Royal Navy: Major Portsmouth warships, minehunters and carriers, where are they and what are they doing?

Portsmouth-based vessels of different capabilities – aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, minehunters, patrol vessels and other ships – will be sent out on operations for months on end. They will be sent to different corners of the globe or on missions closer to home.

Some of these operations include routine patrols in waters and trade routes close by, monitoring other vessels which enter the English Channel, deployments to disrupt drug trafficking and missions of international security. Many sailors are also given different tasks than you might expect – anything from seizing narcotics, protecting endangered sea turtles, restoring war memorials and other missions.

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The Royal Navy aims to project and protect the UK’s interests across the globe. The force does this by deploying their warships in a variety of ways and enhancing them with the latest technology and weapons systems. Some new ships will be entering the fleet, including the new Type 31 frigates, while older ones are either being decommissioned, retired or undergoing major refits.

The force continues to work with the UK’s Nato and Commonwealth allies to protect their interests. Here is the state of play for some of the warships based in Portsmouth as of August 23, 2023.

Some are right here at HMB Portsmouth, while others are deployed further afield or in other parts of the UK. Ships can also be tracked via the Marine Vessel Traffic website.