Why London Is Selling Its Warships for Some Extra Cash – The National Interest
The UK’s Admiralty Board doesn’t have a “fire sale.” Still, the Royal Navy has considered retiring and even selling some of its aging warships to free up funds for modernization efforts while reducing annual maintenance costs.
Among the warships sold off were the HMS Monmouth, a Type 23 Duke-class frigate in service for twenty-eight years. The retired vessel, known formerly as “The Black Duke,” was sold to NATO ally Turkey, but that marked the end of the line for the vessel, which was sent for recycling rather than service with the Turkish Navy.
Even at just over a quarter of a century, the HMS Monmouth was beyond its intended lifespan with the Royal Navy.
“This made the ship uneconomical to repair, with the frigate needing time-consuming and costly refits to have remained in service,” Forces News reported.
The Black Duke isn’t the only Type 23 to get the proverbial “pink slip.”
Three additional “Dukes” are now awaiting disposal, while three others have already been transferred to the Chilean Navy. One more was initially slated to be sold to BAE Systems, which would be employed as a training platform.
However, the retired HMS Argyll could instead head to Chile. According to reports in February, a transfer to Santiago is now being considered.
With these disposals and transfers, the Royal Navy will have just eight of its “Dukes” holding court, as the UK is replacing the aging frigates with the more modern Type 26 and Type 31 vessels.
The former, also known as the City-class, is designed to focus on anti-submarine warfare (ASW). At the same time, the latter, the Inspiration-class, will serve as general-purpose frigates and forward deployment.
The final Type 23, HMS St. Albans, will be retired in 2035.
It isn’t just the tiny surface combatants being retired from service with the Royal Navy. Two larger vessels, both of the senior service’s Albion-class amphibious assault ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, may also be journeying to South America, in this case: Brazil.
International military analyst firm Janes reported that “a Protocol of Intentions signed between the Brazilian Navy and the RN on April 2, paves the way for a potential acquisition of the Albion-class ships.” This is not a case of a South American naval arms race, as seen in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and Brazil isn’t looking to expand its blue-water naval capabilities.
Though Brasilia has been exploring options to bolster its capacity for amphibious and aviation operations, the warships could also prove crucial in disaster relief and humanitarian response following other catastrophic events.
“We have seen the need for Navy ships to support the population in the various calamities that have occurred due to climate variations, such as the floods that occurred in São Sebastião in 2023 and in Rio Grande do Sul in 2024,” explained the Brazilians Director of the Navy Directorate-General for Material Fleet Admiral Edgar Luiz Siqueira Barbosa.
According to Janes, Brazilian officials have conducted “initial technical inspections” of the vessels.
During the arms races, Brazil turned to the UK for newly constructed warships and acquired several retired Royal Navy vessels. That includes the former HMS Ocean, a helicopter carrier and fleet flagship, which was purchased in 2017 for £84.3 million.
Recommissioned as the Atlântico, the flattop now serves as the flagship of the Brazilian Navy.
“Several British ships, throughout the existence of the naval fleet, have been incorporated into the MB. They are quality ships, so we already have this good experience,” added Barbosa.
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock/ Jack Alex Vaughan.
Stay in the know with
The National Interest newsletter
© Copyright 2025 Center for the National Interest. All Rights Reserved.
source
This article was autogenerated from a news feed from CDO TIMES selected high quality news and research sources. There was no editorial review conducted beyond that by CDO TIMES staff. Need help with any of the topics in our articles? Schedule your free CDO TIMES Tech Navigator call today to stay ahead of the curve and gain insider advantages to propel your business!
Among the warships sold off were the HMS Monmouth, a Type 23 Duke-class frigate in service for twenty-eight years. The retired vessel, known formerly as “The Black Duke,” was sold to NATO ally Turkey, but that marked the end of the line for the vessel, which was sent for recycling rather than service with the Turkish Navy.
Even at just over a quarter of a century, the HMS Monmouth was beyond its intended lifespan with the Royal Navy.
“This made the ship uneconomical to repair, with the frigate needing time-consuming and costly refits to have remained in service,” Forces News reported.
The Black Duke isn’t the only Type 23 to get the proverbial “pink slip.”
Three additional “Dukes” are now awaiting disposal, while three others have already been transferred to the Chilean Navy. One more was initially slated to be sold to BAE Systems, which would be employed as a training platform.
However, the retired HMS Argyll could instead head to Chile. According to reports in February, a transfer to Santiago is now being considered.
With these disposals and transfers, the Royal Navy will have just eight of its “Dukes” holding court, as the UK is replacing the aging frigates with the more modern Type 26 and Type 31 vessels.
The former, also known as the City-class, is designed to focus on anti-submarine warfare (ASW). At the same time, the latter, the Inspiration-class, will serve as general-purpose frigates and forward deployment.
The final Type 23, HMS St. Albans, will be retired in 2035.
It isn’t just the tiny surface combatants being retired from service with the Royal Navy. Two larger vessels, both of the senior service’s Albion-class amphibious assault ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, may also be journeying to South America, in this case: Brazil.
International military analyst firm Janes reported that “a Protocol of Intentions signed between the Brazilian Navy and the RN on April 2, paves the way for a potential acquisition of the Albion-class ships.” This is not a case of a South American naval arms race, as seen in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and Brazil isn’t looking to expand its blue-water naval capabilities.
Though Brasilia has been exploring options to bolster its capacity for amphibious and aviation operations, the warships could also prove crucial in disaster relief and humanitarian response following other catastrophic events.
“We have seen the need for Navy ships to support the population in the various calamities that have occurred due to climate variations, such as the floods that occurred in São Sebastião in 2023 and in Rio Grande do Sul in 2024,” explained the Brazilians Director of the Navy Directorate-General for Material Fleet Admiral Edgar Luiz Siqueira Barbosa.
According to Janes, Brazilian officials have conducted “initial technical inspections” of the vessels.
During the arms races, Brazil turned to the UK for newly constructed warships and acquired several retired Royal Navy vessels. That includes the former HMS Ocean, a helicopter carrier and fleet flagship, which was purchased in 2017 for £84.3 million.
Recommissioned as the Atlântico, the flattop now serves as the flagship of the Brazilian Navy.
“Several British ships, throughout the existence of the naval fleet, have been incorporated into the MB. They are quality ships, so we already have this good experience,” added Barbosa.
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock/ Jack Alex Vaughan.
Stay in the know with
The National Interest newsletter
© Copyright 2025 Center for the National Interest. All Rights Reserved.
source
This article was autogenerated from a news feed from CDO TIMES selected high quality news and research sources. There was no editorial review conducted beyond that by CDO TIMES staff. Need help with any of the topics in our articles? Schedule your free CDO TIMES Tech Navigator call today to stay ahead of the curve and gain insider advantages to propel your business!
