Brazil Signals Intent to Acquire Royal Navy’s Albion Amphibious Assault Ships

The United Kingdom has officially confirmed that Brazil intends to acquire HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, the Royal Navy’s two amphibious assault ships, according to a written parliamentary statement issued on 30 April 2025.

Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Industry Maria Eagle disclosed that the confirmation follows the signing of a Statement of Intent (SOI) between the two countries.

“On a recent visit to Brazil, at the Latin American Aerospace and Defence Expo, I witnessed the signing of a Statement of Intent (SOI) between the Federative Republic of Brazil and the UK Ministry of Defence. This concerned cooperation and assistance in relation to the acquisition of HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark,” Eagle stated.

The announcement, made in response to parliamentary questions from Ben Obese-Jecty MP, marks the first time the UK Government has publicly acknowledged the potential sale. Eagle described the SOI as “a significant step in strengthening bilateral defence cooperation with Brazil and enables discussions regarding the possible sale of the vessels to the Brazilian Navy.”

Eagle declined to disclose financial details, citing commercial sensitivities. “I am unable to provide further information due to commercial sensitivities,” she noted.

The SOI was signed during the UK's participation in the Latin American Aerospace and Defence Expo (LAAD) in Brazil, underlining ongoing UK-Brazil defence ties.

HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark are each 176 meters (577 feet) long, have a speed of 18 knots, and can operate over distances up to 8,000 nautical miles. Designed for amphibious operations, they feature roll-on-roll-off capability and can deploy Landing Craft Utility (LCU) vessels and other military platforms.