Proposed Fleet Solid Support Ships

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Team Resolute formally awarded contract to build Fleet Solid Support Ships

https://www.navylookout.com/team-resolu ... ort-ships/

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Harland Wolff plc say sub-contract negotiations for Fleet Solid Support ship construction with Navantia Oficial are still underway.

Expected to conclude in next couple of weeks and further details of the scope of works will be announced when signed.

See - https://www.investegate.co.uk/harland-- ... 00000483N/

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The new Fleet Solid Support ships will be 39,000 tonnes (full load) - similar to Tide class tankers.

For latest news on FSS see thread at - https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 4138590211

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Report warns shipyards at risk if future orders sent abroad

A report by the Scottish Affairs Committee has cautioned that the future of Scottish shipyards may be uncertain if a greater proportion of orders for the Royal Navy are awarded to foreign entities.
Committee MPs are demanding to know whether the successful bid from the Team Resolute consortium, the team building the new support ships partly in Spain but mostly in Belfast, was the cheapest.

Continues at - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/report- ... nt-abroad/

Also see - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/report- ... VXqAbcqeWg

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Harland & Wolff, Shipyard That Built the Titanic, to Build First Ships in 20 Years

Harland & Wolff, the Belfast-based shipyard, has recently signed a £ 1.6 billion contract to build three support ships for the Royal Navy in partnership with Spanish state-owned Navantia. The shipyard built more than 1,600 ships, including the RMS Titanic. The last ship built by the yad was delivered in 2003.

UK Daily News reports that three years ago, John Wood, chief executive of London-based energy company InfraStrata, bought the company out of receivership for £ 6 million. The manager found eight-foot-tall weeds in the yard and recalls colleagues’ disbelief that the Harland & Wolff company, founded in 1861, could be raised from the dead.

Continue reading at → https://www.oldsaltblog.com/2023/02/har ... more-60209

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UK previously considered leasing two American supply ships

In 2015, the Ministry of Defence explored the opportunity to lease two Auxiliary Cargo and Ammunition (T-AKE) support ships from the United States.
The vessels, it turned out, could not be spared. Since then, no further discussions have taken place with allies on leasing solid support shipping for the Royal Navy.

Commenting, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence Alex Chalk, said:
See - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-prev ... petOlYDajw

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In focus: the Fleet Solid Support ship design

There has been plenty of coverage of the Fleet Solid Support ship procurement process but here we take the first detailed look at the winning ship design.


At this early stage, full details are not yet public and there maybe further refinements before construction begins but the outline features of the vessel are available. FSS will be a major leap forward in capability for the RFA and the overall design appears purposeful and attractive. BMT have been working on the project since at least 2019 when the initial mock-ups were made public. The first iteration of the specification called for 6 HRAS rigs which would allow FSS to simultaneously pass 5-tonne loads on two rigs to the aircraft carrier. In order to meet the budget, the MoD revised the specification and the 6-rig, 50,000+ tonne ‘beast’ was subsequently scaled down and the ship will now have 3 rigs able to pass 2.5-tonne loads to the carrier from one rig at a time.

Despite the reduction in size and ambition, FSS will still be the largest vessel ever operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, displacing 39,000 tonnes, about the same as the Tide Class tankers. Their greater beam and length is primarily because of the additional internal volume needed for storing and handling dry cargo compared with the simpler tanks and pipework of the oil tankers. FSS will displace about 20% more than RFA Fort Victoria (the only solid stores replenishment ship currently in service) having a beam more than 4 meters greater.

Continues at - https://www.navylookout.com/in-focus-th ... ip-design/

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Harland & Wolff: Belfast shipyard completes first vessel in 20 years

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/busi ... 22544.html - LFT

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Demolition works begin at Belfast shipyard in preparation for warship build

DEMOLITION work has begun at the iconic Harland & Wolff site on Belfast's Queen's Island to mark the start of a journey to becoming the UK’s most technologically advanced shipyard.

Following the award of the manufacturing subcontract with Navantia in relation to the £1.6 billion FSS warship programme, H&W confirmed it would see the £77 million invested in technology in its Belfast and Appledore shipyards.

An extension to the fabrication halls will be undertaken to facilitate a highly dynamic material and sub-structure production flow along with a highly efficient manufacturing and production process.

Investments will be made in technologically advanced robotic and autonomous equipment that includes material movement, marking, plate cutting, panel lines and robotic welding. In addition, new larger paint buildings will be constructed to facilitate larger and more efficient block painting.

This subcontract will be a significant and historic step change to Harland and Wolff’s capabilities and will make it an important participant in the international shipbuilding industry, specifically with modern shipyards and a proven track record post FSS.

Following the planned investments and upgrades to its sites, Harland & Wolff will be able to capitalise on further multi-billion-pound fabrication and heavy engineering opportunities within the defence, renewables and commercial maritime markets globally.

The business will target a significant number of floating offshore wind projects for which fabrication is expected to commence between 2024 and 2030.

The FSS Warship programme will last seven years and bring long term employment and opportunities until 2031.

Harland & Wolff will be responsible for the fabrication of various blocks including some mega blocks (ie, a block incorporating several standard sized blocks) as well as the procurement of a number of items of equipment to be installed on each vessel in Belfast.

Given the experience its Appledore shipyard has in the fabrication of the bow sections for the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers – HMS Queen Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales, all three bow sections for this programme will be fabricated there, prior to being transported to Belfast.

All three vessels will have all the blocks assembled, consolidated, fully integrated and commissioned before proceeding to sea trials from the Belfast facility, marking a return to shipbuilding in Belfast after over 20 years.

Full scale fabrication is due to commence in 2025 with the vessels due to be delivered to meet the Ministry of Defence’s objective to bring three ships into service by 2032.

See - https://www.irishnews.com/business/2023 ... ld-3240040 - LFT

Also see - https://www.harland-wolff.com/news/demo ... n-for-fss/

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Titanic yard revamp begins to construct RFA’s new support ships

Work has begun revamping the world-famous Harland & Wolff yard in Belfast so it can build three new support ships for the Navy.

The existing fabrication halls at the shipbuilders are being significantly enhanced to support construction of the successors to RFA Fort Victoria.

Three Fleet Solid Support vessels are being ordered to replace the venerable ‘one-stop-shop’ which provides ammunition, food, dry stores and spare parts to Royal Navy warships.

Continues at - https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... port-ships