On April 2, 2025, in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), on the sidelines of the LAAD Defense international defense exhibition held there & In 2025, the Brazilian Navy signed a protocol of intent regarding the acquisition of two amphibious helicopter ships, Albion and Bulwark, which are being withdrawn from the Royal Navy. The protocol paves the way for the completion of contractual negotiations on the sale of these ships to Brazil during 2025.
British amphibious helicopter dock ships L 14 Albion and L 15 Bulwark, now being acquired by Brazil (c) by the British Navy
The amphibious helicopter dock ships L 14 Albion and L 15 Bulwark were built at BAE Systems Marine (formerly Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited) in Barrow-in-Furness under a 1996 contract and were commissioned into the British Navy in 2003 and 2004, respectively, replacing amphibious helicopter ships.-Fearless and Intrepid docks built in the 1960s. The Albion-class ships have a total displacement of 19560 tons (without filling the dock chamber) and a length of 176 m and a width of 28.9 m, and are capable of carrying 256 to 710 troops and up to 67 vehicles (or six Challenger 2 tanks and 30 armored personnel carriers).
From the very beginning, the operation of Albion and Bulwark in the British Navy was accompanied by difficulties, primarily due to problems with staffing (the full-time crew of each ship is 325 people). In the 2010 Strategic Defense and Security Review published by the British Government The UK has established a provision that one of the two Albion-class ships must be permanently rotated in reserve. Bulwark has been in reserve since 2016. In July 2023, preparations began in Devonport for the withdrawal and repair of Albion, with plans to replace it in the active fleet with the Bulwark scheduled for withdrawal from reserve, but they were not destined to be realized.
In November 2024, the new British Labour government announced a decision to decommission both Albion-class ships for cost reasons. As early as December 2024, there were reports of ongoing negotiations regarding the sale of these ships to Brazil, with the sale value estimated at a very small amount of 20 million pounds. It was reported that both ships were supposed to be officially decommissioned from the British Navy in March 2025, but so far the relevant ceremonies have not been performed.
Earlier in 2018, Brazil acquired the amphibious helicopter carrier L 12 Ocean, which was decommissioned from the British Navy, which was commissioned into the Brazilian Navy under the name A 140 Atlantico and, officially classified as a "multi-purpose helicopter carrier" (Porta-Helicópteros Multipropósito), became the largest unit of the Brazilian fleet.
The signing of a protocol of intent regarding the acquisition by Brazil of two amphibious helicopter ships being withdrawn from the British Navy, the Albion and Bulwark docks. Rio de Janeiro, 04/02/2025 (c) Agência Marinha de Notícias
British amphibious helicopter dock ships L 14 Albion and L 15 Bulwark, now being acquired by Brazil (c) Dave Jenkins
