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A fleet solid support ship is a type of Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ship designed to supply solids (otherwise known as dry stores), such as ammunition, explosives and food, to Royal Navy ships at sea. The term can also refer to the programme to replace the RFA's existing solid support ships, the Fleet Solid Support Ship Programme.[1]

Current ships

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Main article: Royal Fleet Auxiliary
RFA Fort Rosalie

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary currently operates one solid support ship of the Fort Victoria class, RFA Fort Victoria.

As of 2021, the former Fort Rosalie-class replenishment ships (Fort Austin and Fort Rosalie) have been retired. Only Fort Victoria has undergone refit to enable her to supply the Royal Navy's new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers with solid stores.[2][3] With incompatible rigs, Fort Rosalie and Fort Austin were placed in extended readiness and were later sold to Egypt.[4][5] A programme to replace these ships, named the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) Fleet Solid Support (FSS), commenced in 2017, but was delayed in 2019.[1] In May 2021, the competition was restarted to select a design within two years.

Future ships

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Main article: Fleet Solid Support Ship Programme
A Fleet Solid Support Ship (FSS) concept

With the introduction of the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, a new class of solid support ship will be required to replace the existing ageing and incompatible Fort class.[6] The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 confirmed that three new large solid support ships would be acquired for the RFA as part of the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) Fleet Solid Support (FSS) programme. Rear Admiral Paul Marshall was appointed its Senior Responsible Officer in February 2019.[7]

The National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) released in September 2017 stipulated that the design and construction of these ships would be subject to an international competition pitting UK firms against those overseas in order to encourage competitiveness.[1] Classified as "non-warships", the vessels were required to be tendered internationally as per Article 346 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).[8][1][9] This received opposition from political parties, including Labour and the Scottish National Party, as well as trade unions, such as GMB and the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions, who criticized the potential loss of work for British shipyards. They recommended that the ships be reclassified as "warships" and therefore exempt from the treaty, allowing them to be built in British shipyards.[7] Sir John Parker, whose recommendations formed the basis for the National Shipbuilding Strategy, also criticized the government's approach as "not the right strategic approach" and recommended that "UK-only competition should be considered for future defence-funded vessels".[10]

In 2018, a contract notice was placed for two solid support ships, with a probable option of a third later. The ships required a total cargo capacity of up to 7,000 m3 (250,000 cu ft), the ability to travel at a sustained speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) without resupply, the capability of delivering non-bulk logistic material whilst underway at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and transfer single loads of up to 5 tonnes (4.9 long tons; 5.5 short tons).[11] A list of bidders was subsequently selected with a British consortium consisting of Babcock, BAE Systems, Cammell Laird and Rolls-Royce, as well as international bidders consisting of Fincantieri (Italy), Navantia (Spain), Japan Marine United Corporation (Japan) and Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) (South Korea).[12] Fincantieri and DSME later withdrew from the bid, however Fincantieri later rejoined.[13][14]

On 5 November 2019, the competition was suspended to ensure "requirements could be met" and a "value for money solution found", which raised hope from trade unions that the competition could be restarted and involve only UK shipyards.[15][8]

On 21 September 2020, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace stated the vessels were "warships", effectively confirming they would be built in the United Kingdom.[16][17] On 21 October 2020, it was announced that the competition for the FSS will be re-started in Spring 2021,[18] covering three ships and it will be an international competition but the team must be a led by a British company.[19] In May 2021 the competition to build the ships was relaunched with the aim of taking a decision within two years.[20] In July 2022, Rear-Admiral Paul Marshall, the Senior Responsible Officer for the Fleet Solid Support ship project, told the House of Commons Select Defence Committee that the first ship was envisaged for service entry in 2028 with the third entering service by 2032.[21] In November 2022 it was announced that Team Resolute (BMT, Harland & Wolff and Navantia) had been selected to build the ships with the start of construction anticipated in 2025. [22] The manufacturing contract, with a value of £1.6 billion, was signed in January 2023.[23] It was subsequently indicated by the Ministry of Defence that the first ship's operational availability would now not be until 2031.[24]

The Team Resolute design envisages a vessel about 216 metres (708 ft 8 in) in length with three replenishment-at-sea rigs and possessing about 9,000 square metres (97,000 sq ft) of cargo space. The ship hangars will have the capacity to support two Merlin helicopters as well as unmanned aerial vehicles. Vessel speed is envisaged at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).[25]

See also

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  • Tide-class tanker - replenishment tankers which are also part of the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) programme.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "National Shipbuilding Strategy: The Future of Naval Shipbuilding in the UK" (PDF). gov.uk. UK Government. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Fleet Solid Support Ships". questions-statements.parliament.uk. UK Hansard. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary currently has one Fleet Solid Support ship capable of supporting a Carrier Strike Group; RFA Fort Victoria.
  3. ^ "RFA Fort Victoria modified to support the aircraft carriers". Save the Royal Navy. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  4. ^ "UK sells Royal Navy ships to Egypt for first time in 30 years". 29 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Notice of the potential sale of the former RFA Austin and RFA Rosalie for recycling only". Gov.uk. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  6. ^ Tovey, Alan (19 April 2018). "Fears grow new ships to support Royal Navy will be built overseas". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Appointment as Senior Responsible Officer Fleet Solid Support (FSS) programme" (PDF). gov.uk. 25 February 2019.
  8. ^ a b Chuter, Andrew (7 May 2020). "Britain to restart competition for fleet solid support ships, but who's allowed to bid?". DefenseNews. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Fleet Solid Support Ships" (PDF). House of Commons Library.
  10. ^ Allison, Geoge (7 November 2019). "Government's own review backs campaign to build Fleet Solid Support Ships in UK". UK Defence Journal. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  11. ^ "United Kingdom-Bristol: Cargo ships 2018/S 092-209939 Contract notice Supplies". Ted Tenders Electronic Daily. 16 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Shipbuilding firms chosen for Fleet Solid Support competition". gov.uk. 30 November 2018.
  13. ^ Pfeifer, Sylvia (20 May 2019). "Big shipbuilders pull out of £1bn MoD support-vessel shortlist". Financial Times. London. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  14. ^ Chuter, Andrew; Kington, Tom (31 May 2019). "In or out? Here's why Fincantieri may rejoin bidding to build British ships". Defense News. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  15. ^ Hollinger, Peggy (5 November 2019). "MoD halts £1bn international tender for support ships". Financial Times. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  16. ^ "House of Commons Hansard: Topical Questions - 21 September 2020 Volume 680". UK Parliament. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  17. ^ "UK Government u-turns on Fleet Solid Support Ship designation". Naval Technology. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  18. ^ "Fleet Solid Support ship competition to resume in Spring". UK Defence Journal. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  19. ^ "UK shipbuilding boosted by warship procurement". UK Ministry of Defence. London. 21 October 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  20. ^ "Competition for three Fleet Solid Support ships launched". UK Defence Journal. 21 May 2021.
  21. ^ "Royal Navy changes course on interim anti-ship missile for a second time". Navy Lookout. 6 July 2022.
  22. ^ "Team Resolute Wins Contract To Build Royal Navy's FSS Ships". Naval News. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  23. ^ "UK MoD Signs Contract With Team Resolute For 3 Logistic Ships For The Royal Navy". Naval News. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  24. ^ "Fleet Solid Support Ships: Procurement Ministry of Defence written question – answered on 27 June 2023". They Work for you. 27 June 2023.
  25. ^ "Team Resolute selected as preferred bidder to build the Fleet Solid Support Ships". Navy Lookout. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
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