HMS Bulwark to transfer to Brazilian Navy as UK turns to future of amphibious ships
HMS Bulwark is to be sold to the Brazilian Navy, ending more than two decades of service with the Royal Navy, as UK focus turns to the future of amphibious assault ships.
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Landing Platform Dock Ship closes two decades of Royal Navy Service.
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Transfer follows UK and Netherlands £2.4 billion amphibious ship agreement signed in July 2026.
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Agreement advances Royal Navy’s transition to a hybrid Navy with £1.5 billion investment confirmed in the Defence Investment Plan.
HMS Bulwark, one of the Royal Navy’s two Albion-class amphibious assault ships, was commissioned in 2005 and went on to play a central role in operations around the world, including amphibious deployments, humanitarian assistance missions and multinational exercises with allies and partners.
Her sister ship, HMS Albion, remains alongside at HMNB Devonport pending disposal.
The transfer comes as the UK and Netherlands confirmed a new £2.4 billion maritime partnership in July 2026 to deliver a fleet of new amphibious transport ships, replacing the capability provided by the Albion class.
The future ships will be built in UK shipyards, working alongside Dutch industry, as part of a programme that is expected to sustain hundreds of highly skilled UK jobs. At 160 metres in length and displacing 15,000 tonnes, they will be capable of transporting troops, vehicles and equipment, including drones, wherever they are needed.
Minister of State for Defence, Lord Coaker said:
HMS Bulwark served this country and our allies with distinction for over two decades, and I’m pleased that she will continue her story in Brazilian service, with a nation that has long stood alongside us as a defence partner.
This partnership with the Netherlands marks a real step forward for our Armed Forces, giving our personnel the modern, interoperable capability they need to operate alongside our allies for decades to come. It’s also a vote of confidence in British shipbuilding, backing the skills and shipyards that will keep our industrial base strong and our nation secure.
Based at HMNB Devonport, HMS Bulwark served as the Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship between 2011 and 2015, supported civilian evacuation operations from Lebanon in 2006, and provided maritime security for the Sailing Regatta at the London 2012 Olympics.
The flight decks of the future UK-Dutch amphibious fleet are being designed to operate current and future long-range drones and autonomous systems, supporting the Royal Navy’s transition to a hybrid Navy and the wider ambitions set out in the Defence Investment Plan to integrate uncrewed and autonomous technology across the fleet.
The programme will form the backbone of a strengthened UK-Netherlands amphibious force, with each nation set to operate four vessels, delivering a shared and interoperable capability that reinforces NATO’s northern and Atlantic flanks.