HMS Albion (L14)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Albion.

HMS Albion pictured operating with Dutch Royal Marines.
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Albion
Ordered18 July 1996
BuilderBAE Systems Marine
Laid down23 May 1998 Barrow-in-Furness, England
Launched9 March 2001
Sponsored byThe Princess Royal
Commissioned19 June 2003
DecommissionedPlanned by March 2025
RefitMajor 2014–2017
HomeportHMNB Devonport, Plymouth
Identification
Motto
  • Fortiter, Fideliter, Feliciter
  • "Boldly, Faithfully, Successfully"
StatusExtended readiness; to be retired from service March 2025 -
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeAlbion-class amphibious transport dock
Displacement19,560 t (19,250 long tons; 21,560 short tons)
Length176 m (577 ft 5 in)
Beam28.9 m (94 ft 10 in)
Draught7.1 m (23 ft 4 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Wärtsilä Vasa 16V 32E diesel generators
  • 2 × Wärtsilä Vasa 4R 32E diesel generators
  • GE Power Conversion Full Electric Propulsion System, 2x electric motors and drives
  • Bow thruster
Speed18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Range8,000 miles (7,000 nmi; 13,000 km)
Boats & landing
craft carried
  • 2 × Pacific 22 Mk2
  • 4 × LCU MK10
  • 4 × LCVP MK5
Capacity67 vehicles
Troops405 Royal Marines (710 overload)[1][2]
Crew325
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 2 × Type 1007/8 I-band radars
  • 1 × Type 996 E/F band radar (until 2011)
  • 1 × Type 997 E/F-band radar (from 2017)
Armament
Aviation facilitiesTwo landing spots for helicopters up to the size of a Chinook.

HMS Albion is a landing platform dock of the Royal Navy, the first of the two-ship Albion class. Built by BAE Systems Marine in Barrow-in-Furness, Albion was launched in March 2001 by the Princess Royal. Her sister ship, Bulwark, was launched in November 2001, also from Barrow. Affiliated to the city of Chester and based in Plymouth, she is the ninth ship to carry the name Albion (after Albion, an ancient name of Great Britain), stretching back to the 74-gun 1763 warship, and last carried by an aircraft carrier decommissioned in 1973 after 19 years service. Designed as an amphibious warfare ship, Albion carries troops, normally Royal Marines, and vehicles up to the size of the Challenger 2 main battle tank. She can deploy these forces using four Landing Craft Utility (LCUs) and four Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVPs). A flight deck supports helicopter operations.

Albion's future came under review as part of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review. She was the fleet flagship from December 2010[4] until October 2011,[5][6] and then again from March 2018[7] until January 2021.[8] On 20 November 2024 Defence Secretary John Healey. announced that both Albion and her sister Bulwark would be withdrawn from service by March 2025.[9]

  1. ^ "Albion class". Military Today.com. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  2. ^ Beedall, Richard. "Albion class". Navy Matters. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013.
  3. ^ "In focus: the 50 cal heavy machine gun in Royal Navy service". Navy Lookout. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  4. ^ "HMS Albion assumes role of fleet flagship". Ministry of Defence. 10 December 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  5. ^ "HMS Bulwark becomes Royal Navy's new flagship". BBC News. 19 October 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  6. ^ "Bulwark Takes Over as UK Flagship After Nine-Month Work-Out". Royal Navy. 18 October 2011. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011.
  7. ^ "Future flagship Albion completes sea trials after £90m overhaul". Royal Navy. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  8. ^ "HMS Queen Elizabeth becomes British flagship". ukdefencejournal.org.uk. 27 January 2021. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  9. ^ Healy, John. "Written statement on defence capabilities".