Navantia UK has laid the keel for RFA Resurgent, officially starting construction of the first of three Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships destined for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).
The ceremony, held at its Appledore shipyard in North Devon, saw the first block of the vessel’s bow lowered onto the Seahorse barge in the dry dock.
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According to Navantia UK, the barge, built at its Methil yard in Fife, will later transport completed ship sections from Appledore to the Harland & Wolff yard in Belfast, where final assembly and integration will be completed.
The keel laying follows earlier milestones including the start of test block construction at Appledore in August 2025, completion of the Critical Design Review in October 2025, and the cutting of the first steel at the site in December 2025.
Defence Readiness and Industry Minister Luke Pollard 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.”
The vessels, spanning 216m in length, will have a displacement of around 39,000t and a storage capacity of 9,000m2, making them the largest ships in UK military service aside from the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
Each ship will carry a core RFA crew of 101 and accommodation for up to 80 additional personnel to operate helicopters, boats and others.
The RFA Resurgent is scheduled to enter service in the early 2030s, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
After entering service, RFA Resurgent, and its sister ships, RFA Reliant and RFA Resourceful, will supply Royal Navy ships at sea with ammunition, spare parts, provisions, and other materials, supporting the fleet’s ability to undertake extended deployments, including those involving carrier strike groups.
Construction of FSS ship modules is being split between Navantia UK’s Appledore and Belfast yards, as well as Navantia facilities in Spain. The ships will undergo final assembly, integration, and trials at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast.
The FSS programme is projected to deliver approximately £100m of investment across Navantia UK’s Belfast and Appledore facilities, generating 1,200 jobs and hundreds of apprenticeships.
At Appledore, the workforce has expanded to 210 people, including 40 apprentices, with a further 20 joining as part of a new intake this week.
Local and national supply chains are engaged in the programme. North Devon-based Wellington Welding supplies equipment to Appledore and Somerset’s Denholm Industrial Services is also among those supporting the project.
The company also works with North Devon College to support skills development for future projects.
Navantia UK CEO Donato Martínez said: “Today is an important moment for Fleet Solid Support, for Appledore and for the renewal of UK shipbuilding. The laying of the keel marks the formal start of assembly of the first ship and is clear evidence of the momentum we have built across the programme.
“FSS is helping to rebuild sovereign industrial capability in the UK. We are investing in shipyards, creating skilled jobs, developing apprentices and strengthening the supply chain that will support future naval programmes.”
