Could global interest signal the Royal Navy's farewell to its amphibious assault ships?
Several potential customers have shown interest in buying two decommissioned assault ships although no final decision has been made, according to a defence minister.
MPs have heard that a government-to-government sale is being explored by the Royal Navy for HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, assault ships designed to allow Royal Marines to launch amphibious raids.
The vessels were already effectively mothballed at a cost of £9m a year when the government announced last November that they would be decommissioned.
But defence minister Maria Eagle said she did not recognise "any of the figures that have been bandied around in the newspapers".
Speaking at defence questions, Labour frontbencher Ms Eagle told the Commons: "Neither Albion or Bulwark were due to go to sea ahead of their out-of-service dates in 2033 and 2034.
"The Royal Navy is exploring options to sell both HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark in a government-to-government sale.
"Several potential customers have shown interest, but no final decisions have been made."
Conservative MP Rebecca Smith has raised concerns about the sale, questioning reports that the vessels are being sold for a figure that could undervalue previous spends on refits and maintenance.
She asked: "How does the minister justify the economic impact of their sale on Plymouth and Devonport dockyard, let alone the reduction in amphibious capability in the Navy when the promised multi-role support ships are at least half a decade away from service?"
Ms Eagle replied: "I don't recognise any of the figures that have been bandied around in the newspapers and so it would not be accurate to take them as anything other than speculation.
"The disposal shows that we are delivering for defence by divesting old capabilities to make way for the future, as the First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key put it.
"Effectively, those ships were mothballed by the previous government, so I'm not going to take any lessons from that side of the house about how to deal with these matters."
There has been concern over the capability gap left by the early decommissioning of HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark.
The multi-role support ships, which are due to replace Albion and Bulwark, as well as four RFA vessels, are not expected to enter service until the early 2030s.
Albion and Bulwark are the Navy's only amphibious assault ships, designed to land Royal Marines ashore by air and sea.
HMS Albion has been described as the Royal Navy's Swiss army knife because she's known for her durability and practicality.
Her loading dock is packed with trucks, machinery, and watercraft – as well as emergency supplies for disaster relief operations.
HMS Bulwark's primary role is to transport large numbers of troops, vehicles and equipment and to land them ashore using her on-board landing craft – she would have a crew of 325 and can accommodate 405 additional troops.
The discussion about Albion and Bulwark comes as part of a broader government initiative to scrap outdated military equipment as part of cost-cutting plans.
At the end of last year, Defence Secretary John Healey said: "For too long our soldiers, sailors, aviators have been stuck with old, outdated equipment because ministers wouldn't make the difficult decommissioning decisions."
Mr Healey said HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark had both effectively been retired by previous ministers but had superficially been kept on the books at a cost of £9m a year.
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