Fort Victoria-class replenishment oiler

Template:Infobox ship imageTemplate:Infobox ship class overviewTemplate:Infobox ship characteristics

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.<ref name="RN">Template:Cite web</ref> 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, Template:Ship and Template:Ship; the latter being taken out of service and despatched for scrapping at a Turkish breakers as a consequence of budgetary cutbacks.

History

Template:Stack 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The requirement for the Fort class was reduced from six to two.

Fort Victoria was built by Harland & Wolff and Fort George by Swan Hunter and the ships entered service in 1994 and 1993 respectively.<ref name="Janes"/> Fort Victoria was delayed when she was bombed by the IRA on 6 September 1990 and nearly sunk.<ref name=rep>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.</ref>

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

Name	Pennant	Builder	Ordered	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Fate
Template:Ship	A387	Harland & Wolff, Belfast/Cammell Laird<ref name="Janes">Jane's Fighting Ships, 2004-2005. Jane's Information Group Limited. p. 818. Template:ISBN.</ref>	23 April 1986<ref name="Janes" />	4 April 1988<ref name="Janes" />	12 June 1990<ref name="Janes" />	24 June 1994, under "assisted maintenance" at Rosyth Dockyard<ref name="Janes" />	Extended readiness (uncrewed reserve) as of 2025
Template:Ship	A388	Swan Hunter, Wallsend-on-Tyne<ref name="Janes" />	18 December 1987<ref name="Janes" />	9 March 1989<ref name="Janes" />	1 March 1991<ref name="Janes" />	16 July 1993<ref name="Janes" />	Decommissioned April 2011 Scrapped 2013

See also

• List of replenishment ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
• Fort Rosalie or Fort I class RFA replenishment ships

Bibliography

• Beaver, Paul, Britain's Modern Royal Navy, Patrick Stephens Limited, 1996, Template:ISBN

External links

• Fort class replenshipment ships at the Royal Navy website