HMS Albion (L14)

HMS Albion pictured operating with Dutch Royal Marines.
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Albion
Ordered:	18 July 1996
Builder:	BAE Systems Marine
Laid down:	23 May 1998 Barrow-in-Furness, England
Launched:	9 March 2001
Sponsored by:	The Princess Royal
Commissioned:	19 June 2003
Refit:	Major 2014–2017
Homeport:	HMNB Devonport, Plymouth
Identification:	Pennant L14
Motto:	Fortiter, Fideliter, Feliciter "Boldly, Faithfully, Successfully"
Status:	Undergoing refit, as of 2017
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Albion-class amphibious transport dock
Displacement:	19,560 t (19,250 long tons; 21,560 short tons)
Length:	176 m (577 ft 5 in)
Beam:	28.9 m (94 ft 10 in)
Draught:	7.1 m (23 ft 4 in)
Propulsion:	2 × Wärtsilä Vasa 16V 32E diesel generators 2 × Wärtsilä Vasa 4R 32E diesel generators 2 × electric motors bow thruster
Speed:	18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Range:	8,000 miles (7,000 nmi; 13,000 km)
Boats & landing craft carried:	2 × Pacific 22 Mk2 4 × LCU MK10 4 × LCVP MK5
Capacity:	67 vehicles
Troops:	405 Royal Marines (710 overload)
Crew:	325
Sensors and processing systems:	2 × Type 1007/8 I-band radars 1 × Type 996 E/F band radar (until 2011) 1 × Type 997 E/F-band radar (from 2017)
Armament:	2 × Phalanx CIWS 2 × 30 mm guns 4 × General purpose machine guns
Aircraft carried:	Two landing spots for helicopters up-to the size of a Chinook.

HMS Albion is an amphibious transport dock of the Royal Navy, the first of the two-ship Albion class. Built by BAE Systems Marine in Barrow-in-Furness, Albion was launched in March 2001 by the Princess Royal. Her sister ship, Bulwark, was launched in November 2001, also from Barrow. Affiliated to the city of Chester and based in Plymouth, she is the ninth ship to carry the name Albion (after Albion, an ancient name of Great Britain), stretching back to the 74-gun 1763 warship, and last carried by an aircraft carrier decommissioned in 1973 after 29 years service. Designed as an amphibious warfare ship, Albion carries troops, normally Royal Marines, and vehicles up to the size of the Challenger 2 main battle tank. She can deploy these forces using four Landing Craft Utility (LCUs) and four Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVPs). A flight deck supports helicopter operations.

Albion's future came under review as part of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review. She was the fleet flagship from December 2010 until October 2011.