Spring restart confirmed for UK Fleet Solid Support ship programme
The long-awaited restart of the UK’s Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ship programme has been confirmed by the MoD, which will eventually deliver up to three logistics and sustainment vessels to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).
The programme was suspended in 2019 by the MoD following concerns that it would fail to deliver value for money to the UK taxpayer. At the time of the suspension, the competition was being fought between a UK consortium that included Babcock and BAE Systems, and a bid from Spanish shipbuilder Navantia and UK-based naval design company BMT.
Three additional entries from Fincantieri, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) and Japan Marine United Corporation had earlier fallen out of the competition.
However, in an announcement on 21 October the UK MoD revealed that the FSS programme will restart in Q1
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