Royal Navy scraps Type 23 frigates due to crewing limits
By The BriefBrief
HMS Westminster and HMS Argyll entered port for refits in 2022 but were never returned to service because Britain could not crew them alongside its aircraft carriers. The Royal Navy instead scrapped both Type 23 frigates, followed by Northumberland and Lancaster in 2025 and Richmond in July 2026, leaving five frigates in service.
WHO:Royal Navy
WHAT:Scrapped Type 23 frigates (HMS Westminster and HMS Argyll, later Northumberland, Lancaster, and Richmond) after being unable to crew them for service alongside aircraft carriers.
WHEN:Reported Sep 3, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET
WHERE:United Kingdom
WHY:Britain could not crew the frigates and its aircraft carriers at the same time.
