The Royal Navy is the principal naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Its assets include both commissioned warships and non-commissioned vessels. As of December 2025, there are 63 commissioned ships, including auxiliary ships, in the Royal Navy. However, increasingly many of the Royal Navy's ships are old and some have proven to be minimally seaworthy. The situation has been described in the media and by some politicians as a national embarrassment. According to the Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, the Royal Navy has effectively run out of ships. According to Gwyn Jenkins, the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, the Royal Navy will not be ready for an armed conflict until 2030.
Of the commissioned vessels, fifteen are major surface combatants (two aircraft carriers, six guided missile destroyers and seven frigates) and ten are nuclear-powered submarines (four ballistic missile submarines and six fleet submarines). In addition the Navy possesses eight mine countermeasures vessels, twenty-six patrol vessels, two survey vessels, one icebreaker and one historic warship, .
The total displacement of the Royal Navy's commissioned and active ships is approximately 401,600 tonnes.
The Royal Navy also includes several smaller non-commissioned assets. The naval training vessels and Hindostan can be found based at the Royal Navy stone frigates and the Britannia Royal Naval College, respectively. Non-commissioned Sea-class workboats, procured under Project Vahana, are operated by the Royal Navy in various support, survey and training roles, replacing previous P1000 Class Picket Boat vessels. This class of vessel also incorporates an autonomous minehunting variant (known as the Arcims-class), while another autonomous vessel, Madfox, is employed in varied roles including as a testbed for autonomous combat operations. Madfox and other experimental vessels, including XV Patrick Blackett and APAC-24 (a crewless Pacific 24 rigid-hulled inflatable boat), are operated by the Fleet Experimentation Squadron within the Disruptive Capabilities and Technologies Office. As of 2025, XV Excalibur, an Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV), was also operated by the Squadron and Kraken Technologies.
Besides the Royal Navy, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) and the Royal Marines operate their own flotillas of vessels which complement the assets of the Royal Navy. These vessels are not included in this list or the above figures. Nevertheless, combined, the Royal Navy and RFA have 72 vessels with a total displacement of about 645,600 tonnes, with the principal landing craft of the Royal Marines having an additional combined displacement of about 2,200 tonnes.
As a supporting contingent of His Majesty's Naval Service, the civilian Marine Services operate nearly 100 auxiliary ships (including coastal logistics, tugs and research vessels) in support of Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary operations.
In the United Kingdom, the Royal Navy operates three main bases where commissioned ships are based: HMNB Portsmouth, HMNB Devonport and HMNB Clyde. A number of commissioned vessels, belonging to the University Royal Naval Units (URNU), are stationed at various other locations around the United Kingdom.
The Royal Navy's principal overseas base is in Bahrain. However, as of early 2026 there were no crewed vessels permanently based there.
Two fast patrol boats normally form part of the Gibraltar Squadron and are permanently based there. Some River-class offshore patrol vessels are also forward-deployed: including in the Falkland Islands, in the Indo-Pacific region and, somewhat more intermittently, in the Caribbean or out of Gibraltar. Additionally, the United Kingdom maintains a Joint Logistics Support Base in Duqm, Oman.
All ships and submarines currently in commission with the Royal Navy were built in the United Kingdom, with the exceptions of icebreaker which was built in Norway, the survey vessel which was substantially built in Ireland, and the specialist mine countermeasures vessel , a former vessel of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary originally built in Romania. All commissioned vessels of the Royal Navy bear the ship prefix "HMS", for His Majesty's Ship or His Majesty's Submarine.
Ceremonial/Historic ship
{|class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; width:100%;"
|+Flagship of the First Sea Lord
|-
!style="align: center; background: #CEF6F5;" colspan="8"|Classic first-rate (1)
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Class
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Ship
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|No.
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Commissioned
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Displacement
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Type
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Homeport
! style="text-align:center; width:2%;"|Note
|-
! rowspan="1"| Ship of the line
| || align="center"| — || 1778 || 3,556 tonnes || First-rate ship of the line || Portsmouth ||
|}
Submarine service
{|class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; width:100%;"
|+Submarine service
|-
!style="align: center; background: #CEF6F5;" colspan="8"|Strategic (4)
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Class
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Boat
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Pennant No.
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Commissioned
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Displacement
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Type
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Homeport
! style="text-align:center; width:2%;"|Note
|-
! rowspan="4"|
| || S28 || 1993 || rowspan="4"|15,900 tonnes || rowspan="4"|Ballistic missile submarine || rowspan="4" |Clyde ||
|-
| || S29 || 1995 ||
|-
| || S30 || 1996 ||
|-
| || S31 || 1999 ||
|-
!style="align: center; background: #CEF6F5;" colspan="8"|Fleet (6)
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Class
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Boat
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Pennant No.
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Commissioned
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Displacement
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Type
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Homeport
! style="text-align:center; width:2%;"|Note
|-
! rowspan="6"|
| || S119 || 2010 || rowspan="6"|7,400 tonnes || rowspan="6" |Fleet submarine || rowspan="6" |Clyde ||
|-
| || S120 || 2013 ||
|-
| || S121 || 2016 ||
|-
| || S122 || 2021 ||
|-
| || S123 || 2022 ||
|-
| || S124 || 2025 ||
|-
|}
Surface fleet
{|class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; width:100%;"
|+Surface fleet
|-
!style="align: center; background: #CEF6F5;" colspan="8"|Aircraft carriers (2)
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Class
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Ship
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|No.
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Commissioned
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Displacement
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Type
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Homeport
! style="text-align:center; width:2%;"|Note
|-
! rowspan="2"|
| || R08 || 2017 ||rowspan="2"| 80,600 tonnes || rowspan="2"|Aircraft carrier || rowspan="2" |Portsmouth ||
|-
| || R09 || 2019 ||
|-
!style="align: center; background: #CEF6F5;" colspan="8"|Destroyers (6)
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Class
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Ship
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|No.
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Commissioned
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Displacement
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Type
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Homeport
! style="text-align:center; width:2%;"|Note
|-
! rowspan="6"| Type 45 / Daring class
| || D32 || 2009 || rowspan="6"|8,500 tonnes || rowspan="6"|Anti-air guided-missile destroyer|| rowspan="6" |Portsmouth ||
|-
| || D33 || 2010 ||
|-
| || D34 || 2011 ||
|-
| || D35 || 2012 ||
|-
| || D36 || 2013 ||
|-
| || D37 || 2013 ||
|-
!style="align: center; background: #CEF6F5;" colspan="8"|Frigates (6)
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Class
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Ship
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|No.
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Commissioned
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Displacement
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Type
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Homeport
! style="text-align:center; width:2%;"|Note
|-
! rowspan="7" | Type 23 / Duke class
|-
| || F239 || 1995 ||
|-
| || F82 || 1996 ||
|-
| || F81 || 1997 ||
|-
| || F78 || 2000 ||
|-
| || F79 || 2001 ||
|-
| || F83 || 2002 ||
|-
!style="align: center; background: #CEF6F5;" colspan="8"|Offshore patrol (8)
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Class
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Ship
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|No.
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Commissioned
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Displacement
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Type
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Homeport
! style="text-align:center; width:2%;"|Note
|-
! rowspan="8" |
| || P281 || 2003 || rowspan="3" |1,700 tonnes || rowspan="8" |Offshore patrol vessel || rowspan="8" |Portsmouth ||
|-
| || P282 || 2003 and 2021 ||
|-
| || P283 || 2003 ||
|-
| || P222 || 2018 || rowspan="5" |2,000 tonnes ||
|-
| || P223 || 2019 ||
|-
| || P224 || 2020 ||
|-
| || P233 || 2020 ||
|-
| || P234 || 2021 ||
|-
!style="align: center; background: #CEF6F5;" colspan="8"|Mine countermeasures (8)
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Class
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Ship
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|No.
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Commissioned
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Displacement
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Type
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Homeport
! style="text-align:center; width:2%;"|Note
|-
! rowspan="6"|
| || M30 || 1981 || rowspan="6"|750 tonnes || rowspan="7"|Minehunter || rowspan="6" |Portsmouth
|
|-
| || M31 || 1982 ||
|-
| || M33 || 1983 ||
|-
| || M34 || 1984 ||
|-
| || M37 || 1984 ||
|-
| || M39 || 1985 ||
|-
! rowspan="1"|
| || M109 || 2000 ||600 tonnes ||Clyde ||
|-
! rowspan="1"| -
| || M01 || 2025 ||6,000 tonnes ||Specialist mine hunting ship ||Portsmouth ||
|-
!style="align: center; background: #CEF6F5;" colspan="8"|Coastal & fast patrol (18)
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Class
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Ship
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|No.
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Commissioned
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Displacement
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Type
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Homeport
! style="text-align:center; width:2%;"|Note
|-
! rowspan="16"| Archer class
| || P264 || 1985 || rowspan="16"|54 tonnes || rowspan="14"|Patrol boat, University Royal Naval Units|| Edinburgh||
|-
| || P270 || 1986 || Liverpool ||
|-
| || P272 || 1988 || Portsmouth ||
|-
| || P273 || 1988 || Glasgow||
|-
| || P279 || 1988 || Portsmouth ||
|-
| || P280 || 1988 ||Portsmouth
|
|-
| || P291 || 1988 || Portsmouth ||
|-
| || P292 || 1988 || Liverpool||
|-
| || P293 || 1988 || Portsmouth ||
|-
| || P294 || 1988 || Ipswich||
|-
| || P163 || 1988 || Cardiff||
|-
| || P165 || 1985 || Gateshead||
|-
| || P164 || 1986 || Hull||
|-
| || P167 || 1988 || Portsmouth ||
|-
| || P274 || 1998 || rowspan="4"|Patrol boat|| rowspan="2" |Clyde ||
|-
| || P275 || 1998 ||
|-
! rowspan="2"| Cutlass class
| || P295 || rowspan="2"|2022 || rowspan="2"|35 tonnes || rowspan="2" |Gibraltar ||
|-
| || P296 ||
|}
Auxiliary vessels
See also: Ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and vessels operated by Serco Marine Services
{|class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; width:100%;"
|+RN auxiliary ships
|-
!style="align: center; background: #CEF6F5;" colspan="8"|Survey (3)
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Class
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Ship
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|No.
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Commissioned
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Displacement
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Type
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Homeport
! style="text-align:center; width:2%;"|Note
|-
! rowspan="1"| —
| || H131 || 1997 || 13,500 tonnes || Ocean survey ||rowspan="3"| Devonport||
|-
! rowspan="1"| —
| || A173 || 2011 || 5,000 tonnes || Icebreaker & survey||
|-
! rowspan="1"| Sea class 18 m variant
| || H130 || 2018 || 37 tonnes || Survey motor launch ||
|-
!style="align: center; background: #CEF6F5;" colspan="8"|Non-commissioned vessels (56)
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Class
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Ship
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|No.
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|In service
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Displacement
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Type
! style="text-align:center; width:14%;"|Homeport
! style="text-align:center; width:2%;"|Note
|-
! rowspan="1"| —
| XV Excalibur|| N/A || 2025 || 19 tonnes || Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) || Devonport ||
|-
! rowspan="1"| —
| XV Patrick Blackett || X01 || 2022 || 270 tonnes || Experimental vessel || Portsmouth ||
|-
! rowspan="1"| —
| XV Madfox || N/A || 2021 || c. 10 tonnes || Autonomous surface vessel || Portsmouth ||
|-
!
| Brecon|| M29 || 1979
|750 tonnes
| rowspan="2"|Static Training Ship
| HMS Raleigh
|
|-
!
| Hindostan (ex-Cromer)|| M103 || 1992
|600 tonnes
|Britannia Royal Naval College
|
|-
! rowspan="1"| Sea class
|34 vessels: <br> * 8 x 15 m Officer Training Units; <br> * 6 x 15 m Diver Training/Support Boats; <br> * 4 x 15 m Survey/hydrographic Modules; <br> * 3 x 13.8 m Passenger Transfer Boats (PTBs); <br> * 10 x 11 m Standard Workboats; <br> * 3 x 11 m Small Survey Modules || — || 2018 to 2024 || 15 to 23 tonnes || rowspan="2" |Workboats || — ||
|-
! rowspan="1"| ALN-139 class
|Sea Harrier<br> Buccaneer<br> Sea Vixen<br> Swordfish || — || 2017 || c. 15 - 20 tonnes|| — ||
|-
! rowspan="7" | Arcims class
|RNMB Hussar
| rowspan="7" |—
| rowspan="7" |2021 to 2023
| rowspan="7" |< 10 tonnes (six units); c.10+ tonnes (Hebe)
| rowspan="13" |Autonomous minehunting/sweeping
| rowspan="7" |Clyde
| rowspan="7" |
|-
|RNMB Hazard
|-
|RNMB Hellcat
|-
|RNMB Halcyon
|-
|RNMB Harrier
|-
|RNMB Hydra
|-
|RNMB Hebe
|-
! rowspan="6"| Thales Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs)
|RNMB Apollo (pre-production unit)||rowspan="6"|N/A || 2021 || rowspan="6"|< 10 tonnes
|-
|RNMB Abdiel (pre-production unit)||2022
|-
|RNMB Ariadne (1st production USV)||rowspan="4"|2025/26
|-
|RNMB Adventure (2nd production USV)
|-
|3rd production USV
|-
|4th production USV
|-
! rowspan="1"| K-3 Scout USVs
|c. 20 Units|| — || 2026 || c. 2.5 tonnes||Autonomous USV; modular payload||— ||
|}
Gallery
<gallery class="center" heights="150px" widths="200px">
File:HMS Victory at dusk. MOD 45143807.jpg|, Flagship of the First Sea Lord
File:Vanguard at Faslane 02.jpg|Vanguard (Vanguard class)
File:HMS Ambush long.jpg|Ambush ()
File:HMS Queen Elizabeth in Gibraltar - 2018 (28386226189).jpg|Queen Elizabeth <br />(Queen Elizabeth class)
File:Royal Navy Type 45 Destroyer HMS Daring MOD 45153705.jpg|Daring (Type 45 destroyer)
File:111024-N-OY799-686 Royal Navy Duke-class frigate HMS St. Albans (F 83).jpg|St. Albans (Type 23 frigate)
File:HMS Forth formally gets commissioned into the Royal Navy 13042018 MOD 45164104.jpg|Forth (River class)
File:HMS_Hurworth_MOD_45151313.jpg|Hurworth (Hunt class)
File:Sandown Class Mine Hunter HMS Ramsey MOD.jpg|Ramsey (Sandown class)
File:P2000 Class Royal Navy Patrol Vessel HMS Raider MOD 45151351.jpg|Raider (Archer class)
File:HMS Cutlass (P295).jpg|Cutlass (Cutlass class)
File:HMS Scott at Port Lockroy MOD 45151219.jpg|Scott
File:Royal Navy Antarctic Patrol Ship HMS Protector MOD 45153156.jpg|Protector
File:HMS Magpie (H130) on River Dart.jpg|Magpie (Sea class)
File:XV Patrick Blackett, starboard side at sea (cropped).jpg|XV Patrick Blackett
File:FUTURE MINE HUNTING SYSTEM COMES TO CLYDE MOD 45166088.jpg|RNMB Harrier (Arcims class)
File:Madfox Autonomous Surface Vehicle MOD 45167736.jpg|Madfox
File:2013-06 Island Crown.jpg|Stirling Castle
</gallery>
Silhouettes
Silhouettes of major fleet units:
<gallery mode="packed" heights="80">
Queen Elizabeth class silhouette.jpg|
Type45Destroyer Silhouette.png|Type 45 (Daring)-class destroyer
Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate silhouette.png|Type 23 (Duke)-class frigate
Vangaurd class SSBN silhouette.png|
Astute class SSN silhouette.png|
</gallery>
Silhouettes of all Royal Navy and RFA units:
500px|frameless
See also
;Lists of ships operated by or in support of His Majesty's Naval Service
- List of active Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships
- List of active Royal Marines military watercraft
- List of ships of Serco Marine Services
;Related articles
- List of Royal Navy shore establishments (the "stone frigates")
- List of ship names of the Royal Navy
- Active Royal Navy weapon systems
- Future of the Royal Navy
- Standing Royal Navy deployments
Footnotes
References
External links
- Royal Navy (royalnavy.mod.uk)
- Royal Navy — The Equipment — Ships (royalnavy.mod.uk)