Fleet Solid Support Ship Programme

Fleet Solid Support Ship
Class overview
BuildersHarland and Wolff, Navantia[1]
Operators Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Preceded byFort Rosalie class, Fort Victoria class
Built2025 to 2032 (projected)
In serviceFrom 2031 (projected)
Planned3
General characteristics
Class and typeReplenishment oiler
Displacement39,000 long tons (39,626 t) full load[2]
Length216 m (708 ft 8 in)
Beam34.5 m (113 ft 2 in)
PropulsionCODELOD (Combined Diesel Electric or Diesel) arrangement, 2 shafts
Speed19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried		Port side boat bay to allow embarkation of Special Forces RIBs[3]
Capacity9,000 square metres (97,000 sq ft) of cargo space; up to 25 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent) containers on upper deck; capacity for Role 2 maritime hospital[4]
Complement101 RFA, plus space for 57 to 78 additional RN or other personnel
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Air search radar
  • Navigation radar
  • Helicopter control radar
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • Electronic warfare systems
  • Soft-kill decoy launchers
Armament
Aircraft carriedCapacity for 2 × Merlin helicopters (or equivalent) plus at least one UAV[5]
Aviation facilitiesTwin hangar, Chinook-capable flight deck[6]

The Fleet Solid Support Ship Programme (FSSP)[7] aims to deliver up to three fleet solid support ships to the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The ships will be used to provide underway replenishment of dry stores, such as ammunition, spare parts and supplies, to ships of the Royal Navy. They will regularly deploy with the UK Carrier Strike Group, providing crucial supplies to the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers and their escorts. All three ships had been scheduled to enter service between 2028 and 2032.[8] However, subsequently the Ministry of Defence indicated that the first ship would in fact not be operational until 2031.[9]

The ships were first proposed by the British government in 2015 as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. In the subsequent National Shipbuilding Strategy, the government outlined its intentions to tender the ships internationally to encourage competitiveness with British shipyards. This was criticised by some political parties and trade unions as being a potential loss of British shipbuilding jobs and skills. Following a competition, which began in 2018, Team Resolute was awarded a contract for the three vessels; BMT Group will provide the design, whilst Harland & Wolff and Navantia UK will construct them.

  1. ^ "In focus: the Fleet Solid Support ship design". Navy Lookout. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  2. ^ "In focus: the Fleet Solid Support ship design". Navy Lookout. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Refining the Fleet Solid Support ship design". NavyLookout. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Refining the Fleet Solid Support ship design". NavyLookout. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Refining the Fleet Solid Support ship design". NavyLookout. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  6. ^ "In focus: the Fleet Solid Support ship design". Navy Lookout. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  7. ^ "APPOINTMENT AS SENIOR RESPONSIBLE OWNER FOR THE FLEET SOLID SUPPORT PROGRAMME (FSSP)" (PDF). GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  8. ^ "1,200 new UK jobs pledged as naval shipbuilding anticipates return to Belfast". GOV.UK. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Fleet Solid Support Ships: Procurement Ministry of Defence written question – answered on 27 June 2023". They Work for you. 27 June 2023.