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 RFAFort Rosalie at HMNB Plymouth Navy Days | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Scott Lithgow |
| Operators | Royal Fleet Auxiliary |
| Succeeded by | Fort Victoria class |
| Built | 1973–1979 |
| In commission | 1978–2021 |
| Completed | 2 |
| Retired | 2 (sold toEgypt) |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Replenishment ship |
| Tonnage | 18,029 GT |
| Displacement | 23,890 tons (full load) |
| Length | 185.1 m (607 ft 3 in) |
| Beam | 24 m (78 ft 9 in) |
| Draught | 9 m (29 ft 6 in) |
| Propulsion | Sulzer 8-cylinder RND90 22,300 shp (16,600 kW), 1 shaft |
| Speed | 22knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) |
| Range | 10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Complement | |
| Sensors & processing systems | Kelvin Hughes Ltd SharpEye navigation radar[1] |
| Armament | |
| Aircraft carried | Up to 4 ×Westland Sea King-sized helicopters |
TheFort Rosalie orFort class offleet replenishment vessel of theBritishRoyal Fleet Auxiliary were designed to replenishRoyal Navy taskgroups with various armaments and victualling stores while under way. Unlike the biggerFort Victoria class, they supply dry stores and not fuel. RFAFort Rosalie was originally known asFort Grange but was renamed in 2000 to avoid confusion with the newFort Victoria-class replenishment oilerRFA Fort George. Both ships were withdrawn from service and later sold in 2021.
They have the capacity to store 3,500long tons (3,600 t) of stores, including refrigerated items, in fourholds. They are capable ofreplenishment at sea (RAS), using three 10-ton and three 5-ton cranes and vertical replenishment (VERTREP). For the latter role there are generous flight facilities; a single spotflight deck, an emergency landing platform atop thehangar and a complement of up to four (but usually one)Fleet Air ArmWestland Sea King helicopters and the requisite maintenance facilities. As such, they are often used for aviation training.
Two ships were ordered in 1971, with the first entering service in 1978. Both ships saw service in theFalklands War, the thenFort Grange being shadowed byArgentine Air ForceC-130 Hercules aircraft while still 1,000nautical miles (1,900 km) from the combat area andFort Austin being attacked while sitting inSan Carlos Water.Fort Austin supported the British intervention in Sierra Leone in 2000.
Fort Austin was mothballed in 2009 but was reactivated following the 2010 SDSR at the expense ofRFA Fort George. BothFort Rosalie andFort Austin have had major refits atCammell Laird to enable another decade of service. In 2011 it was announced that the service lives ofFort Austin andFort Rosalie would be extended by another two years to 2023 and 2024 respectively.[2] They will ultimately be replaced by the newSolid Support Ships.[3]
As of June 2020, both ships were reported to be in either reduced (base maintenance period) or extended readiness (unmanned reserve) with replenishment rigs not compatible with theQueen Elizabeth-classaircraft carriers.[4]
The 2021 defence white paper announced that both ships of the class would be decommissioned and eventually replaced by new Fleet Solid Stores Support Vessels.[5] In May 2021, both ships were put up for sale to bescrapped.[6] The notice for recycling was subsequently withdrawn, and in October 2021 it was announced by the Defence Equipment Sales Authority andDefence Equipment and Support that both ships of the class had been sold to theEgyptian Navy, with refurbishment work expected to be undertaken byCammell Laird prior to their export.[7][8] While awaiting their refit, it was reported thatFort Austin would be renamed ENSLuxor andFort Rosalie would be renamed ENSAbu Simbel.[9]
| Name | Pennant | Builder | Commissioned | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Rosalie (ex-Fort Grange) | A385 | Scott Lithgow, Greenock | 6 April 1978 | Decommissioned 31 March 2021, sold to Egypt October 2021 Renamed ENSAbu Simbel |
| Fort Austin | A386 | 11 May 1979 | Decommissioned 31 March 2021, sold to Egypt October 2021 |
| Tankers |
|  | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Replenishment ships |
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| Landing ship docks |
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| Other vessels |
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