Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many ships of the Royal Navy surface fleet, excluding the aircraft carriers, were at sea on the first of each month in 2016.
At sea has been interpreted as referring to ships outside a port or harbour. Royal Navy records show that the following number of ships (excluding aircraft carriers) were at sea on the first of each month during 2016.
Month | Number of ships at sea |
January | 5 |
February | 16 |
March | 23 |
April | 10 |
May | 15 |
June | 16 |
July | 17 |
August | 10 |
September | 15 |
October | 15 |
November | 14 |
December | 13 |
Notes:
1. Other vessels may be alongside in the United Kingdom or foreign ports.
2. Full records are not available for P2000 Fast Inshore Patrol Craft.
3. The number of Royal Navy vessels at sea will change on a daily basis.