Key Developments
On 3 September 2026, HM Government said the keel had been laid for RFA Resurgent, the first of three Fleet Solid Support ships, at Navantia UK’s Appledore shipyard. HM Government said the programme would improve Royal Navy sustainment at sea and support UK shipbuilding jobs.
Key Statistics
- 3 Fleet Solid Support ships are included in the programme, according to HM Government
- 1,200 jobs are expected to be supported by the ship programme, according to HM Government
- £100 million is allocated for investment into UK shipyards, according to HM Government
- 181 crew capacity was listed for the support ship class, according to HM Government
- 51% was the historical rise in British weapons and ammunition manufacturing jobs, according to HM Government
Main Body
On 3 September 2026, HM Government announced the keel laying of RFA Resurgent, the first of three Fleet Solid Support ships, at Navantia UK’s Appledore shipyard. HM Government said the ships were intended to provide essential supplies to the Royal Navy at sea.
HM Government said the programme was expected to support around 1,200 jobs and hundreds of apprenticeships, with £100 million directed into UK shipyards. HM Government also listed a crew capacity of 181 for the support ship class.
The announcement followed wider UK naval and defence industrial activity. On 24 August 2026, HM Government said it was investing £7 billion in naval infrastructure and that HMNB Devonport would host the Royal Navy’s new Type 26 frigates. On 20 August 2026, HM Government said British weapons and ammunition manufacturing jobs had risen by 51%.
The milestone mattered because HM Government linked the new ships directly to Royal Navy operational support at sea. It also mattered economically because HM Government presented the build as a source of shipyard investment, skilled employment and apprenticeships within the UK defence industrial base.
