Five hundred family members and friends welcomed the 200 men and women of HMS St Albans home to Plymouth August 22nd.
Plymouth Sound echoed to the boom of an 11-gun salute from the warship as she passed the Hoe, bringing the curtain down on nearly 150 days on operations in some of the harshest, most demanding environments.
The Type 23 frigate is a dedicated submarine hunter and has been deployed since April in home waters, the North Atlantic, Norwegian Sea, and Arctic Ocean conducting numerous patrols safeguarding the UK’s nuclear deterrent, securing UK waters and areas of interests and working with NATO allies.
As well as monitoring below the waves for submarine activity, the Saint also supported efforts on the surface to shadow contacts of interest passing the UK, tracking the progress of the frigate Admiral Golovko through the Channel (https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2025/april/26/250425-royal-navy-warships-hms-st-albans-and-hms-mersey-track-russian-warships-in-uk-waters ).
Crucial to her counter submarine patrols was constant presence of her Merlin Mk2 helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Culdrose, using sonobuoys (listening devices dropped in the ocean) and sonar to locate submerged adversaries.
The helicopter flew nearly 170 hours on sorties which varied from submarine hunting to transporting VIPs, including the Norwegian Defense Minister.
HMS St Albans has been aided in her important task by both UK and NATO tankers, including RFA Tideforce, keeping her in the hunt rather than returning to port to refuel.
The ship conducted ten Replenishment at Seas while deployed, embarking enough fuel to fill 1¼ Olympic-size swimming pools. That sustained the frigate as she clocked up nearly 30,000 nautical miles since leaving Plymouth – the equivalent of around 1⅓ times around the globe.
To underline the importance of their mission, the ship’s company were thanked in person by Major General Rich Cantrill RM, the UK Commander Maritime Operations, who joined HMS St Albans in Plymouth Sound.