Defence Secretary has launched a competition to build three new Fleet
Solid Support (FSS) ships to provide vital support to Royal Navy
operations across the world.
These crucial Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels will provide
munitions, food, stores and provisions to support carrier and
amphibious based Task Groups at sea.
Building on the commitment made in the recent Defence Command
Paper to create a shipbuilding renaissance, the competition will
help revitalise British shipbuilding by requiring a significant
proportion of the build and assembly work to be carried out in
the UK.
With a £24 billion multi-year settlement to modernise our Armed
Forces, the competition is an exciting moment for UK industry to
design and deliver a world-leading capability, securing
highly-skilled jobs and boosting homegrown skills.
Defence Secretary said:
As Shipbuilding Tsar, I am delighted to launch the competition
for these crucial Fleet Solid Support ships.
These vessels embody our commitment to a truly global presence by
supporting the Royal Navy’s operations around the world.
The competition reaffirms our dedication to invest in
shipbuilding and support jobs across the UK maritime industry.
Designed to challenge the shipbuilding industry, Defence
Equipment and Support have issued the contract notice inviting
companies to register an interest in participating in the tender
for the design and build of the ships, which will incorporate
next-generation technology.
The successful bidder can work in partnership with international
companies but would be required to integrate the ships in a UK
shipyard. The Government has already pledged to double the
investment over the life of this Parliament to more than £1.7
billion a year, providing a pipeline of work to sustain jobs and
skills around the UK.
This will be further supported by a refresh of the National
Shipbuilding Strategy, to be published this summer setting out
the Government’s commitment to the UK shipbuilding enterprise and
its supply chain.
DE&S’ Director General Ships, Vice Admiral Chris
Gardner, said:
The launch of the Fleet Solid Support competition presents a
really exciting opportunity for the shipbuilding industry to
support the design and build of a new class of ship that will
primarily resupply our Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.
It is also another step in implementing the National Shipbuilding
Strategy and increasing our domestic maritime construction
capacity and capability alongside the Type 26 and Type 31
programmes already underway.
The FSS ships will join the QEC Task Group, carrying out
replenishment at sea to supply stores and ammunition to sustain
operations, which is essential to meeting the UK’s defence
commitments. To do this the ships will be able to transfer loads
of more than two tonnes at a time while at high speed.
Interested companies are now invited to register their interest
to receive a pre-qualification questionnaire. Successful
respondents will be invited to tender for Competitive Procurement
Contracts.
These contracts will allow potential suppliers to develop designs
and delivery plans, with a particular focus on providing UK
social value through, for example, supply chain development, the
creation of new jobs and skills, and contributions to carbon
emission reduction targets, as outlined in the new Defence and
Security Industrial Strategy.
The manufacture contract award is expected to be made within two
years, following approvals.
