The Upcoming Development of New British Fleet Solid Support

In the United Kingdom, the Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) announced that the design for the new class of Fleet Solid Support (FSS) for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) has successfully completed the Critical Design Review (CDR).

Completion of the Critical Design Review

The CDR was accomplished by the primary contractor Navantia UK and the DE&S project team, with the support of BMT Ltd.

The critical review evaluated the complete and detailed design of the ships, from the hull structure to the adaptation of the equipment. The entire process took into consideration the overall structural integrity, safety standards, environmental sustainability, risk minimization, and the integration of military systems.

Upcoming Steps in the Project

The next steps of the program include the cutting of the first sheet metal and the commencement of the assembly of the first of three ships by the end of the year.

Function of FSS Units

The RFA’s FSS units will have the task of providing solid supplies and ammunition to the Royal Navy ships on a mission; they will have a flight deck and a hangar capable of housing two Merlin type helicopters and UAS at the stern.

Features of the FSS Units

With a displacement of 39,000 tons, a length of 216 meters, a width of 34.5 meters, equipped with three sea refueling platforms and about 9,000 square meters (97,000 square feet) of cargo space, the three FSS will be, after the two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, the largest British military surface units in service.

Image credit @Defence Equipment & Support