Royal Navy LPD capability gapped as HMS Albion bows out before HMS Bulwark is available HMS Albion returned to Devonport last week after another highly successful deployment and will now go into a state of reduced readiness. Unfortunately, this will leave the RN temporarily without its primary amphibious platform as her sister ship, HMS Bulwark will not be ready to replace her until next year. As a cost and manpower-saving measure, it was announced in 2010 that the RN’s two Landing Ship Docks (LPD) would be reduced to one active vessel with one in refit or ‘extended readiness’ while the other remained operational. They would then alternate for the rest of their time in service, changing places approximately every 5-6 years.