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Royal Navy Faces Frigate Delays Amid Fleet Transition

1/6/2026

49 7 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

As of January 2026, the Royal Navy operates seven frigates.
HMS Kent is undergoing deep maintenance and is unavailable.
Six frigates remain available for deployment.
The fleet is transitioning from Type 23s to Type 26 and Type 31.
Delays and cost overruns may affect eight Type 26 and five Type 31 frigates by the late 2020s to early 2030s, per the National Infrastructure & Service Transformation Authority.

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Story summary

As of January 2026, the Royal Navy operates seven frigates.
HMS Kent is undergoing deep maintenance and is unavailable.
Six frigates remain available for deployment.
The fleet is transitioning from Type 23s to Type 26 and Type 31.
Delays and cost overruns may affect eight Type 26 and five Type 31 frigates by the late 2020s to early 2030s, per the National Infrastructure & Service Transformation Authority.