The Royal Navy has formally retired HMS Lancaster, its longest serving Type 23 frigate, following more than three decades of global operations.
The ship will not return to the UK for decommissioning and will instead be prepared for disposal in Bahrain.
The Royal Navy noted the milestone publicly, stating on X that its longest serving frigate has been retired after decades of operational service.
Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Steve Moorhouse told personnel that Lancaster’s service record far exceeded her intended lifespan. He noted that the frigate, originally built for 18 years of service, delivered almost 35 years of operational output across multiple theatres. In remarks to the fleet, Moorhouse said that “HMS Lancaster is approaching the end of her long and distinguished service with the Royal Navy” and urged sailors to recognise her contribution. He highlighted her three year deployment in the Middle East as a defining period of recent activity, stating that her performance had been “simply exceptional”.
During that deployment, Lancaster was the first Royal Navy vessel on task in the Red Sea during the height of regional threat activity in December 2023, and she conducted a series of narcotics seizures valued at more than £150 million. “An immensely successful 35 years”, Moorhouse said, reflecting on his own tenure as a former commanding officer. The decision not to extend Lancaster’s certification or sail her home marks a pragmatic shift as the fleet transitions toward newer platforms. Moorhouse acknowledged that some would be disappointed not to see the ship return to the UK but said the choice reflects a desire to honour a vessel that has already delivered “every ounce of operational capability”.
He paid tribute to Lancaster’s crew for their professionalism, and to their families for sustained support. The intention is to return as many personnel as possible to the UK for Christmas while disposal preparations begin in Bahrain.
The Royal Navy say it maintains a continuous presence in the Gulf, and Lancaster’s retirement will not alter the role of the UK Maritime Component Command in Bahrain, which remains central to regional operations alongside allies and partners.
HMS Lancaster
HMS Lancaster is a Type 23 Duke class frigate launched in 1990 by Queen Elizabeth II and often referred to as The Queen’s Frigate because the Duke of Lancaster is one of the Sovereign’s subsidiary titles. It was initially assigned the pennant number F232 until the Royal Navy realised that 232 corresponded to the report code for collisions and groundings, which they considered inauspicious. As one of the early ships of its class, Lancaster never received the Sonar 2087 upgrade and is therefore treated as a general-purpose frigate rather than a specialist anti-submarine platform.
Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders, the ship was laid down in 1987, launched in 1990 and commissioned in 1992. It has undergone major refits, including one between 2010 and 2012 and another LIFEX overhaul from 2017 to 2019. Lancaster remains in active service and is projected to remain so until 2025 while being forward deployed to Operation Kipion from its homeport at Portsmouth. Its complement is about 185, with capacity for 205.
Lancaster displaces roughly 4,900 tons and uses a CODLAG propulsion system capable of speeds over 28 knots with a range of 7,500 nautical miles at cruising speed. Its armament includes a 32-cell Sea Ceptor vertical launching system, Harpoon anti-ship missiles retained on this vessel through 2024, Sting Ray torpedoes, a 4.5-inch naval gun and various small-calibre weapons. The frigate carries either a Wildcat HMA2 or a Merlin HM2 helicopter along with Peregrine ISR UAVs from 2024, operating from a flight deck and enclosed hangar.
Yet another sad day for the Royal Navy in particular and the U.K.’s dwindling capability in general. There seems to be no end to the destruction of our armed forces.
Bit dramatic Geoff but take your point. There are several replacements in build but it would seem this would introduce a bit of a gap. That said the T45s are potentially coming to a better place or indeed one of our allies might fancy filling the gap.
Why would our allies fill in for our incompetence.
T45 cannot be spared for this position, and it certainly can’t cover the ASW gap
Why couldn’t they wait a tad longer for the T31 to come into service? Aren’t the T31 being ordered for “East of the Suez” ops or has that changed? Is this retreating in influence and presence being replaced by anything?
Thank you to the crew of HMS Lancaster. For those who have served on it over the last few years, it must be sad to see it go. No celebration. No final farewell in Blighty. No money for sentiment. Just work it up to the last minute and dispose of it cheaply and locally.
What next? Is the end of the UK presence in the Gulf? There was speculation of sending two of the B2 Rivers to the Gulf as a placeholder presence. Has anyone heard if that’s still a thing?
Interesting that “decommissioning” is scheduled to take place in Bahrain. Is this due to lack of space in a UK Naval dockyards, or because they are intending to sell on to a country in the region/ south Asia ?