Construction work on the first Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ship for Britain’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) will begin later this year after the programme cleared a key hurdle.
As per a recent press statement by Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), the procurement arm of the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD), the programme has just passed its Critical Design Review (CDR).
Successful completion of the CDR — carried out between Navantia UK, the DE&S project team and consultants BMT — means that the programme can shift into the production phase, with the first steel cut and ship assembly beginning before the end of the year.
The first vessel in the programme will be built largely in Spain in Navantia’s Cadiz shipyard; more work in the second and third of the three 216-metre ships will be carried out at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland, once site upgrades there and training programmes are further advanced.
Once in active service the FSS vessels will provide munitions, stores and provisions to the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates. At 216 metres, the 39,000-tonne ships will be the second-longest U.K. military vessels behind the two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
They will each have a 9,000sq m cargo space, and will be able to accommodate 25 TEU shipping containers on their upper decks.
Their flight decks will be able to accommodate a Chinook twin-rotor helicopter; twin hangars will have capacity for two Merlin helicopters and at least one uncrewed aerial system (UAS). They will carry two Phalanx 20mm close-in weapon systems (CIWS) for protection.
The first FSS ship is currently scheduled to enter service in 2031; all three ships are due to be completed by the following year.
As per the DE&S statement, the CDR “assessed the complete, detailed design of the vessels, from hull structure to equipment fit. Overall structural integrity, safety standards, environmental sustainability, risk minimisation and military systems integration were covered through the process.”
It noted: “This marks significant progress in delivering modern, capable vessels for the RFA. The ships will enhance the UK’s naval capabilities and support maritime security operations worldwide.”
Ian Randles, FSS Chief Engineer at DE&S, commented: “This milestone gives us confidence that we’re on track to deliver these vital support ships that will enhance the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s global reach and ensure our naval forces have the logistical support they need wherever they operate.”
And DE&S Maritime Environment Director Keith Bethell remarked: “I was impressed by the scale of transformation underway in Belfast, seeing firsthand how we will deliver this world-class capability and meeting individuals central to the programme.”
CEO of Navantia UK Donato Martinez noted: “[This] CDR confirms the hard work and collaboration between MOD, BMT and Navantia UK. This milestone demonstrates that the programme is ready to meet its operational, logistical and efficiency needs as it gears up to deliver for the Royal Navy and RFA.”
- You can read more details on the DE&S website and the Navantia website