Construction of the first Fleet Solid Support ship, RFA Resurgent, is progressing at the Appledore shipyard in Devon, with teams now working on nine blocks that will form the vessel’s first bow section.
Navantia UK said in a social media post that work at the yard has been building steadily since the first steel was cut for the Fleet Solid Support programme in December 2025, with activity increasing week by week as the programme moves from early set-up into a more consistent production rhythm.
An early milestone has already been reached as the inaugural test block has completed its Structural Dry Survey with Lloyd’s Register and has been signed off as suitable for integration into the first ship, where it will form block B108. Navantia UK described this as a practical confirmation that processes and quality are being established as intended.
The next significant step is expected in mid-May, when the Fleet Solid Support transport barge arrives from Methil in Scotland. Once on site, the barge will act as the working platform for the bow section, with assembly continuing on board ahead of a scheduled delivery to Belfast from March 2027.
The Fleet Solid Support programme will deliver three new support ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, replacing the now-retired Fort class vessels. Final assembly of the ships will take place at Harland & Wolff’s Belfast yard, with blocks built at shipyards across the UK including Appledore, with work also being done in Cadiz, Spain.
Is this the Conning Tower Section ?
No the other end of the ship it’s a hull Section specifically the bow
I just wish more posters on here could be a bit more positive. Ships are being bult and it takes time and money to do both. Argue of course about both the time taken and the moneey not spent or spent badly but lets at least acknowledge ships for war and support are coming.
It is true that there are a lot of ships being built.
What is also simultaneously true is that RN is short of ships and engineers, SSN is short of parts and places to fit them as well as people to fit them and RFA has so few people it is legitimate to wonder how the existing RFA is to be crewed never mind three huge FSSS….these are legitimate points.
The loopy thing is that the RFA manning one would be a quick easy fix with some ££££, chickenfeed compared to the train drivers and doctors’ demands, and would generate a lot of useful large grey hull activity quite quickly. Thing is that there is a real international market for mariners and RFA is paying less than market rates.
When ones old enough to remember the RN, RAF, and Army from the mid 90s and having lived through over 30 years of literally endless cuts, spin, and excuses from both Labour and Tory governments, the negativity, for me at least, is both understandable and excuseable.
Reading today on Gabs Blog on the RNs attempts to even get a slight improvement on close in CAUS defence of it’s ships, simple things that are chicken feed cost wise in defence spending terms.
Never processed for lack of money.
Yes, ships are building, they reach back to to the bare minimum benchmark of 19 Escorts, post 2010 SDR. The 96 SDR mandated 30 minimum for a peaceful post Cold war world.
It is always good to be positive but HMG are not sincere, the current build papers the existing cracks.
An intended batch 2 announcement for T31 from HMG would help positivity, and might get the escort fleet back to 24. Where is it?
Where is MROSS?
Where are the 3 mothers?
Where are the extra Atlas, E7s, GBAD, Artillery, just about anything? We are now spending 7 years to produce just 23 helicopters to keep a factory open, while the RAF has no medium lift.
Yes, it is good to be positive!!
Me too and it goes beyond your history (father served in WW2 for RN and worked at Marconi post war and help build 909 radar for type 42 and HMS Bristol) Spent fabulous days visitng dockyards at Plymouth – stood on or in Sheffield Bristol and Leader class pus an Oberon sub. Always followed fondly Naval history. I hear what you and others say its just I guess we are where we are – its not where we should be but things to me seem to be going in the right direction. I just ownder if we have the fiances right especially around our Nuclear deterrent. I agree we need it but not sure it should just be in the defence budget – its our abolute back up so should be, in my view, a different budget as a soverign protected item
Yes, I’m a bit younger, I don’t have that history. My father was Italian, so the only family members on my British side I’m aware of with any link are my Great Uncle in the Scots Guards and my Grandad, not being allowed to serve in ww2 due to his engineering skills, built the Mulberry harbours instead, for which I’m very proud.
I think it’s a gradual building of anger and utter resentment of HMG from the 90s on, post OFC 91. I followed matters from the mid 80s on when, even though older members of our forum recall cuts from the 50s on, the forces were so big they could absorb them.
Now, they still get cut and are miniscule by comparison.
Yes, the angers real in me, sorry to say.
But a good shipbuilding program under way at least, 15 years late.
“ my Grandad, not being allowed to serve in ww2 due to his engineering skills, built the Mulberry harbours instead, for which I’m very proud.”
I’m curious whom he was working for at that point.
My grandad on my mother’s side didn’t serve either as he was doing reserved occupation war work at Vickers Armstrong…..that was what he was told to do for the war effort!
I don’t think I will ever know the answer to that.
Grandad never talked to us grandkids about what he did in ww2, and post ww2 would not say much to my Nanny either.
Both are long gone, but Nanny would tell us about the Mullberrys. He was a steel engineer, I know he went to Pompey fixing ships, Devonport, that sort of stuff.
Post war, he said even less, even to Nanny, as he was sent to places like Aldermaston and Spaadeadam, those titbits come from my eldest Aunt who remembers some stories.
Who he worked for….sorry, I do not know.
Who were the big steel firms in ww2??
Aldermaston will have historical archives as they are still active smeller files will be in The National Archives but I suspect not much.
Spaadeadam most of what remains is in The National Archives but it is very heavily weeded. I suspect some has been withheld and a lot destroyed.
I understand trying to be positive, i get it. Reality is though, always trying to be positive is one reason why we are in the mess we are. For three decades the higher ups have alway put a positive spin on capability downgrades. Its always been jam tomorrow, always been doing more with less.
What we need is telling the truth no matter how bad. Morale courage is saying a difficult thing when its difficult to do so.
People must now say the truth, our armed forces are no longer combat capable for any lenght of time. Its sad but true.
Agreed, but my memory goes back to the 70’s. Back then we could just about claim to have the third most powerful navy in the world, now..!?
However, I would also point out there are some significant procurements being delivered around drone technology. Unfortunately, this does not address the lack of conventional force strength. I agree that the government is in a muddle and that is putting mildly. There is a article on the BBC News website. Lord Robertson is giving a speech later today and is going to stick the boot into Starmer and is accusing some in the Treasury of vandalism..! Way to go..!
I have long suggested that the Treasury is be main problem and Starmer needs to get them under control. He needs to stop being a lawyer and start being a leader, a leader at a moment of national peril at that.
Cheers CR
Hi mate.
Being 54, I can remember to the late 80s with orbat wise, but I always take the 90s on post OFC 91 as a starting point.
Absolutely understand mate. Just says that the UK state has seen itself in a state of decline for a hell of a long time and has done so to an unnecessary degree. We are still potentially a significant power given our population, educational and health status, our economic capabilities and industrial potential. The problem is that many in powerful positions seem to have convinced themselves that this is no longer the case, probably to cover their own lack of imagination and ability to provide the leadership the country needs to realise it’s potential.
The declining military capability is just one symptom of this situation. Robertson’s comment about Treasury vandalism is very telling in this regard.
Cheers CR
I think the Treasury is doing its job. Stabilising the finances and reducing govt debt are valid objectives. I suspect the issues are the poor track record of project and cost control in the MOD and the incompetence or unwillingness of the govt ( Starmer ?) to get reasonable cuts in benefits through parliament against resistance from naïve left wing labour MPs. I read that today senior heads at the MOD are meeting to find £3.5b worth of in year cuts to the defence budget. For my part I have written to Ms Reeves suggesting that well off pensioners should pay some NI – the cut in the £200 heating allowance for everyone was a reasonable idea. Phillipson’s ideas on cutting SEND spending are reasonable. The limits on the disabled car scheme are reasonable. The money for an increase in defence spending can be found without risking the economy.
“I think the Treasury is doing its job. Stabilising the finances and reducing govt debt are valid objectives”
Boy do I have news for you
100% 👍🏻
Too many whinging about mistakes made in the past that can’t be remedied without the building of a time-machine.
If they want to be productive they should focus on mistakes being made now, decisions not being taken now, such as the DIP.
Too few, too late and manning issues!
SB makes the point about RFA, simple to solve.
Then there are a multitude of other problems that just are not being addressed; Al Carns might have history heart in the right place but perhaps he take a leave out of his own book where he left the Services to change them, perhaps he needs to change Labour, because Labour is not delivering.
It’s not being negative is more about being concerned about what is needed vs what we have. The present build program is great but its a decade to late and 10 major combatants and 10 minor combatants short of the minimum required navy, the navy is suffering a crewing crisis in key areas of hard to develop expertise and the RFA is revolting over pay and conditions.
Its import to acknowledge that..
They have every reason to be negative..you don’t get rid of a capability until the replacement is ready to go .
As non forces I have to say that the noises about UK resilience and diversity of domestic warfighting supply is hopeful .
As above, I still think UK based GBAD, T31, and airborne radar orders would be very welcome.
Starmer did say at the General Election that UK population security was one of his priorities… got to hope.
The cost of keeping Scunthorpe steel works open is enough to fund tye construction 1 1/2 type 31s per year. Which adds to defence, ships or steel works. Keeping unions happy doesn’t get more ships at sea
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Rachael doesn’t take the Scunthorpe money out of the defence budget….critical for security….
Would much rather see T26 orders than T31.
As would everyone I guess, BUT, T26 order book is full untill 2040 if Norway gets it’s 5+ on top of the RN 8 ordered.
RN could ,get another 5 T31* vessels built by 2036 if ordered now.
“I just wish posters on here could be more positive”
Well, Jesus Is alive and well and ready to save us from our sins.
At least that’s a positive.
He’s not the Messiah. He’s a very naughty boy.
What do you believe you know that others don’t -unless you mean the latest mad post from Mr Dump
I believe he is actually “Biggus Dickus”.
To improve our defenceive posture we have to stop generating new and expanded requirements and launching into long development cycles which will be delivered late and over budget and have to replace existing systems to pay for them. Its really quite simple just buy more of what we already have which we know works. This could be frigates, submarines, Typhoon mk4s , E7s, A400Ms, tanks etc
Good these are being built, I have to say I’m looking forward to seeing a fully formed UK carrier battle group in all its glory parking itself in the northern ocean, carrier, three squadrons if F35Bs. Long range airborne drones, MRSS, tide class tanker 2 updated T45s, 2 26s. A handful of 2000 ton. Attrition drone escorts and an astute.. backed up by an wedgetail, P8s and tankers.
I Still think the RN will need far more depth from second line frigates and effective third line patrol ships.. but the sharp end and its logistics trail will be be top of the tree.
except at present we will have empty ships with no pilots, engineers or weapons stock piled
Yes but this is years away.. to build the crews you have to have the ships first.
“Wake up J, you’re dreaming” ! 😁
I could suggest a little trip to Gosport where you can see a whole bunch of ships most days. Don’t rush though, they don’t move much.
It’s a future dream halfwit.. the future does not exist so I can paint any picture of it I wish.. only know is real.. people often project the reality of now on the future as though it’s already real.
Haha.
That last bit pretty much sums up my last few weeks !
RFA ON STRIKE AGAIN ON THURSDAY 16TH APRIL
PAY US WHAT WE DESERVE!!!
Looking forward to us having an FSS again, great to see this being built even if it’s years after it should have been done.