Click here - to select or create a menu

Naval News

  • News
  • Event News
    • Indo Pacific 2022
    • Sea Air Space 2022
    • DIMDEX 2022
    • WDS 2022
    • DSEI 2021
    • MADEX 2021
  • Interviews
  • Videos
  • Advertising
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Home» News»UK Sells two Fort Rosalie-class Replenishment Ships to Egypt
Euronaval 2022
UK Sells RFA Ships Fort Austin and Fort Rosalie to Egypt
Three Royal Navy ships take part in a Replenishment at Sea or RAS. From left RFA Fort Austin, RFA Fort Victoria and HMS Illustrious are pictured transferring stores and fuel. File picture: UK MoD

UK Sells two Fort Rosalie-class Replenishment Ships to Egypt

In a landmark deal, the UK has sold military vessels to Egypt for the first time in more than 30 years. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships, Fort Austin and Fort Rosalie, were sold by the Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA).

Xavier Vavasseur 29 Oct 2021

UK MoD press release

Both Royal Navy Solid Support Ships were released from service earlier this year. Their new lease of life could also support UK jobs, with negotiations under way for refurbishment work on the vessels before they are exported.

Minister for Defence Procurement, Jeremy Quin, said:

“Fort Austin and Fort Rosalie played an important role in sustaining our naval fleet for decades and I thank all involved in their essential work.
“As we nod to the past service of these ships, we can also look forward to the exciting future of welcoming our new Fleet Solid Support ships.
“Both the UK and Egyptian navies continue to strengthen relations to maintain peace and security in the region.”

Backed by the £24 billion investment announced last year, developing defence exports and investments is a key element to advancing Global Britain and asserting UK defence in the face of evolving threats. The recent Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper aids these ambitions by providing a strategic backbone for such commercial activity.

Clive Walker, the Head of DESA, which is part of Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), said:

“DESA is exceptionally happy to be working with the Egyptian Navy on the regeneration of two former Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships.
“This represents a tangible demonstration of the strengthening relationship between the two navies and the importance of the strategic relationship between the UK and Egypt.”

Fort Austin and Fort Rosalie have helped to ensure Navy personnel all over the world have the food, ammunition and explosives they need to carry out vital operations.

The sister ships have two flight decks, which means as well as traditional replenishment at sea they are also able to use helicopters to offload supplies.

Soldiers of 17 Port & Maritime Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps, offload stores, equipment and ammunition from the RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) Fort Rosalie (A385), using a Mexeflote vessel which enables offshore offloading.

Vice Admiral Chris Gardner, DE&S Director General Ships, said:

“Fort Austin and Fort Rosalie have both served the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Navy and many of our allies with distinction, across the globe both at peacetime and during conflict.
“Their sale to the Egyptian Navy – the first sale of UK military vessels to this partner in more than 30 years – represents both an investment in a UK partner nation and an opportunity to continue supporting our industry partners who will prepare these vessels to hand over, which is central to the successful National Shipbuilding Strategy.”

Fort Austin and Fort Rosalie will be replaced by the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships, which will form part of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group.

At the end of August, four consortia successful at the pre-qualifying stage for the FSS build were awarded Competitive Procurement Phase contracts to enable designs to be matured.

The consortia are Larsen & Toubro, which includes UK company Leidos Innovations; Serco/Damen, which includes UK company Serco; Team Resolute, which includes UK companies Harland & Wolff and BMT; and Team UK, which includes UK companies Babcock and BAE Systems.

-End-

Naval News comments:

Fort Rosalie and Fort Austin are the only two fleet replenishment vessels of the Fort Rosalie-class. They were commissioned with the RFA in April 1978 and May 1979 respectively. Both were decommissioned on 31 March this year. They have a full load displacement of 23,890 tons and a length of 185 meters.

They supply dry stores and not fuel. The Fort Rosalie-class vessels have the capacity to store 3,500 long tons (3,600 t) of stores, including refrigerated items, in four holds. They are capable of replenishment at sea (RAS), using three 10-ton and three 5-ton cranes and vertical replenishment (VERTREP).

The ships will join an Egyptian Navy fleet composed of American, Korean, German, Italian and French vessels… which will not facilitate maintenance activities.

Egypt United Kingdom 2021-10-29
Tags Egypt United Kingdom
Facebook Twitter Stumble linkedin Pinterest More

Related Articles

UK Issues Refreshed National Shipbuilding Strategy

UK Issues Refreshed National Shipbuilding Strategy

Xavier Vavasseur 10 Mar 2022
The United Kingdom's government today unveiled a refreshed National Shipbuilding Strategy "for a globally successful, innovative and sustainable shipbuilding enterprise".
Royal Navy looks to drones to deliver lightweight supplies at sea

Royal Navy looks to drones to deliver lightweight supplies at sea

Naval News Staff 23 Dec 2021
The Royal Navy’s crucial support arm is looking at using drones to deliver mail drops and other supplies to ships in the middle of the ocean. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) – whose ships and sailors have supported Royal Navy operations since 1905 with fuel, food, spare parts, ammunition and other supplies – is looking into the possibility of crewless aircraft performing some of the more routine, lighter duties.
India, UK take part in Combined and Joint Exercise Konkan Shakti 2021

India, UK take part in Combined and Joint Exercise Konkan Shakti 2021

Naval News Staff 25 Oct 2021
All three Services from the Indian & UK Armed Forces are exercising simultaneously during Konkan Shakti 21, the most ambitious exercise conducted by the two countries to date.

Advertisement

Legal / Privacy Policy
About Us
Contact Us

Copyright © 2022 Naval News
All Rights Reserved
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok