Chiddingfold: Deployed in the Persian Gulf, part of Operation Kipion.
- HMS Hurworth: Active, operating in Portsmouth.
Royal Navy Survey Vessels
- HMS Scott: Deployed in Gibraltar, performing ocean survey tasks.
- HMS Protector: Deployed in Canada as an icebreaker.
- HMS Magpie: Active, conducting shore surveys in Orkney.
Overview of Archer and Cutlass Class Patrol Boats
The Archer class vessels are pivotal to the Royal Navy’s training and patrol missions in UK waters and beyond. Of the sixteen Archer class patrol boats, a majority are currently active, with several deployed on missions outside the UK:
- HMS Archer, HMS Smiter, HMS Pursuer, HMS Dasher, HMS Puncher, HMS Charger, HMS Ranger, HMS Example, and HMS Explorer are all actively serving in various UK locations, fulfilling coastal patrol and navigational training roles.
- HMS Biter, HMS Blazer, HMS Trumpeter, and HMS Exploit are deployed in Norway, participating in joint operations and exercises with NATO allies.
- HMS Express and HMS Tracker are currently undergoing maintenance but are stationed at Cardiff and Clyde, respectively, poised to return to active duty upon completion.
The newer Cutlass class boats, designed for sovereignty and patrol missions around Gibraltar, are both active:
- HMS Cutlass and HMS Dagger are stationed in Gibraltar, forming part of the Gibraltar Squadron. These boats are integral to the Navy’s commitment to securing the strategic waters around Gibraltar.
Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA)
Tide Class Fleet Replenishment Tankers:
- RFA Tidespring: Active, operating in Portland.
- RFA Tiderace: Inactive, stationed in Birkenhead.
- RFA Tidesurge: Active, operating in Portland.
- RFA Tideforce: Undergoing refit in Birkenhead.
Wave Class Fleet Replenishment Tankers:
- RFA Wave Knight: In reserve, located in Portsmouth.
- RFA Wave Ruler: In reserve, located in Liverpool.
Fort Class Stores Ship:
- RFA Fort Victoria: Inactive, stationed in Birkenhead.
Bay Class Landing Ship Docks:
- RFA Lyme Bay: Deployed in the Indian Ocean, supporting the Littoral Response Group South (LRG(S)).
- RFA Mounts Bay: Active, located in Falmouth, supporting the Littoral Response Group North (LRG(N)).
- RFA Cardigan Bay: Deployed in Cyprus, heading to Gaza.
Miscellaneous Major Vessels
- RFA Argus: Deployed in the Indian Ocean, supporting the Littoral Response Group South (LRG(S)).
- RFA Proteus: Active, operating in the English Channel.
- RFA Stirling Castle: Undergoing maintenance in Birkenhead.
