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The HMS 'Albion' and HMS 'Bulwark' will be decommisioned,, alongside the HMS 'Northumberland', as well as several other capabilities, the Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed in Parliament on Nov 20, 2024, as part of a broader push to modernise the UK Armed Forces. The decision comes as part of a series of measures to retire what the Government called outdated military equipment, saving £150 million over the next two years and up to £500 million over five years. The HMS 'Albion' and HMS 'Bulwark' had already been in extended readiness under previous governments, incurring significant maintenance costs without being actively deployed. Both ships were effectively retired by previous ministers but superficially kept on the books at a cost of £9 million a year. The HMS 'Northumberland' has been deemed uneconomical to repair due to structural damage. The decommissioning decisions were made in close consultation with service chiefs and align with the ongoing Strategic Defence Review (SDR).

The Zr.Ms. 'Makkum' was decommissioned on Nov 25, 2024. The Alkmaar-class minehunter will be ceremonially stripped of its kingdom flag, ensign and war pennant and will eventually be transferred to Ukraine. In March, the Zr.Ms. V'laardingen' (also Alkmaar-class) was decommissioned and now the 'Makkum' is following suit. The reason for this is the arrival of the new Vlissingen-class mine countermeasures vessels. The 'Makkum' is the 12th ship of the Alkmaar-class to be decommissioned. Only the Zr.Ms. 'Schiedam', Zr.Ms. 'Zierikzee' and Zr.Ms 'Willemstad' thus remain in service. Regarding the 'Makkum', first, there will be a period of maintenance, after which a transfer is planned for early 2025. A large part of the future Ukrainian crew has already received their training on board the 'Vlaardingen'. The 'Makkum' has been in service since 1985 and was therefore part of the Dutch Royal Navy for almost 40 years. This makes the Makkum the oldest Dutch naval ship. During that period, the Makkum cleared many explosives and participated in numerous manoevers, and the minehunter also made the news several times. In 2014, the 'Makkum' shadowed the Russian naval vessel RFS 'Kaliningrad' in the North Sea and in 2019, after a fishing trawler sank, the ship found the bodies of two drowned Urk fishermen. In 2023, The Zr.Ms. 'Makkum' participated in the major NATO maritime exercise BALTOPS. After the 'Makkum' was decommissioned, is sister ship 'Schiedam' became the oldest Dutch naval vessel.

The HMS 'Northumberland' will be decommissioned in cost-saving measures announced by Defence Secretary John Healey on Nov 20, 2024. The ageing Type 23 frigate was regarded as beyond economic repair, after structural damages were found, and will be decommissioned along with two Wave class tankers. The Army’s Watchkeeper drones, which cost around £5m each and have been in service for a decade but have been beset by problems and are effectively obsolete, will be grounded and the assault ships HMS 'Albion' and HMS 'Bulwark' will be decommissioned too. These decisions were set to save the MoD £150 million over the next two years and up to £500 million over five years.

The HMS 'Albion' and HMS 'Bulwark' will be decommisioned,, alongside the HMS 'Northumberland', as well as several other capabilities, the Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed in Parliament on Nov 20, 2024, as part of a broader push to modernise the UK Armed Forces. The decision comes as part of a series of measures to retire what the Government called outdated military equipment, saving £150 million over the next two years and up to £500 million over five years. The HMS 'Albion' and HMS 'Bulwark' had already been in extended readiness under previous governments, incurring significant maintenance costs without being actively deployed. Both ships were effectively retired by previous ministers but superficially kept on the books at a cost of £9 million a year. The HMS 'Northumberland' has been deemed uneconomical to repair due to structural damage. The decommissioning decisions were made in close consultation with service chiefs and align with the ongoing Strategic Defence Review (SDR).