Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 23 October 2026, to question 34945 on HMS Protector, what steps he is taking to ensure the viability of the vessel.

We inherited plans to continue operating HMS Protector with no plan to replace her. We felt this was unsustainable so the Defence Investment Plan sets out our intention to replace HMS Protector with a more modern vessel variant. Work is ongoing, under Project Shakleton, to determine the exact timing and approach which will be taken to meet this intent.

HMS Protector’s maintenance and engineering arrangements are designed to support the viability of the vessel. Continued service is dependent on investment across a range of systems to maintain operational capability and compliance with relevant standards.