UK Launches Construction of First Next-Generation Support Ship

At the Appledore shipyard in North Devon, a steel-cutting ceremony took place for the Royal Navy’s first Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ship.

Luke Pollard, Minister for Defence Procurement, officially launched the construction of the lead vessel.

Commodore Sam Shattock, the head of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, announced that the first ship has been named Resurgent.

The UK Ministry of Defence signed a contract with the Team Resolute consortium in January 2023 for the delivery of three Fleet Solid Support (FSS) vessels. The deal was valued at £1.6 billion ($1.97 billion at the exchange rate at the time).

The Team Resolute consortium brings together the British shipyards Harland & Wolff and the design company BMT, as well as the UK division of the Spanish firm Navantia.

Harland & Wolff’s financial situation led to its acquisition by Navantia this year, with Navantia taking on the main obligations to fulfill the contract to deliver the new vessels.

The FSS program is intended as a key component in the development of the Royal Navy’s auxiliary fleet. The ships are designed to deliver ammunition, food, spare parts, and other supplies to naval forces at sea, making them a vital element of carrier strike groups.

The vessels will have a capacity for a crew of 100, along with up to 80 additional personnel responsible for operating helicopters and fast boats, or for other tasks. In addition to replenishment operations, the FSS ships will be able to support counter-piracy and counter-terrorism missions in cooperation with the UK’s allies.

The ships will be built based on a design by the British company BMT. Each vessel will be 216 meters long, 34.5 meters wide, and have a displacement of 39,000 tonnes. Their maximum speed will be 19 knots, and the cargo area will cover 9,000 square meters.

The bow sections of the new supply vessels, each consisting of three separate blocks, will be built at the Appledore shipyard in North Devon. The shipyard currently employs 200 people, including 20 apprentices hired in partnership with Petroc College.

The stern sections will be produced at the Navantia shipyard in Cádiz, while final assembly and construction of the mid-sections will take place at the Harland & Wolff facility in Belfast.

As previously reported, the United Kingdom will retire five ships due to economic difficulties.