Wikipedia

List of amphibious warfare ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

AgustaWestland Merlin from 845 Naval Air Squadron recovering to the flight deck of RFA Argus

This is a list of amphibious warfare ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, the naval auxiliary fleet of the United Kingdom.

Ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Ship names alphabetically
Ships by type

The list is divided into two parts: the first part is Active and includes current ships, whereas the second part is Out of service and encompasses all ships that have been previously operated.

Following the conclusion of the Second World War, the Royal Navy implemented a streamlined pennant number system. Within this system the letter L was designated for amphibious warfare vessels, while A was assigned to auxiliaries, which are ships belonging to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.[1]

During the 1940s and 1950s, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary was involved in amphibious support roles through the use of auxiliary logistics ships. From the 1960s to the 2000s, the RFA operated the Landing Ship Logistics of the Round Table-class, also known as the Sir Lancelot class, marking the introduction of the first dedicated RFA amphibious warfare vessels. Since 1988, RFA Argus provided aviation and medical support for amphibious forces. However, she was taken out of service in 2025/26.

From 2006 to the present, the RFA has been operating the Bay-class dock landing ships, which serves as core modern amphibious lift ships. Looking ahead to the 2030s, there are plans for the multi-role strike ships (MRSS), intended to serve as a replacement with an expanded role in littoral strike operations.

Active

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There is a single type of amphibious warfare ship currently in service with the RFA as of early-2026, totalling three Bay-class landing ships.

Consisting of three vessels (Lyme Bay, Mounts Bay and Cardigan Bay), the function of the Bay Class ships is to transfer embarked troops and armoured vehicles from ship to shore utilising Landing craft vehicle personnel (LCVP) and Landing craft utility (LCU) vessels. These ships are capable of operating in very severe weather conditions to assist amphibious operations.[2] The three Bay class ships are projected to be removed from service by 2032.[3]

List of current amphibious warfare ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Dock landing ships
Class / Type Ship Pennant No. Image In service Out of service Service life Status Ref.
Bay-class dock landing ship Lyme Bay L3007 26 November 2007 — 18 years, 225 days Active as of early 2026[4][5][6][7] [8]
Cardigan Bay L3009 18 December 2006 — 19 years, 203 days Reported in refit as of April 2026[9][10] [11][12]
Mounts Bay L3008 13 July 2006 — 19 years, 361 days Returning to service with full crew as of April 2026[13][14][15] [16][17]

Out of service

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Dock landing ships

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Former amphibious warfare ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary now in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN)
Dock landing ships
Class / Type Ship Pennant No. Image In service Out of service Service life Status Ref.
Bay-class dock landing ship Largs Bay L3006 17 December 2006 19 October 2011 4 years, 306 days Sold to RAN, currently in RAN service as HMAS Choules [18]

Aviation support/casualty receiving ship

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Former Aviation support/casualty receiving ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Littoral strike ship
Class / Type Ship Pennant No. Image In service Out of service Service life Status Ref.
Aviation support/casualty receiving ship RFA Argus A135 1 June 1988 2025 37 years To be sold for breaking up

Landing ship logistics

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Round table class

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The Round Table-class landing ship logistics were a class of six ships, all of which would be named after Knights of the Round Table.

Former Landing ship logistics of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Round table class
Class / Type Ship Pennant No. Image In service Out of service Service life Status Ref.
Round Table-class landing ship logistics Sir Lancelot L3029 16 January 1964 31 March 1989 25 years, 74 days Scrapped 2008 [19]
Sir Galahad (I) L3005 17 December 1966 8 June 1982 15 years, 173 days Destroyed during the Falklands War - Sunk as a war grave in 1982 [20]
Sir Geraint L3027 1 January 1970 1 May 2003 33 years, 158 days Scrapped in India 12 December 2005 [21]
Sir Bedivere L3004 14 January 1970 18 February 2008 38 years, 35 days Sold to the Brazilian Navy as Almirante Saboia, 2008. As of March 2026, she is actively sailing in Brazilian service.[22] [23]
Sir Tristram L3502 30 January 1970 16 December 2005 35 years, 320 days Static training ship for Maritime Special Forces [24]
Sir Percivale L3036 6 March 1970 17 August 2004 34 years, 164 days Broken up 2009 [25]
Modified Round table class
Sir Galahad (II) L3005 25 November 1987 20 July 2007 19 years, 237 days Sold to the Brazilian Navy as Garcia D’Avila, 2007. Sunk as target 2024. [20]
After the loss of RFA Sir Galahad and the damage to RFA Sir Tristam during the Falklands War, two commercial Roll-on/roll-off ferries were temporarily chartered
Former Chartered Landing ship logistics of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Class / Type Ship Pennant No. Image In service Out of service Service life Status Ref.
roll-on/roll-off ferry Sir Caradoc L3522 17 March 1983 29 June 1988 5 years, 104 days Returned to owners. As of 2026 actively sailing as Royal Nusantara in Indonesia.[26] [27]
Sir Lamorak L3532 no image 11 March 1983 20 January 1986 2 years, 315 days Returned to owners. As of 2026, actively sailing as Fjärdvägen in Finland.[28] [29]

Strategic Sealift

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Strategic Sealift Ro/Ro

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Two commercial Ro/Ro vessels bareboat chartered for additional freight carrying capacity with formation of the Joint Rapid Deployment Force (JRDF).[30]

Former strategic sealift ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Strategic Sealift Ro-Ro
Class / Type Ship Pennant No. Image In service Out of service Service life Status Ref.
Strategic Sealift Ro-Ro RFA Sea Crusader (A96) A96 No image 10 October 1996 7 August 2003 6 years, 301 days Returned to owners. As of 2026 she is actively sailing as Jabal Ali 11.[31] [30]
RFA Sea Centurion (A98) A98 18 October 1998 25 July 2002 3 years, 280 days Returned to owners. As of 2026 she is actively sailing as MSC Bridge.[32] [33]

Landing Ship Tank

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Originally operated by the Royal Navy, in 1956 she was transferred to civilian administration as SS Empire Gull. She joined the RFA in 1970 and was in service until 1978, being the only Landing Ship Tank operated as a Royal Fleet Auxiliary.[34]

Former landing ship tank of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Landing Ship Tank
Class / Type Ship Pennant No. Image In service Out of service Service life Status Ref.
Landing Ship, Tank RFA Empire Gull - 3 February 1970 19 October 1978 8 years, 258 days Scrapped 1980 [34]

Landing Ship Gantry

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Dale class

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Three Dale-class tankers were converted into Landing Ship Gantry’s and were then reconverted back into tankers at the end of the Second World War.[35]

Former landing ship gantrys of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Landing Ship Gantry
Class / Type Ship Pennant No. Image In service Out of service Service life Status Ref.
Landing Ship Gantry Derwentdale A114 No image 30 August 1941 (converted to LSG 1943) 19 May 1959 (converted back to tanker 1946) 17 years, 262 days Sold commercially. Scrapped 1966. [36]
Dewdale A151 No image 14 June 1941 (converted to LSG 1943) 6 May 1959 (converted back to tanker 1947) 17 years, 326 days Broken up 1959 [37]
Ennerdale A173 11 July 1941 (converted to LSG 1943) 1 March 1958 (converted back to tanker 1946) 16 years, 233 days Broken up 1959–60 [38]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Ship pennant numbers" (PDF). commsmuseum.co.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  2. ↑ "Bay Class". royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  3. ↑ "Freedom of Information Request 2016/08608" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  4. ↑ "RFA Lyme Bay made ready for possible deployment to Eastern Mediterranean". Navy Lookout. 10 March 2026. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "Britain's 'decrepit' Royal Navy support ships stuck in port as woeful state of vessels threatens force operations". GB News. 17 November 2025. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  6. ↑ @Navy Lookout (18 October 2025). Lookout/status/1979656712778105133 "@NavyLookout. @RFALymeBay has arrived back in the UK on completion of exercise Arctic Tide in 🇳🇴Norway" (Tweet). Retrieved 19 October 2025 – via X (formerly Twitter). {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  7. ↑ "RFA Lyme Bay begins refit, leaving the UK with just one active amphibious vessel". Navy Lookout. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  8. ↑ "RFA LYME BAY (L3007)". royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  9. ↑ @NavyLookout (11 April 2026). "@NavyLookout. @RFAMountsBay (fully crewed) in dry dock at APCL Falmouth, this week completing refit. Maintenance work on @RFACardiganBay underway" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 April 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  10. ↑ @NavyLookout (9 July 2025). "@NavyLookout. @RFACardiganBay laid up alongside in Falmouth for lack of crew. Refit to begin next year" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 July 2025 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  11. ↑ "L 3009 RFA Cardigan Bay". seaforces.org. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  12. ↑ "RFA CARDIGAN BAY (L3009)". royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  13. ↑ @NavyLookout (11 April 2026). "@NavyLookout. @RFAMountsBay (fully crewed) in dry dock at APCL Falmouth, this week completing refit" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 April 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  14. ↑ "RFA Lyme Bay begins refit, leaving the UK with just one active amphibious vessel". Navy Lookout. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  15. ↑ "Royal Fleet Auxiliary sailors consider strike action again". navylookout.com. 10 December 2025. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  16. ↑ "L 3008 RFA Mounts Bay". seaforces.org. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  17. ↑ "RFA MOUNTS BAY (L3008)". royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  18. ↑ "RFA Largs Bay". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  19. ↑ "RFA Sir Lancelot". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  20. 1 2 "RFA Sir Galahad". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  21. ↑ "RFA Sir Geraint". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  22. ↑ "ALMIRANTE SABOIA". VesselFinder. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  23. ↑ "RFA Sir Bedivere". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  24. ↑ "RFA Sir Tristram". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  25. ↑ "RFA Sir Percivale". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  26. ↑ "KMP.ROYAL NUSANTARA". VesselFinder. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  27. ↑ "RFA Sir Caradoc". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  28. ↑ "FJARDVAGEN". VesselFinder. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  29. ↑ "RFA Sir Lamorak". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  30. 1 2 "RFA Sea Crusader - Historical RFA". historicalrfa.uk. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  31. ↑ "JABAL ALI 11". VesselFinder. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  32. ↑ "MSC BRIDGE". VesselFinder. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  33. ↑ "RFA Sea Centurion - Historical RFA". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  34. 1 2 "RFA Empire Gull - Historical RFA". historicalrfa.uk. 26 October 2008. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  35. ↑ Olver. "Dale Class Tankers (Second and Third Groups)". Archived from the original on 12 July 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  36. ↑ "RFA Derwentdale". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  37. ↑ "RFA Dewdale". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  38. ↑ "RFA Ennerdale". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
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