The Royal Navy's HMS Bulwark, an Albion-class amphibious assault ship commissioned in 2005, is to be transferred to the Brazilian Navy after more than two decades of service that included humanitarian missions, multinational exercises, and a stint as the Royal Navy's Fleet Flagship from 2011 to 2015. The sale coincides with a £2.4 billion UK-Netherlands maritime partnership announced in July 2026 to build a new generation of amphibious transport ships — designed to carry troops, vehicles, and drones — at British shipyards in collaboration with Dutch industry. The deal marks a significant shift in Royal Navy capability planning, with the future eight-vessel Anglo-Dutch fleet intended to reinforce NATO's northern and Atlantic flanks while integrating uncrewed and autonomous systems.