January 2012

ALBION at Readiness – Now de-stored at Devonport, is at Extended Readiness, having completed service as Fleet Flagship, which started in December 2010, and served until October 2011.    Another casualty of the SDSR which concluded that one (of the two) Assault Ships (Landing Platform Docks , LPD), should be placed into extended readiness while the other is held at high readiness for operations with the vessels to alternate between extended readiness and high readiness.    Running costs while in extended readiness are estimated to be £300,000 per annum.   The ALBION will re-enter front line service in 2016, to releive sister ship BULWARK.