Proposed Fleet Solid Support Ships

A civilian-manned fleet owned by the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence
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Pelican
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Re: Proposed Fleet Solid Support Ships

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MoD halts £1bn international tender for support ships

The Ministry of Defence has suspended the controversial £1bn international tender for three Royal Navy support ships, raising hopes that the major naval contract will be reserved for UK shipyards.
The MoD on Tuesday informed bidders for the contract to build at least two 40,000-tonne Fleet Solid Support ships that the process was being halted in order to ensure that requirements could be met.
“It is clear that the current approach will not deliver the requirement,” the MoD told the Financial Times. “We are now considering the most appropriate way forward for the procurement project.”
With a general election set for December 12, industry insiders said they did not expect the process to restart until early next year.
The decision to halt the bidding will be seen as a victory for the three-year campaign by unions, shipbuilders and politicians to keep the contract in the UK. Three UK shipyards have fallen into severe financial difficulties in the past year, including Harland and Wolff, builder of the Titanic.
Many regard the suspension as a first step to reclassifying the vessels to be exempt from EU laws aimed at preventing protectionism.
“That is pretty much industry’s expectation,” said one person close to the situation.
The decision to suspend the tender came after John Parker, the industrialist who in 2016 set out a plan for a national shipbuilding strategy, delivered a mixed verdict on progress so far in carrying out his recommendations.
Our yards cannot compete against the unfair subsidies awarded by other nations, while our competitors would not dream of letting the UK bid for their contracts
Ross Murdoch, GMB. In a review published on Tuesday, he criticised the government’s approach on allocation of naval work to UK yards.
Sir John said the UK had adopted a policy “contrary to [that] in most developed economies, where all defence-funded vessels are built in home yards and utilising their national supply chain . . . I do not, as an industrialist, believe it to be the right strategic approach.”
The Royal Navy has long lobbied for the contract to go to an international bidder, believing that the vessels can be made much more cheaply in foreign shipyards, several sources said.
As a result, and unlike many other EU countries, the UK has not classified the support vessels as warships, despite the fact that they have defensive weapons. Under existing EU procurement rules, the contract must then be put out to international competition. However, under the terms of the competition, the MoD had the right to stop the tender.
It could also have been controversial in the run-up to the election, with the Labour party already taking the position that the vessels should be built in the UK.
The ships are required by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) to supply the Royal Navy’s two new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, and accompanying ships, with food, ammunition and other supplies when they are deployed around the world.
A decision on the winning bid was expected next year. However, the bidding process has not gone smoothly. Since May, all international bidders, with the exception of Spain’s Navantia, have pulled out of the competition. A consortium dubbed Team UK, comprising Britain’s main shipbuilders, BAE Systems, Babcock International, Cammell Laird and Rolls-Royce, remained in the race.
The decision to halt the tender will now raise questions over whether the consortium will continue or the members will have to compete against each other.
Much will depend on the conditions imposed by the MoD — for example, whether some of the troubled shipyards such as Harland and Wolff would be expected to participate, one person said.
Unions called on the government to reclassify the ships to allow the contract to be awarded to UK companies without international competition.
“The steel that would be involved in producing the fleet will provide a much-needed shot in the arm for that sector but moreover provide a boost to UK manufacturing which has been buffeted by Brexit uncertainty, said Steve Turner, Unite’s assistant general secretary for manufacturing. “This tender should never have gone out to international bidders. No comparable developed economy would have done so.”
Ross Murdoch, GMB national officer, said: “Our yards cannot compete against the unfair subsidies awarded by other nations, while our competitors would not dream of letting the UK bid for their contracts. The government must now back skilled UK workers and our steel industry by keeping the Fleet Solid Support contract in the UK and reserving future awards for our own yards.”
From - https://www.ft.com/content/39c16806-001 ... 5uskcMu5MA

FROM SAVE THE NAVY TODAY 6TH NOVEMBER
Why has the Royal Navy’s Fleet Solid Support Ship competition been suspended?

In a surprise move, the MoD confirmed yesterday that it has suspended the international tender process for up to 3 Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships to be built for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Here we consider the context and possible reasons for this decision.
Hardly noticed as Parliament went into recess ahead of the general election, on 4th November the Defence Secretary announced the publication of Sir John Parker’s review of the implementation of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSbS). Sir John makes a broadly positive assessment on progress since his NSbS was adopted as government policy in 2017 but was far from content that all his recommendations have been acted on. (Full report available here)
Continues at - https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/why-ha ... suspended/
[I will not copy the long article from the S.T.N. site as it will be available for some time]
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Re: Proposed Fleet Solid Support Ships

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FLEET SOLID SUPPORT SHIPS

Harland and Wolff boost from InfraStrata deal with Navantia
The company said the plan would involve using Harland and Wolff to provide services to Navantia – including helping the Spanish firm in a proposed tender for three ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Belfast shipyard Harland and Wolff has received a boost after parent company InfraStrata announced it will benefit from a new venture with a Spanish shipbuilder.
InfraStrata, which raised the £6m to complete a deal to buy H&W earlier this month, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Navantia.
It said the companies will now work on a “multitude of infrastructure and marine projects to take them to commercial fruition”.
The company said the plan would involve using Harland and Wolff to provide services to Navantia – including helping the Spanish firm in a proposed tender for three ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
InfraStrata chief executive John Wood said: “We are very excited by the opportunity that this MoU presents InfraStrata and the Harland and Wolff business.
"Navantia is world renowned for its ship-building capabilities and offshore infrastructure expertise and experience, and therefore has access to significant commercial opportunities in these sectors.”
Nearly 80 jobs at Harland and Wolff were saved when InfraStrata stepped in to buy the stricken shipyard, which built the Titanic. It got into financial difficulties following the administration of its former owner, Dolphin Drilling, earlier this year.

See - https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/busi ... 5_IrFF_wl4
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Re: Proposed Fleet Solid Support Ships

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Fort class Solid Support Ship A387 RFA FORT VIctoria is seen berthed are HMNB Devonport Plymouth on 4 Feb 20 following her arrival from Camel Lairds on the Mersey where she has now completed her extensive refit and upgrade ready to be the RN’s sole SSS supply ship dedicated to the QE class and associated CSG. This will be the case until all 3 Fort class are replaced in the mid 2020s by the new SSS class as yet to be contracted for following a recent UK MoD competitive tender process for these critical support vessels.

And - https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/rfa-fo ... HsIaOoeLwk

Also:
Why has the Royal Navy’s Fleet Solid Support Ship competition been suspended?
In a surprise move, the MoD confirmed yesterday that it has suspended the international tender process for up to 3 Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships to be built for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Here we consider the context and possible reasons for this decision.

Hardly noticed as Parliament went into recess ahead of the general election, on 4th November the Defence Secretary announced the publication of Sir John Parker’s review of the implementation of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSbS). Sir John makes a broadly positive assessment on progress since his NSbS was adopted as government policy in 2017 but was far from content that all his recommendations have been acted on. (Full report available here)

Most controversially, Parker criticised the policy of only designating frigates, destroyers and aircraft carriers as “warships” that must be built in the UK and allowing other vessel types to be open to foreign bids. He says the decision to make the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ship an international competition is not the right strategic approach. If shipbuilding is to thrive it is important there is sufficient volume of work avoid peaks and troughs in workload. Volume is an important efficiency driver, argues Parker. Despite the ongoing Type 31 and Type 26 frigate construction projects there is still spare capacity across UK industry after the completion of the aircraft carriers and work on large vessels will maintain continuity of work and skills. “While I do not wish to delay or damage the procurement of the Fleet Solid Support ships, I recommend that UK-only competition should be considered for future defence-funded vessels including amphibious vessels and mine countermeasure vessels” Sir John concluded.

Continues at - https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/why-ha ... suspended/
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Re: Proposed Fleet Solid Support Ships

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British-Spanish team bid to build the Fleet Solid Support ship

This week ‘Team Resolute’ went public. This is a new partnership between Spanish shipbuilder, Navantia, Belfast shipyard, Harland & Wolff and naval architects, BMT to bid for the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ship contract. Here we consider this partnership and summarise the story of FSS so far.

Team Resolute
The naval architecture pedigree of BMT combined with Navantia’s recent track record of building naval stores ships was already the basis for a very credible bid for FSS. Unfortunately, their plan to construct the ships entirely in Spain always looked politically unworkable. The inclusion of Harland and Wolff is a way to surmount this obstacle, although raises many other questions. H&W have not constructed a naval vessel since RFA Fort Victoria 30 years ago and currently have a workforce numbering just 130 people.

Despite their illustrious shipbuilding heritage, H&W narrowly escaped oblivion last year. in June the owners, Dolphin Drilling, filed for bankruptcy and put the yard up for sale. The saviour was energy firm InfraStrata Plc which bought the yard in September, apparently planning to use the site to construct elements of their Islandmagee underground gas storage plant off the coast of Country Antrim. Subsequent to the buy-out, a new management team with substantial UK and international shipyard experience has been assembled in Belfast.

InfraStrata confirmed to us that their plan would see modules for the lead vessel built in both Belfast and Spain with more modules of the 2nd (and possibly 3rd) being built in Belfast. A large contingent of UK workers would be brought over and trained by Navantia. The plan will enable concurrent fabrication of the ships at both H&W and Navantia’s Puerto Real shipyards. New jobs will be created, a local skills base does still exist as around 1,200 workers were laid off prior to the InfraStrata acquisition.

Team Resolute say their bid would “re-establish a skills base for UK shipbuilding in Northern Ireland, The transfer of Navantia’s cutting edge knowledge to Harland & Wolff will support the modernisation and availability of this UK sovereign asset for FSS and beyond.” Navantia have developed a digital shipyard concept named ‘Shipyard 4.0’, which they promise to share with all UK partners across the supply chain. This system includes digital connectivity, cybersecurity, robotics and logistics, ensuring consistency in the production process and improving connectivity between people, products and machines. Navantia has delivered 40 ships on time to customers worldwide over the last 5 years and recently built vessels for the Australian, Norwegian and Turkish navies.
The article continues at:
https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/britis ... qVXWq1YDNU

The following refers to the attached image:
The BMT design is based on an existing mature design and aims to maximise the commonality of equipment and components with the Tide Class RFAs. This will facilitate reduced training overheads, smart documentation and intelligent spares holdings across the fleet. Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) has been fully considered to minimise through-life costs and maximise time at sea. Navatia have expertise in using predictive maintenance using artificial intelligence with data analysis, virtual reality simulators to reduce support costs. H&W are also hopeful of winning the MoD’s ‘Future In-Service Support’ (FISS) contract to maintain the ships in service.
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ivorthediver
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Re: Proposed Fleet Solid Support Ships

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What are your thoughts on this proposed merger David ......a runner :?: circumnavigation of our original construction rules or wishful thinking :!:
"What Ever Floats your Boat"
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Pelican
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Re: Proposed Fleet Solid Support Ships

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ivorthediver wrote: Fri May 29, 2020 6:23 pm What are your thoughts on this proposed merger David ......a runner :?: circumnavigation of our original construction rules or wishful thinking :!:
It all sounds sensible to me Ivor but what will the bean counters think?
Good project for you - it could carry all your spares!
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Re: Proposed Fleet Solid Support Ships

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Pelican wrote: Fri May 29, 2020 6:27 pm
ivorthediver wrote: Fri May 29, 2020 6:23 pm What are your thoughts on this proposed merger David ......a runner :?: circumnavigation of our original construction rules or wishful thinking :!:
It all sounds sensible to me Ivor but what will the bean counters think?
Good project for you - it could carry all your spares!
Flattery.... will get you no were kind Sir ;) ,[ as this current build will likely be my lasts its getting to painful on my limbs ] but whilst ANYTHING that bolsters our native shipbuilding has a thumbs up from me is it this successful yards ploy to gain further inroads .......[.yes I know their Spanish but we are not exactly bosom pals now are we :shock:] .....".Greeks bearing gifts" and all that may end up ringing true :o
"What Ever Floats your Boat"
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Re: Proposed Fleet Solid Support Ships

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Government confirm new Fleet Solid Support Ships treated as warships
October 2, 20207

This is important because the UK restricts the building of vessels classified as warships to British shipyards.
The £1.5bn competition to build up to three Fleet Solid Support Ships was suspended last year and an update was due this autumn.

Speculation mounted regarding the status of these ships (and whether or not calling them warships was a slip of the tongue) after Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the Commons:

“I intend to announce the procurement timetable for the warships in due course, after market testing has completed. We intend to encourage international partners to work alongside UK firms for the bid, which will build on the success of Type 31.”

Continues at:
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/governm ... 4o0FfUGD_U
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Re: Proposed Fleet Solid Support Ships

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Government confirm new Fleet Solid Support Ships will be built in UK

The Ministry of Defence have confirmed that said the competition to build the vessels will begin next year and will see “a significant proportion of the build and assembly work to be carried out in the UK”.

Continues at:
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/governm ... OQ9lokNWgI
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Re: Proposed Fleet Solid Support Ships

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From Save the Navy:

Fleet solid support ships for the Royal Navy to be built in Britain

In a carefully-worded statement, the MoD has confirmed the Fleet Solid Support ships will, at least predominantly, be built in the UK and the competition will be re-launched in the Spring of 2021.
Continues at
https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/fleet- ... X34M4Rrg-M
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