Keel Laid for First Fleet Solid Support Ship as Sister Vessels RFA Reliant and RFA Resourceful Unveiled

• RFA Resurgent, the lead vessel of the three‑ship Fleet Solid Support programme, has begun to take shape with its keel‑laying ceremony, while the names of its sister ships, RFA Reliant and RFA Resourceful, have been disclosed.
• The Fleet Solid Support initiative is projected to generate roughly 1,200 UK shipyard positions and hundreds of apprenticeships, bolstering sovereign shipbuilding at Navantia UK’s Appledore and Belfast facilities.
• RFA Resurgent is slated to join the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in the early 2030s, providing essential logistics support to Royal Navy vessels, including carrier‑strike group operations.

The Royal Navy’s capacity to project power and sustain operations at sea received a significant boost today as construction of the first future solid‑support ship reached a key milestone.

RFA Resurgent, the lead ship of the three‑vessel Fleet Solid Support (FSS) programme for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, was formally keel‑laid at Navantia UK’s Appledore yard. The ceremony, presided over by the Head of the RFA, Commodore Sam Shattock, also unveiled the names of its sister vessels, RFA Reliant and RFA Resourceful.

The FSS programme will funnel roughly £100 million into Navantia UK’s shipyards in Belfast and Appledore, Devon, creating around 1,200 jobs and hundreds of apprenticeships while supporting the re‑industrialisation of the UK’s maritime sector.

Upon entering service, RFA Resurgent and its two sister ships will supply munitions, spare parts, provisions and other vital stores to Royal Navy vessels at sea, enabling the fleet to stay deployed longer—including during carrier‑strike group operations.

Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP said:

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary are the backbone of our Royal Navy and these new ships will keep our navy ready to operate at range for longer.

Seeing the steel cut for RFA Resurgent last year was a proud moment, and today’s keel laying shows real momentum behind this vital programme.

This investment is helping bolster UK shipbuilding, backing thousands of skilled jobs and apprenticeships in Appledore, Belfast and beyond.

A specially commissioned coin was embedded in the ship’s hull and will be presented to the ship’s captain and crew upon commissioning, preserving a longstanding maritime tradition.

Keith Bethell, Director Maritime Environment at the NAD Group, said:

Today’s keel lay is a significant stride forward in delivering the support our Royal Navy needs to operate at pace and at range, wherever it is needed.

Through the NAD Group’s work procuring this capability alongside Navantia UK and the wider supply chain, we are proud to be supporting our armed forces and backing British shipbuilding and skilled jobs.

Each vessel will be crewed by a core Royal Fleet Auxiliary complement of 101, with quarters for an additional 80 personnel who will operate helicopters, boats or undertake other duties as needed. The delivery schedule remains on track, with RFA Resurgent projected to join the RFA in the early 2030s.

Commodore Sam Shattock, Head of the RFA, said:

Today’s keel laying marks another important step in the delivery of RFA Resurgent and the wider Fleet Solid Support programme. Seeing construction progress here in Appledore demonstrates the momentum behind a project that will provide the Royal Fleet Auxiliary with world‑class capabilities to sustain Royal Navy operations across the globe.

The commemorative coin placed beneath the keel continues a proud maritime tradition, linking this modern programme with generations of shipbuilders and seafarers who have gone before us. I am delighted that apprentices from both Navantia UK and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary have been part of this occasion, representing the future of UK shipbuilding and the future of the RFA.

Ship‑module fabrication is underway at Navantia UK’s Appledore site, Harland & Wolff’s Belfast yard and Navantia’s facilities in Spain. Final assembly, integration and sea trials will be conducted at Harland & Wolff’s Belfast shipyard.

Donato Martínez, CEO of Navantia UK, said:

Today’s keel laying marks the formal start of assembly of the first Fleet Solid Support ship and an important moment for Appledore, where shipbuilding has returned to a yard with more than 170 years of history.

FSS is rebuilding sovereign industrial capability in the UK, creating skilled jobs, developing apprentices and strengthening the supply chain for future naval programmes, including the autonomous and uncrewed platforms of the future Hybrid Navy.

This milestone shows what sustained investment and close partnership between government and industry can deliver, and we are focused on maintaining that momentum as the first ship takes shape.

The programme is a component of the Government’s Defence Investment Plan, which encompasses a broader £298 billion defence spending commitment.

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