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RFA Fort Rosalie (A385)

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For other ships with the same name, see RFA Fort Rosalie.
RFA Fort Rosalie
RFA Fort Rosalie at West Float, Birkenhead, in June 2015
History
United Kingdom
OrderedNovember 1971
BuilderScott Lithgow
Laid down9 November 1973
Launched9 December 1976
Commissioned6 April 1978
Refit20 May 2008
IdentificationPennant number: A385
Statusin active service
General characteristics
Class and typeFort Rosalie-class replenishment ship
Displacement23,384 tons
Length185.1 m (607 ft 3 in)
Beam24 m (78 ft 9 in)
Draught9 m (29 ft 6 in)
Speed22 knots (40.7 km/h)
Complement
  • 114 RFA
  • 36 RNSTS
  • additional 45 RN Air Squadron personnel
Armament
  • 2 × 20 mm GAM-BO1
  • 4 × 7.62 mm GPMGs
Service record
Commanders: Captain Ross Ferris, OBE, MVO
Operations:

RFA Fort Rosalie is the lead ship of her class of Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleet replenishment ships. Fort Rosalie was originally named RFA Fort Grange, but was renamed in May 2000 to avoid confusion with the now-decommissioned RFA Fort George, a change which was not universally popular. February 2014, arrived at North Western Ship repairs, Birkenhead, for further refit.

History

Fort Rosalie was laid down in 1973, by Scott Lithgow on the River Clyde, launched in 1976 and commissioned the next year.

RFA Fort Rosalie during refit at Cammell Laird's Birkenhead Docks in February 2009

The ship saw her first war service during the Falklands War, and also supported British forces in the Balkans alongside at the port of Split from at least 1994-2000, being based at Cervena Luka (North Port) an area just outside Split, Croatia. Fort Rosalie also oversaw repairs to HMS Tireless at Gibraltar later in 2000. She is affiliated to Tamworth and Lichfield Sea Cadets under her former name, Fort Grange.

Fort Rosalie attended the HMNB Devonport Navy Days in August 2006, representing the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

In May 2008 the ship entered a £28 million refit at Northwestern Shiprepairers & Shipbuilders' Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead.[1][2]

Fort Rosalie supported COUGAR 11, the first partial deployment of the Royal Navy's Response Force Task Group.[3] In 2011 it was announced that her service life would be extended by two years to 2024;[4] the Fort class will ultimately be replaced by the Fleet Solid Support element of the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability programme.

She spent early 2012 in the Caribbean and made a brief deployment to the Gulf of Oman in December 2012; since then she has been exercising in home waters and entered refit in 2013.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Shipyard wins new naval contract". BBC Website. 2008-02-29. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  2. ^ "Fort Rosalie In Refit". Royal Navy Website. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  3. ^ http://www.navynews.co.uk/news/1212-tip-top-topping-up-gives-cougar-extra-legs.aspx
  4. ^ "House of Commons Hansard Written Answers". UK Parliament. 11 June 2013.
  5. ^ http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/The-Fleet/Royal-Fleet-Auxiliary/Stores/RFA-Fort-Rosalie
  • Adams, Thomas A; Smith, James R (2005). The Royal Fleet Auxiliary: A Century Of Service. Chatham Publishing. ISBN 1861762593.
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