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Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Question for Ministry of Defence

UIN 2496, tabled on 16 May 2022

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s vessels will remain civilian crewed.

Answered on

23 May 2022

The Royal Navy’s Annual Budget Cycle (ABC), which looks ahead over the next ten years, has ensured that Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessels will remain operated by civilian crew.

The Department is currently conducting a procurement process for three Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships, for which the RFA are the planned crewing solution.

We remain confident that the Royal Navy has sufficient civilian seafarers within the RFA, to operate its current fleet of vessels necessary to fulfil operational requirements.

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