Navantia UK, its wholly controlled Harland & Wolff firm in the UK and BMT Defence & Security (the firm that designed the vessels) has completed the Critical Design Review for the Fleet Solid Support programme, gaining the Ministry of Defence’s green light to move on to the next stages of the build. Earlier reports, dating to September, suggest the first steel should be cut in December.
The review assessed the detailed design of the vessels, from hull structure to equipment fit, validating its structural integrity, safety standards, environmental sustainability, military systems integration and carrying out risk minimisation. The successful CDR follows October 2024's Preliminary Design Review milestone.
The completion of the CDR was simultaneously marked in Belfast and in Cádiz, in Spain, where UK technical teams have been participating in a knowledge transfer programme. The build of a new advanced, automated steel panel fabrication line at Belfast is ongoing, part of a 115 million pounds investment in the 4 yards that Navantia UK has acquired and reunited under the Harland & Wolff historical name (Belfast, Appledore, Methil, Arnish.
Belfast will carry out the final assembly of the 216-meters long ships and is also meant to build the mid-section of the vessels. Appledore will build the bow sections for the 3 vessels and has actually started, earlier this year, the 8-million pounds build of a large barge that will be used to move the Bows to Belfast. Navantia will build the stern super-block of each ship at Cádiz, in Spain.
While the full details have yet to be released, Navantia UK will be reducing the extent of UK workshare on the lead ship, however, with the Belfast mid-section also to be built in Cádiz as the shipyard in Northern Ireland is “not yet ready”. Navantia UK acquired ownership of the yards early in 2025 with a specific agreement concluded with the new UK government following the fall into Administration of the previous ownership of Harland & Wolff. The terms of the agreement have yet to be revealed in full: the shift in work share emerged earlier this year, for example.
The FSS vessels (the names for them have not yet been announced) will be 260m long, with a 34.5m beam and 39,000t displacement, making them the largest Royal Navy vessels after the aircraft carriers, and among the largest military vessels in Europe.
They are intended to replace the FORT I and FORT II class replenishers. Of the original 4 vessels, only RFA FORT VICTORIA remains in service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Her sister FORT GEORGE fell victim to the 2010 cuts, while the FORT I vessels FORT AUSTIN and FORT ROSALIE were sold to Egypt in 2021.
FORT VICTORIA is a combined oil – solids replenisher, while FSS will only handle the replenishment of solid stores, spare parts, weapons etcetera. The 4 TIDE-class tankers handle the transfer of oils.
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