After her decommission the latest HMS Naiad (F39) was renamed HulVul and used for hull vulnerability trials between 1988 and 1990. The trials were conducted on the first asbestos free frigate that became available after 1988.  There were over 100 separate trials commencing with a burning helicopter on the flight deck and other internal blast trials. She also had her aft boiler room structure replaced with a replica of the type-23 frigate in order to conduct an underwater explosion test.

She was eventually sunk on 28th September 1990 as a weapons target.