The Royal Navy (RN) is set to be left with just five frigates in service after announcing the retirement of two Type 23 frigates, HMS Richmond and HMS Iron Duke, alongside the Hunt-class minehunter HMS Chiddingfold.
In a release dated 13 July, the Navy said the three vessels would leave service because “the cost and risk of maintaining them continues to increase”.
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The move would reduce the frigate force, which once stood at 13, to five.
The Duke-class, also known Type 23 frigates, was originally designed for anti-submarine warfare during the Cold War, but the RN said the ships have been used in a wide range of roles over more than three decades.
Most recently, HMS Richmond took part in the UK Carrier Strike Group’s deployment to the Indo-Pacific in 2025, operating alongside HMS Prince of Wales.
The Navy also said HMS Iron Duke had been among the fleet’s most frequently tasked vessels, including operations to “monitor and track Russian warships approaching areas of national interest”.
HMS Chiddingfold, meanwhile, had spent much of the past two decades operating from Bahrain, supporting maritime security in the Middle East with allies and partners to maintain freedom of navigation through busy waterways.
According to RN, the retirements is part of a wider shift in capabilities. HMS Richmond’s anti-submarine warfare role would be carried forward by the Type 26 City-class frigates, led by HMS Glasgow, while HMS Iron Duke’s responsibilities would transition to the Type 31 Inspiration-class frigates currently under construction.
“Retiring them now allows reinvestment in the next generation of Type 26 and Type 31 frigates and advanced autonomous capabilities,” the RN said.
For mine warfare, the Navy said HMS Chiddingfold’s role would be carried forward through autonomous and remotely operated systems, which it said were already being deployed and tested operationally, with the aim of reducing risk to personnel.
The announcement also comes as the RN transitions to what it calls a Hybrid Navy.
In its recently announced Defence Investment Plan, the UK Ministry of Defence allocated £1.3bn for the hybrid fleet and £1.1bn for the Mine Hunting Capability programme.
This approach is intended to combine autonomous systems with next-generation warships, aircraft, submarines and uncrewed platforms to boost reach, resilience and operational advantage.
However, the timeline set out in the release suggests a gap before replacement frigates enter service.
HMS Glasgow is due to be commissioned from 2028 “at the earliest”, with most new ships expected to enter service during the 2030s.
Last month, officials at the UK MoD also appeared to have stated that delivery of the Type 31 frigates could slip further.
HMS Venturer, the first of five planned Type 31s and currently being fitted out at Babcock’s Rosyth shipyard, was described as being expected to be handed over later in 2026 or early 2027 to begin sea trials.
