Navantia UK has laid the keel of RFA Resurgent at its Appledore shipyard in North Devon, marking the formal start of assembly of the first of three new Fleet Solid Support (FSS) vessels for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.  The milestone was marked by the lowering of the first block, a section of RFA Resurgent’s bow, onto the Seahorse barge in Appledore’s dry dock. The barge, built at Navantia UK’s Methil yard in Fife, will carry completed blocks from Appledore to Belfast. In keeping with shipbuilding tradition, a commemorative coin was placed beneath the section for good fortune. During the ceremony, Commodore Shattock also revealed the names of the second and third Fleet Solid Support vessels: RFA Reliant and RFA Resourceful.

The operation was initiated by apprentices from Navantia UK Appledore and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, reflecting the central role that skills and the next generation of shipbuilders and seafarers will play in delivering the program. The ceremony took place on Merchant Navy Day, which celebrates the UK’s civilian seafarers, including the men and women of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.      The keel laying represents the latest major milestone for Fleet Solid Support, following the start of test block construction at Appledore in August 2025, completion of the Critical Design Review in October 2025 and the cutting of first steel at Appledore in December 2025.   Since the program began in 2023, it has remained on schedule and on budget while progressing through a series of major design and construction milestones.  
“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,” said Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP. “Seeing the steel cut for RFA Resurgent last year was a proud moment, and today’s keel laying shows real momentum behind this vital program. This investment is helping bolster UK shipbuilding, backing thousands of skilled jobs and apprenticeships in Appledore, Belfast and beyond.”

“Today is an important moment for Fleet Solid Support, for Appledore and for the renewal of UK shipbuilding,” said Donato Martínez, CEO of Navantia UK. “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 program.

“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 programs.

“At Appledore, shipbuilding has returned to a yard with more than 170 years of history. We are investing in its facilities and its people, while building the capability needed not only for FSS but for the next generation of naval vessels, including the autonomous and uncrewed platforms that will form part of the future Hybrid Navy.

“This milestone demonstrates what sustained investment and close partnership between government and industry can deliver. We are proud of the progress being made and focused on maintaining that momentum as the first FSS ship takes shape.”

The three Fleet Solid Support ships will provide munitions, stores and provisions to Royal Navy task groups at sea, enabling ships including the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers to remain deployed for longer and operate at greater distance from their home ports.
At around 39,000 tonnes and 216 meters long (708.7 feet), the vessels will be the largest ships in UK military service after the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.

Construction of ship modules is now taking place at Navantia UK’s Appledore yard, along with its Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast and Navantia’s yards in Spain. Final assembly, integration and trials of the ships will take place at their Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast.

“Today’s keel laying marks another important step in the delivery of RFA Resurgent and the wider Fleet Solid Support program,” said Commodore Sam Shattock, Commodore Royal Fleet Auxiliary. “Seeing construction progress here in Appledore demonstrates the momentum behind a project that will provide the Royal Fleet Auxiliary with world-class capabilities to sustain Royal Navy operations across the globe.

”The commemorative coin placed beneath the keel continues a proud maritime tradition, linking this modern programme with generations of shipbuilders and seafarers who have gone before us. I am delighted that apprentices from both Navantia UK and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary have been part of this occasion, representing the future of UK shipbuilding and the future of the RFA.”   The milestone also marks a significant moment in the regeneration of Appledore, which is undertaking its first shipbuilding activity since the completion of the Irish Naval Service offshore patrol vessel LÉ George Bernard Shaw in 2019.   Navantia UK is delivering an investment program of around £15 million at Appledore, including a new roof, plasma-cutting equipment and a new pipe shop, as part of more than £157 million being invested across the company’s four UK yards, which together employ around 1,300 people.
The Appledore workforce has grown to 210 people, including 40 apprentices, with a further 20 apprentices starting this week as part of an intake of 121 new apprentices across Navantia UK. The yard works closely with nearby North Devon College to develop the skilled workforce required for future programs.   The programme is also supporting businesses throughout the local and national supply chain. North Devon-based Wellington Welding, for example, supplies welding equipment and consumables to the yard as well as providing on-site testing services.
Another supplier supporting the project is Somerset-headquartered firm Denholm Industrial Services.   Steve Hill, Managing Director of Denholm Industrial Services, said: “Denholm Industrial Services is proud to support Navantia UK on the Fleet Solid Support programme. We are already building on our early work, from providing scaffolding and painting support for the Seahorse barge in Appledore, to supporting major reroofing works in Belfast.   ”We share Navantia UK’s drive, ambition, investment and commitment and are focused on supporting delivery of the FSS programme for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary to the highest standards. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Navantia UK on FSS and beyond, helping to deliver lasting benefits for the wider UK maritime sector.”   Appledore has a long history of naval and commercial shipbuilding dating back to 1855 and previously constructed bow sections for the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. Under Navantia UK, the yard is being developed as a specialist centre for vessels of up to approximately 125 metres, including autonomous and uncrewed platforms.      Navantia UK has already developed its LASV75 concept for the Royal Navy’s future Hybrid Navy. The 75-metre, ocean-going autonomous support vessel is designed around modular mission systems and rapid, scalable construction. The concept has been developed with Appledore’s facilities and capabilities in mind.