𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The Royal Navy has been left with only five active frigates after another warship was withdrawn, it has emerged. It is believed HMS Iron Duke is unlikely to set sail again, heaping further pressure on the stretched Senior Service.

HMS Iron Duke has reportedly been stripped of her weapons and sensors.

The Type 23 frigate has not been to sea since October and has been effectively withdrawn from active service, according to specialist website Navy Lookout.

It comes less than three years after the warship completed a five-year life extension programme, costing £103 million.

The Navy’s Duke-class Type 23 frigates have an end of service date in 2035 but are gradually being retired.

There has been no formal decommissioning announcement regarding HMS Iron Duke.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said any decision will be announced “in the usual way”.

Retiring HMS Iron Duke would leave the Navy with just five frigates, with HMS Richmond’s decommissioning this year confirmed.

The Type 23s are mainly used to monitor potential Russian activity in waters around the UK, with Iron Duke regularly used to shadow Russian warships in the English Channel.

They are to be replaced by 13 Type 26 and Type 32 frigates in the coming years.

However, it remains to be seen as to when they will be ready for frontline duties.

HMS Iron Duke — popular for its name — is the Navy’s fifth Type 23 after being commissioned in 1993.

The Duke-class were intended to have a 18-year service life, meaning the ships are now operating far beyond their initial designed lifespan.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “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.”