Royal Navy Hands Over Five Ships to Allied and Partner Nations

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The Royal Navy has transferred five vessels to allied and partner navies, ensuring the ships remain in service while strengthening defence ties overseas.

On 4 August 2025, former minehunter HMS Pembroke was formally commissioned into the Romanian Navy under her new name, Căpitan Constantin Dumitrescu. She follows her sister ship HMS Blyth, which was handed over earlier, with both now contributing to NATO’s Black Sea security mission.88

This latest transfer is part of a wider trend in which the Royal Navy passes decommissioned ships to other nations, enabling them to extend the vessels’ operational lives. In 2021, replenishment ships RFA Fort Austin and RFA Fort Rosalie were sold to Egypt, where they now serve as ENS Luxor and ENS Abu Simbel.

Other mine countermeasure vessels have also been reassigned in recent years. HMS Quorn was sold to Lithuania in 2020, joining earlier Sandown-class and Hunt-class ships transferred to Estonia, Greece, and Lithuania.

The practice extends beyond minehunters. Smaller patrol craft, such as the Peacock-class corvettes once used by the Royal Navy’s Hong Kong Squadron, were sold in the late 1980s, two to Ireland and the rest to the Philippines, where some still operate.

Larger support vessels have also found new roles abroad. In 2011, the amphibious ship RFA Largs Bay was transferred to Australia and now serves as HMAS Choules.

By redeploying these ships to partner navies, the UK ensures that capable assets remain in active service, while recipient nations benefit from proven platforms and British training. The moves also serve wider strategic aims, reinforcing NATO readiness, strengthening bilateral defence links, and providing allies with tools to respond to regional security challenges.