Ex-HMS Bristol, the only Type 82 destroyer built, has been sold by the UK Ministry of Defence's Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) for recycling on behalf of the Royal Navy.
The destroyer was formally decommissioned in 2020 after almost 48 years of active service and has remained at Portsmouth Harbour since 2011.
The DE&S team have agreed upon Bristol's sale and the ship will now be taken to a specialist recycling facility within an EU-approved yard in Turkey.
Construction of Bristol began in 1967 with the decision to make her a "one-off" design. She was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1973 and later saw action in the 1982 Falklands War before being employed as a training ship in 1987 as a part of the Dartmouth Training Squadron.
Bristol went on to be used as a harbour training ship, adjacent to Navy Command Headquarters on Whale Island, Portsmouth. She also provided accommodation for multiple youth organisations including the Sea Cadets, Combined Cadet Forces and the Sea Scouts.
Bristol is the second decommissioned Royal Navy ship to be towed for recycling this calendar year, with the Type 23 frigate HMS Monmouth having departed in April.