The ninth and current Albion (2001-present-day) is one of the newest additions to the Royal Navy and is the nameship of a class of two, state of the art Landing Platform Dock Ships (LPD's) that will be a welcome addition to an already powerful amphibious assault capability. Her sister-ship, HMS Bulwark is expected to be commissioned sometime in 2004. She was launched in March 2001 and was commissioned on the 19th June 2003 by her sponsor HRH The Princess Royal.

In 2003 she received the Freedom of the City of Chester and also had a prominent role in the Queen's Colour Parade for the Royal Navy in Plymouth Sound only the third time a Fleet Colour has been given in the Royal Navy's history.

Albion Class Statistics

• Displacement: 18,500 tonnes
• Docked Down: 21,500 tonnes (approx.)
• Speed: 18 knots, range of 7000 nautical miles
• Length:: 176 metres
• Complement: 325
• Armament:
  • 2 x Goalkeeper Close In Weapon System (CIWS)
  • Seagnat Decoy System
  • UAT Electronic Warfare System
  • 2 x 20mm close range guns,
  • 4 x Machine Gun positions.
• Propulsion: 2 x 6.25MW & 2 x 1.56MW diesel generators driving two AC motors through twin shafts and a bowthrust unit, all operating at 6.6KV. RN's first integrated Full Electric propulsion ships.
• Amphibious and Troop Transport Capabilities:
  • Embarked Military Personnel: 305 troops with an additional overload capacity of a further 405 soldiers a total of 710 troops.
  • Vehicle Deck Capacity: Six tanks or thirty armoured all-terrain tracked carriers. Floodable well dock, with the capacity to take either four utility landing craft (each capable of carrying one Challenger 2 tank) or shelter a hovercraft landing craft. There are also four smaller landing craft davits, each capable of carrying 35 troops.
  • Helicopter Capacity: Two-spot 64 metre flight deck able to take medium support helicopters and stow a third. The deck is also capable of carrying a Chinook. The Albion Class design does not have a hangar but has the necessary equipment that is required to support aircraft operations.