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Fort Victoria-class replenishment oiler

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Fort Victoria
Fort Victoria
Class overview
NameFort Victoria class
Builders
Operators Royal Navy
Preceded byFort Rosalie-class replenishment ship
Succeeded byFleet Solid Support Ship Programme
Built1988–1991
In commission1993–present
Planned6
Completed2
Cancelled4
Active1
Scrapped1
General characteristics
Class and typeReplenishment oiler
Displacement32,300 long tons (32,818 t) full load
Length203 m (666 ft 0 in)
Beam30 m (98 ft 5 in)
Draught10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Propulsion2 shafts, Crossley-Pielstick V-16 diesels, 23,904 bhp (17,825 kW)
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement95 RFA / 15 RN / 154 FAA / 24 RNSTS civilians
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar Type 993 3-D surveillance
  • Kelvin Hughes Ltd SharpEye navigation radar[1]
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • NATO Seagnat countermeasures launchers
  • Type 182 towed decoy
Armament
Aircraft carriedUp to 5 × Sea King or Merlin helicopters (3 in hangar)

The Fort Victoria or Fort II class is a class of replenishment oiler of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, a role that combines the missions of a tanker and stores supply ship.[3] As such they are designated auxiliary oiler replenisher (AOR). They are tasked with providing ammunition, fuel, food and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world. There were two ships in the class, Fort Victoria and Fort George; the latter being taken out of service and despatched for scrapping at a Turkish breakers as a consequence of budgetary cutbacks.

History

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Fort Victoria in 2003

Six ships were initially planned to supply the Type 23 frigates in their North Atlantic anti-submarine role. The Type 23 was at the time planned to be a low cost, lightly armed vessel and the Fort-class ships were therefore expected to defend themselves with the Sea Wolf vertical launch surface-to-air missile (SAM).

The lessons of the Falklands War meant the Type 23 developed as a much more potent, multi-role vessel carrying the Sea Wolf missile.[4][5][6] The requirement for the Fort class was reduced from six to two.

Fort Victoria was built by Harland and Wolff and Fort George by Swan Hunter and the ships entered service in 1994 and 1993 respectively.[7] Fort Victoria was delayed when she was bombed by the IRA on 6 September 1990 and nearly sunk.[8]

In the 2030s, the Fort Victoria-class will be succeeded by a new class of three solid support ships, under the Fleet Solid Support Ship Programme.

Class details

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Name Pennant Builder Ordered Laid down Launched Commissioned Fate
Fort Victoria A387 Harland and Wolff, Belfast/Cammell Laird[7] 23 April 1986[7] 4 April 1988[7] 12 June 1990[7] 24 June 1994, under "assisted maintenance" at Rosyth Dockyard[7] Active as of 2023
Fort George A388 Swan Hunter, Wallsend-on-Tyne[7] 18 December 1987[7] 9 March 1989[7] 1 March 1991[7] 16 July 1993[7] Decommissioned April 2011
Scrapped 2013

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "New navigation radar system for Royal Navy". Government of the United Kingdom. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Duke (Type 23) class Frigate". Seaforces - online. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  3. ^ "RFA Fort Victoria". Royal Navy. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  4. ^ McLain, Lynton (10 July 1987). "Design Changes Add £90M To Cost Of Frigate". Financial Times.
  5. ^ Donne, Michael (9 June 1984). "BAe wins MoD contract to develop Seawolf missile". Financial Times.
  6. ^ Grove, Eric (September 1987). "The Royal Navy Sails Into Tomorrow". Defense & Foreign Affairs.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Jane's Fighting Ships, 2004-2005. Jane's Information Group Limited. p. 818. ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.
  8. ^ From an interview with shipbuilder Sir John Parker published by Sunday Times, 13 March 2006: :The contract for Fort Victoria was won, but the ship became a target for the IRA. "She was afloat in the dock when we got the call from the IRA. Later that day the bomb went off and blew a hole in the engine room of the ship. The ship heeled over to about 45 degrees and we thought we were going to lose her. Fortunately some very courageous engineers went on board and lowered pumps in to clear the engine room so we could save the ship." The next day there was a call about a second bomb. It took two weeks to find it and make it safe – valuable time lost. Such incidents moulded Sir John and taught him patience and resolve, the like of which is rare in many boardrooms.

Bibliography

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  • Beaver, Paul, Britain's Modern Royal Navy, Patrick Stephens Limited, 1996, ISBN 1-85260-442-5
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Fort class replenshipment ships at the Royal Navy website

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