List of amphibious warfare ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

See also: List of amphibious warfare ships of the Royal Navy

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

Ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Ship names alphabetically
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Ships by type
Amphibious warfare ships Replenishment ships Miscellaneous ships
v t e

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

The list is divided into two parts: the first part is Active and includes current ships, whereas the second part is Decommissioned 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 Round Table class Landing Ship Logistics, marking the introduction of the first dedicated RFA amphibious warfare vessels. Since 1988, RFA Argus has provided aviation and medical support for amphibious forces.

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

Active

There are two types of amphibious warfare ships currently in service with the RFA as of late-2025, totalling four vessels: One littoral strike ship RFA Argus and 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] while RFA Argus is laid-up due to age and safety concerns.

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, 15 days	Active but laid-up in Gibraltar as of 2025/26 due to "budgetary restrictions" [4] [5] [6]	[7]
Cardigan Bay	L3009		18 December 2006	—	18 years, 358 days	Laid up awaiting refit as of mid-2025 [8]	[9] [10]
Mounts Bay	L3008		13 July 2006	—	19 years, 151 days	Active but laid-up in Falmouth as of 2025/26 due to "treasury constraints" [11] [12]	[13] [14]
Littoral Strike Ship
Class / Type	Ship	Pennant No.	Image	In service	Out of service	Service life	Status	Ref.
—	Argus	A135		1 June 1988	—	37 years, 193 days	Laid-up; assessed as "unsafe to sail" in July 2025 [15] [16]	[17] [18] [19]

Decommissioned

Dock landing ships

Former 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	Largs Bay	L3006		17 December 2006	19 October 2011	4 years, 306 days	Sold to Royal Australian Navy	[20]

Landing ship logistics

Round table class

Main article: Round Table class landing ship logistics

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	[21]
Sir Galahad (I)	L3005		17 December 1966	8 June 1982	15 years, 173 days	destroyed during the Falklands War - Sunk as a war grave	[22]
Sir Geraint	L3027		1 January 1970	1 May 2003	33 years, 158 days	Scrapped in India 12 December 2005	[23]
Sir Bedivere	L3004		14 January 1970	18 February 2008	38 years, 35 days	Sold to the Brazilian Navy as Almirante Saboia, 2008	[24]
Sir Tristram	L3502		30 January 1970	16 December 2005	35 years, 320 days	Training Ship for Maritime Special Forces	[25]
Sir Percivale	L3036		6 March 1970	17 August 2004	34 years, 164 days	Broken up	[26]
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	[22]
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	[27]
Sir Lamorak	L3532	no image	11 March 1983	20 January 1986	2 years, 315 days	Returned to owners	[28]

Strategic Sealift

Strategic Sealift Ro/Ro

Two commercial Ro/Ro vessels bareboat chartered for additional freight carrying capacity with formation of the Joint Rapid Deployment Force (JRDF). ^[29]

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	[29]
RFA Sea Centurion (A98)	A98		18 October 1998	25 July 2002	3 years, 280 days	Returned to owners	[30]

Landing Ship Tank

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 an Royal Fleet Auxiliary. ^[31]

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	Sold for breaking up	[31]

Landing Ship Gantry

Dale class

Main article: Dale-class oiler

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. ^[32]

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 (coverted to LSG 1943)	19 May 1959 (converted back to tanker 1946)	17 years, 262 days	Sold commercially	[33]
Dewdale	A151	No image	14 June 1941 (coverted to LSG 1943)	6 May 1959 (converted back to tanker 1947)	17 years, 326 days	Broken up	[34]
Ennerdale	A173		11 July 1941 (coverted to LSG 1943)	1 March 1958 (converted back to tanker 1946)	16 years, 233 days	Broken up	[35]

See also

Roles and types

• Dock landing ship
• Landing Ship Logistics
• Landing Ship, Tank
• Amphibious transport dock

Future

• Multi-role strike ship (MRSS)

References

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. "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.
5. @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 Twitter.{{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
6. "RFA Lyme Bay begins refit, leaving the UK with just one active amphibious vessel". Navy Lookout. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
7. "RFA LYME BAY (L3007)". royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
8. @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 Twitter.
9. "L 3009 RFA Cardigan Bay". seaforces.org. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
10. "RFA CARDIGAN BAY (L3009)". royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
11. "RFA Lyme Bay begins refit, leaving the UK with just one active amphibious vessel". Navy Lookout. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
12. "Royal Fleet Auxiliary sailors consider strike action again". navylookout.com. 10 December 2025. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
13. "L 3008 RFA Mounts Bay". seaforces.org. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
14. "RFA MOUNTS BAY (L3008)". royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
15. "RFA Tiderace to rejoin the fleet after being laid up due to lack of sailors". Navy Lookout. 23 October 2025. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
16. "RFA Argus stuck in Portsmouth deemed unsafe to sail". Navy Lookout. 27 July 2025. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
17. "The oldest ship in the Royal Naval Service to become the new Littoral Strike Ship". navylookout.com. 20 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
18. "A 135 RFA Argus". seaforces.org. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
19. "RFA Argus extended in service beyond 2030". navylookout.com. 19 June 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
20. "RFA Largs Bay". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
21. "RFA Sir Lancelot". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
22. "RFA Sir Galahad". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
23. "RFA Sir Geraint". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
24. "RFA Sir Bedivere". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
25. "RFA Sir Tristram". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
26. "RFA Sir Percivale". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
27. "RFA Sir Caradoc". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
28. "RFA Sir Lamorak". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
29. "RFA Sea Crusader - Historical RFA". historicalrfa.uk. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
30. "RFA Sea Centurion - Historical RFA". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
31. "RFA Empire Gull - Historical RFA". historicalrfa.uk. 26 October 2008. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
32. Olver. "Dale Class Tankers (Second and Third Groups)". Archived from the original on 12 July 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
33. "RFA Derwentdale". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
34. "RFA Dewdale". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
35. "RFA Ennerdale". historicalrfa.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2025.