HMS St Albans (F83) is a Type 23 Duke-class frigate of the Royal Navy, the sixteenth and final ship of its class, commissioned in 2002 after being built by BAE Systems on the River Clyde. Primarily designed for anti-submarine warfare, it features advanced systems including the Sea Ceptor air defence missile, Artisan radar, and Type 2087 towed array sonar, with a Merlin helicopter for enhanced operations. Based in Devonport, Plymouth, the ship underwent an extensive life-extension refit completed in 2024, emerging as one of the most capable Type 23 frigates. It has participated in global deployments, including maritime security in the Gulf, NATO exercises in the North Atlantic, and monitoring Russian naval activity near UK waters as recently as 2025.
