Quarter of Royal Navy's frigates spent zero days at sea in 2022

A quarter of the Royal Navy's frigates spent zero days at sea in 2022, it has been revealed.

The information was made public after Minister for Armed Forces and Veterans James Heappey responded to a written question by shadow defence secretary John Healey.

Mr Heappey also revealed that a third of the Royal Navy's 18 frigates and destroyers spent less than a month at sea last year.

• Royal Navy's Type 45s: Only one of six Destroyers operationally available
• Royal Navy says 'no decisions' made over fate of frigate HMS Westminster
• Union warns Royal Navy's Type 31 frigates could be 'significantly delayed'

Out of the Royal Navy's 12 Type 23 Frigates, three – HMS Iron Duke, HMS St Albans and HMS Sutherland – did not spend any time at sea last year.

All three ships have been undergoing refits, with HMS Iron Duke returning to sea for the first time last month.

Mr Heappey's response also showed that out of the six Types 45 destroyers, one – HMS Daring – spent zero days at sea. The ship has been undergoing a refit.

"The normal operating cycle of every ship involves them entering different readiness levels depending on their programmes, periods of refit and Departmental planning requirements," Mr Heappey said in the written response.

He added: "In addition, these figures represent days at sea, and it should be noted that, while deployed away from the UK, ships will spend both days at sea and alongside in ports around the world."

HMS Diamond was the Type 45 destroyer that spent the most days at sea in 2022 (114 days), while HMS Defender was not far behind (106 days),

HMS Defender has also had a full schedule this year, having conducted weapons trials in the Outer Hebrides, escorted several Russian units near UK waters, as well as sailing to Norway twice.

The Type 23 frigate that spent the most time at sea in 2022 was HMS Montrose, totalling 212 days.

After nearly 30 years of service, HMS Montrose was decommissioned in April.