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British Royal Navy (2023)


Current Active Inventory: 51 Fleet Units


United Kingdom National Flag Graphic
Like other modern powers, balance is the name of the game for the British Royal Navy. The service puts a premium on multi-mission warships with nearly a quarter of tis force dedicated to frigates followed by a focus on mine warfare and then submarines. Unlike similar powers Canada and Australia, the service does one better by featuring a pair of all-modern dedicated aircraft carriers sporting the fixed-wing F-35 Lighting II strike fighter as its core offensive system. Beyond this, the new warships, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales are outfitted with advanced sensors, processing systems, and communication solutions making them the centerpiece of the fleet. Ten submarines are featured of which four belong to the new Astute-class, the rest turning ever-older with age. The six-strong destroyer force is comprised of the Daring-class and these have all been commissioned within the last twelve years - making them quite new, though proven, additions. The frigate fleet continues to advance in age with each passing year, the Duke-class numbering twelve available vessels with the oldest hulls having reached thirty years of service. The mine warfare ofrce consists of eleven vessels which are also up in age, the oldest units pushing into their forties now. OPVs are the River-class with hald of these being relatively new vessels. The amphibious assault force is HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, both reaching twenty years of service soon. On order are three fleet submarines to strengthen and replace the current undersea force.

The following represents an overview of the modern naval fighting capabilities of the British Royal Navy (2023). The service currently counts 51 total units in its active naval inventory. This total includes frontline commissioned vessels but excludes smaller patrol vessels, auxiliary / survey ships, replenishment, and historical ceremonial types. The WDMMW review takes into account specific categories of warships covering attack, defense, and general support designs. Inventory numbers and related unit types are provided as-is and derived from publically-available information / sources. "On Order" totals found at the bottom of this article are related to any future hulls currently under procurement/construction though said hulls may not be delivered for service in the current year for various reasons.

Updated: 9/16/2023 | © www.WDMMW.org




Total Hulls: 51

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TvR
88.3
TrueValue Rating takes incorporates strengths/weaknesses matched against the highest-rated service ( USN (323.9).
Global Rank
9 /37
Global Rank as compared to national powers of WDMMW. 37 total naval services from 37 nations are tracked. View Current Ranks.
Force Concentration

Carriers: 2 units
Submarines: 10 units
Fleet Core: 37 units
Amphib Asslt: 2 units
Force Balance

AVERAGE

Fleet covers basic operating requirements by addressing primary categories.

Suppliers


National flag of the United Kingom
Hull Prefix
"HMS"
Established
1546
(477 yrs ago)
as the "Royal Navy"
Median Hull Age
17.7
Years
Hull Age Visualization

Unit Age Color Key




0 to 15yrs

16 to 25yrs

26 to 30yrs

>30yrs


Aircraft Carriers (2)


Hulls defined as those designed primarily to launch, retreive, and maintain fixed-wing and/or rotary-wing aircraft; nuclear- or conventionally-powered.

OUTLOOK
STABLE
 
6yrs
Queen Elizabeth
R08
Queen Elizabeth-class
4yrs
Prince of Wales
R09
Queen Elizabeth-class

Total Units: 2 (4%)




Submarines (10)


Hulls developed for undersea/submersible operation; nuclear-powered or conventionally-powered.

OUTLOOK
POSITIVE
 
30yrs
Vanguard
S28
Vanguard-class
28yrs
Victorious
S29
Vanguard-class
27yrs
Vigilant
S30
Vanguard-class
24yrs
Vengeance
S31
Vanguard-class
13yrs
Astute
S119
Astute-class
10yrs
Ambush
S120
Astute-class
7yrs
Artful
S121
Astute-class
2yrs
Audacious
S122
Astute-class
33yrs
Talent
S92
Trafalgar-class
32yrs
Triumph
S93
Trafalgar-class

Total Units: 10 (20%)




Destroyers (6)


Multi-mission hulls developed for Blue Water environment; operating independently or as part of the main surface fleet.

OUTLOOK
STABLE
 
14yrs
Daring
D32
Daring-class
13yrs
Dauntless
D33
Daring-class
12yrs
Diamond
D34
Daring-class
11yrs
Dragon
D35
Daring-class
10yrs
Defender
D36
Daring-class
10yrs
Duncan
D37
Daring-class

Total Units: 6 (12%)




Frigates (12)


Hulls defined as dimensionally smaller than Destroyers, though larger than corvettes, having Blue Water capabilities.

OUTLOOK
POSITIVE
 
32yrs
Argyll
F231
Duke-class
31yrs
Lancaster
F229
Duke-class
30yrs
Iron Duke
F234
Duke-class
29yrs
Montrose
F236
Duke-class
29yrs
Westminster
F237
Duke-class
29yrs
Northumberland
F238
Duke-class
28yrs
Richmond
F239
Duke-class
27yrs
Somerset
F82
Duke-class
26yrs
Sutherland
F81
Duke-class
23yrs
Lent
F78
Duke-class
22yrs
Portland
F79
Duke-class
21yrs
St Albans
F83
Duke-class

Total Units: 12 (24%)


NOTES: The Duke-class will be succeeded by the under-construction Inspiration- and City-class guided-missile frigates.




Mine Warfare (11)


Hulls outfitted for the purpose of mine countermeasures/countermine warfare.

OUTLOOK
STABLE
 
42yrs
Ledbury
M30
Hunt-class
41yrs
Cattistock
M31
Hunt-class
40yrs
Brocklesby
M33
Hunt-class
39yrs
Middleton
M34
Hunt-class
39yrs
Chiddingfold
M37
Hunt-class
38yrs
Hurworth
M39
Hunt-class
25yrs
Penzance
M106
Sandown-class
25yrs
Pembroke
M107
Sandown-class
24yrs
Grimsby
M108
Sandown-class
23yrs
Bangor
M109
Sandown-class
22yrs
Shoreham
M112
Sandown-class

Total Units: 11 (22%)




Offshore Patrol Vessels (8)


Hulls defined as OPVs and outfitted for the purpose of close-to-shore defense / deterrence.

OUTLOOK
STABLE
 
20yrs
Tyne
P281
River-class
20yrs
Severn
P282
River-class
20yrs
Mersey
P283
River-class
5yrs
Forth
P222
River-class
4yrs
Medway
P223
River-class
3yrs
Trent
P224
River-class
3yrs
Tamar
P233
River-class
2yrs
Spey
P234
River-class

Total Units: 8 (16%)




Amphibious Assault (2)


Hulls designed specifically for the support of amphibious-minded, offshore / close-to-shore operations.

OUTLOOK
STABLE
 
20yrs
Albion
L14
Albion-class
19yrs
Bulwark
L15
Albion-class

Total Units: 2 (4%)




On Order (16)


Hulls set to be delivered in the current procurement year or in subsequent year(s).

Anson
Fleet Submarine
Agamemnon
Fleet Submarine
Agincourt
Fleet Submarine
Type 31
Frigate
Type 31
Frigate
Type 31
Frigate
Type 31
Frigate
Type 31
Frigate
Type 26
Frigate
Type 26
Frigate
Type 26
Frigate
Type 26
Frigate
Type 26
Frigate
Type 26
Frigate
Type 26
Frigate
Type 26
Frigate

Total Units: 16


On Order Commitment: 16 Units


Related Powers



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French Navy
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Royal Australian Navy
National flag graphic
Royal Canadian Navy
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