HMS Formidable is a Type 31 frigate of the Royal Navy and the sixth vessel named after the word formidable. In May 2021, the names of the five planned Type 31 ships were announced by the First Sea Lord. The names were selected to represent key themes that represent the future plans of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines - forward deployment of ships overseas; operating in the North Atlantic; carrier operations; technology and innovation; and the Future Commando Force.
Formidable, named after the World War II-era aircraft carrier , represents carrier operations. Formidable took part in the Battle of Cape Matapan, Operation Torch, attacked the , and fought against Japan in the Pacific theatre. The plan for the Type 31 project originally envisaged all five units of the class being in service by February 2030. However, by 2026, the planned in-service dates for ships following HMS Venturer had slipped into the early 2030s.
Construction
First steel cut on the new ship took place in October 2024 and the keel was formally laid down in December 2025.
The government's 2026 Defence Investment Plan indicated that both the Mark 41 launch system and Naval Strike Missiles were planned for future incorporation in the ship, though the precise timing remained uncertain.
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