HMS Iron Duke warship quietly ‘withdrawn from Royal Navy’ leaving force with just five active frigates
Reports that an aging frigate has been quietly withdrawn from the Royal Navy
A warship has been effectively withdrawn from the Royal Navy, leaving the force with five active frigates, according to a report.
HMS Iron Duke has been stripped of its weapons and sensors and has not been at sea since last October, specialist news website Navy Lookout reported, though no formal decommissioning announcement has been made.
She had been been laid up in Portsmouth since 2017, and arrived in Devonport to begin life extension refit (LIFEX) in May 2019, finally emerging in May 2023.
The frigate’s main duties ever since have been to monitor Russian vessels passing through the English Channel, but she has played little part in overseas operations and has been largely inactive, with further plans to upgrade her seemingly abandoned.
(Watch the video embedded in this story to see her in action)
As previously reported by The News, the Ministry of Defence is replacing its Type 23 frigates – of which the Plymouth-based HMS Iron Duke is one – with eight anti-submarine warfare ships, known as Type 26 frigates, which are expected to enter the fleet before 2030.
These are due to be supported by five general purpose Type 31 frigates as the Navy seeks to modernise its fleet with plans to build a “hybrid” force – made up of crewed ships alongside drones and other “cutting-edge” technology – set out by First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins.
In November last year, the Government confirmed that a conversion project for HMS Iron Duke had been cancelled.
“Given the platform’s remaining service life, the time required to complete the conversion, and competing operational priorities, the benefits of proceeding did not justify the additional cost or extended period out of service,” defence minister Luke Pollard said.
Responding to a request for comment about the reported withdrawal of the warship, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said on Monday: “The Royal Navy keeps planned out-of-service dates under continual review as part of routine force planning, balancing operational requirements and affordability. Any decommissioning decisions will be announced in the usual way.
“Through the Strategic Defence Review, we are building a new hybrid Navy – investing in world-class submarines and cutting-edge warships, transforming our aircraft carriers, and introducing autonomous vessels to patrol the North Atlantic and beyond.”