The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is considering the sale of two decommissioned amphibious assault ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, of the Albion class.

This was reported by the UK Defence Journal.

The ships are currently docked awaiting scrapping, but both scrapping and resuming operations would require significant funding.

As a result, the possibility of selling the ships to other countries’ navies is being considered.

It is reported that the sale will save the UK £9 million in annual maintenance costs and generate additional revenue from their sale.

The decommissioning of the two Albion amphibious assault ships is due to the lack of crews to ensure their operation and maintain their readiness for deployment.

Currently, both vessels are in reserve, but in the absence of buyers, they are likely to be disposed of. According to unofficial reports, the Brazilian Navy is considering the purchase of the HMS Bulwark.

The HMS Albion is in a much worse technical condition, making its sale unlikely.

Decommissioning of Royal Navy ships

In November, Militarnyi reported that the British Ministry of Defense was withdrawing five ships from the fleet due to a lack of funds for their maintenance and repair.

The Defense Ministry reported that the decommissioning of ships to save budgetary funds is a rational step against the backdrop of a limited military budget, which is why some areas are underfunded.

The list of ships to be decommissioned includes the frigate HMS Northumberland, two Albion-type amphibious assault ships (HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark), and two Royal Auxiliary tankers – RFA Wave Ruler and RFA Wave Knight.

The decommissioning of the ships is primarily due to economic difficulties and a shortage of crews. Most of the ships currently have no crews, and some of them are to be scrapped due to the lack of timely repairs in the past.