The following figures are approximate because records held centrally do not always distinguish precisely between routine maintenance and other time spent alongside, since the two activities are often intermixed.
2006 2007 2008 Months Percentage Months Percentage Months Percentage Vessel OP MAIN OP MAIN OP MAIN OP MAIN OP MAIN OP MAIN Superb 4 6 30 47 1 8 10 64 2 5 17 21 Sceptre 1 7 6 60 7 2 55 13 1 10 5 73 Trafalgar 6 5 45 42 0 10 0 81 7 2 52 11 Turbulent 5 3 42 24 2 7 12 57 0 10 0 73 Tireless 2 6 14 45 5 4 41 29 3 8 25 64 Torbay 7 2 60 13 0 11 0 92 3 4 21 35 Trenchant 0 12 0 100 5 3 39 26 7 2 50 14 Talent 0 10 0 78 5 3 39 22 7 2 52 14 Triumph 0 12 0 100 0 12 0 100 0 12 0 100
2006 2007 2008 Months Percentage Months Percentage Months Percentage Vessel OP MAIN OP MAIN OP MAIN OP MAIN OP MAIN OP MAIN Edinburgh 7 2 58 17 6 3 50 25 8 2 67 17 Gloucester 6 2 50 17 1 9 8 75 6 2 50 17 Manchester 0 7 0 58 7 4 58 33 8 1 67 8 York 8 3 67 25 4 2 33 17 0 12 0 100 Liverpool 7 3 58 25 1 7 8 58 9 1 75 8 Exeter 4 3 33 25 4 1 33 8 4 1 33 8 Nottingham 8 3 67 25 5 4 42 33 4 0 33 0 Southampton 7 3 58 25 7 2 58 17 2 2 17 17
2006 2007 2008 Months Percentage Months Percentage Months Percentage Vessel OP MAIN OP MAIN OP MAIN OP MAIN OP MAIN OP MAIN Illustrious 5 5 37 15 5 3 42 25 6 4 50 33 Ark Royal 0 9 0 66 3 1 25 8 7 4 58 33
HMS Invincible is at low readiness.
Time not accounted for under operations and maintenance include periods of basic sea training, post refit trials, periods of extended leave and other duties such as conducting ammunitioning and storing whilst in port.
Most Royal Navy warships possess an anti-submarine capability, which will often be enhanced with an embarked helicopter. In addition, eight of the Type 23 frigates currently in service are equipped to provide a specialist anti-submarine warfare capability and they will continue to do so until replaced by the Future Surface Combatant (FSC). The precise dates of the progressive replacement of Type 23s by the FSC have not yet been determined.