Through 2024, the UK frigate availability has languished in the mid-single figures following the disclose that six of its Type 23 warships were available for operations as of 31 October, a level that was described as providing “sufficient assets” to cover global requirements.
This is only a slight increase over the five Type 23 frigates operational in April 2024, according to official figures from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).
A reduced fleet of nine Type 23 frigates are still in service, although HMS Northumberland, entered the PGMU refit process in Q1 2024 and may not return to sea, and another vessel, HMS Kent, began PGMU in Q2 this year.
“Readiness is a priority for this government. Options to improve the readiness and availability of the Royal Navy surface fleet forms a key part of the ongoing Strategic Defence Review,” stated Luke Pollard, UK Minister for the Armed Forces, on 6 November.
The Chief of the UK Defence Staff and former First Sea Lord, Admiral Tony Radakin, has made increasing availability of platforms a mantra during this tenure, as the services bid to extract every last service hour from what are ageing inventories – particularly in the land and naval domains.
By comparison, China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has approximately 140 frigates commissioned in service, comprised of around 50 Jiangkai-class frigates, which range from 112-133m in length, and the more modern Jiangkai II guided missiles frigates (FFG), with 40 operational vessels, according to the US Office for Naval Intelligence.
The PLAN also has 50 Jiangdao light frigates operational, which could be classified as corvettes, with a length of 90m. In addition, multiple Jiangkai Mod II and III FFGs are known to be under construction.
As a proportion, the total UK Royal Navy frigate fleet of nine Type 23 vessels represents just 6% of the PLAN’s corresponding frigate force.
Extracting service from the Type 23s
A total of four Type 23 frigates have been retired from service in recent years, these being HMS Monmouth (2021), HMS Montrose (2023), HMS Argyll (2024), and HMS Westminster (2024).
The potential sale of HMS Argyll to BAE Systems is still ongoing, while, despite having been removed from operational service, the disposal method of HMS Westminster has not been finalised.
The exact expected out-of-service dates (OSD) for the remaining Type 23 frigates is guarded by the UK MoD, although vessels were last known to be scheduled to leave service from 2024 (HMS Lancaster, currently deployed in the Middle East) through to 2035 (HMS St Albans, the newest Type 23, commissioned in 2002).
Each ship of the class was originally intended to have an 18-year service life before replacement, but this has been extended through a series of refits and recertifications.
With HMS Lancaster not due to leave service until 2025 at the earliest, the efforts being undertaken by the Royal Navy to sustain its frigate fleet beyond their planned OSD are increasingly clear. This includes the PGMU process, although as the vessels age, they are becoming more difficult to maintain.
According to 2023 data, from 2011-2017 each of the then 13 Type 23 frigates underwent a LIFEX or refit period, with the duration of each programme ranging from 12 months up to 36 months. From 2018 onwards this increased to between 37-49 months.
In line with vessel class certification rules, the OSD of warships can be extended for a maximum of six years following completion of each upkeep maintenance programme.
The cost to refit and maintain the ageing class is also a factor, with HMS Iron Duke’s 2023 refit costing more than £100m ($125m). By comparison, in the financial year 2023-24, £100m was allocated for Type 23 refits, according to official figures.
HMS Dauntless returns to operations
Meanwhile, in mid-October the Type 45 air defence destroyer HMS Dauntless left HMNB Devonport and returned to UK waters after the completion of its recertification period, which included the rectification of operational defects, installation of capability upgrades, and maintenance.
The Type 45 Daring-class destroyer is set to join Exercise Strike Warrior, an autumn training programme which involves the UK carrier strike group and international warships forming together for a myriad of tasks, according to the UK Defence Equipment & Support, an arm of the country’s MoD.
The exercise is considered a precursor for the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales’ deployment to Japan and the Indo-Pacific region in 2025.
In addition, just two of six Type 45 destroyers were "immediately available, or deployed" for operations, as of 31 October 2024, according to official figures.
The Type 45 class as a whole is undergoing a unique Power Improvement Programme (PIP) in a bid to solve long-standing propulsion issues faced by the class while on operations.
