Fort Class Stores Ships

Fort Rosalie (A385) and Fort Austin (A386) are two purpose built stores ships that entered service in 1979. Designed to replenish Royal Navy warships with ammunition, naval stores, food and fresh water whilst at sea it is claimed these vessels carry everything from 'a missile to a mars bar'. The Fort Class are capable of supporting four Sea King helicopters which can land either on the main flight deck or a smaller one on the hanger roof. The helicopters are mainly used for the transfer of foods but also for anti submarine and other operations which mean the Fort Class are seen as "force multipliers".

Both ships served in the 1982 Falklands Conflict and both have provided food, equipment, fuel and other supplies to British forces in the Balkans whilst alongside at the Croatian port of Split in the 1990s.

When fully loaded the Fort Class have a displacement of 23,482 tonnes. They are 195 metres long, with a beam of 24 metres and a 9 metre draught. Armed with Oerlikon 20 mm guns for self defence, they are powered by a Sulzer diesel engine and have a speed of 22 knots. A standard complement usually consists of 105 RFA personnel with an additional 30 civilians drawn from the Royal Navy Supply and Transport Service (RNSTS). When helicopters are embarked an up to 45 Royal Navy personnel may also be carried. Both have four holds 12,200m³ large, fitted with electric and hydraulic lifts.

Ship Details

Ship	Pennant Number	Deck Code	Builder	Laid Down	Launch Date	Commissioned
Fort Rosalie	A385	FG- now?	Scott Lithgow	November 9th 1973	December 19th 1976	March 8th 1976?
Fort Austin	A386	FA	Scott Lithgow	December 9th 1975	March 9th 1978	May 11th 1979

Fort Grange (A385) and Fort Austin (A386).

Above: Fort Grange (now named Fort Rosalie) and Fort Austin alongside together. Thanks to Tommy Sands of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary- Unofficallly! website for allowing me to use this picture.

Ship Histories:

Ship	History
Fort Rosalie	Launched as Fort Grange but renamed Fort Rosalie in May 2000 in order to avoid confusion with Fort George- in the past mail destined for Fort George had ended up on the wrong ship! In 1982 she was deployed to the Falklands with three Sea King helicopters from 824 Squadron, one of which was later lost in heavy seas during a Replenishment at Sea (RAS) with patrol vessel Leeds Castle. En route to the South Atlantic she was overflown by an enemy Hercules aircraft which later bombed the merchant vessel British Wye. Between April 1997 and January 2000 Fort Grange was on station at Split in Croatia, her crew serving in rotation. Her departure from Split on 6th January 2000 marked the end of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary presence there. After completing a refit in 2000 Fort Rosalie was deployed to Gibraltar to oversee repairs to nuclear submarine Tireless.
Fort Austin	During the Falklands conflict she participated in the San Carlos landings as an ammunition ship. In May 2000 Fort Austin was part of the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) deployed to Sierra Leone.

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