Boost for Royal Navy as RFA Mounts Bay returns to sea after year-long refit complete

RFA Mounts Bay is finally back at sea after more than a year in regeneration at Falmouth Docks.

The Bay-class landing ship dock will now undergo sea trials to check systems are functioning as expected before doing Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) to prepare for operational duties. 

Named after Mount's Bay in Cornwall, the ship provides the Royal Marines with heavy lift amphibious capability and can support operations and exercises all over the world.

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This is a much-needed functionality as RFA Lyme Bay is in the Arabian Sea preparing for possible mine clearance operations in the Strait of Hormuz and RFA Cardigan Bay has been in refit for more than 600 days.

In a post on X, RFA Mounts Bay celebrated the ship's return to sea, saying "It's happening!! Farewell Falmouth, thank you for having us.".

RFA Mounts Bay is designed to transport amphibious vehicles, equipment and landing craft, allowing troops and supplies to be delivered ashore wherever they are needed.

Since entering service in 2006, the Bay-class landing ship dock has supported Royal Navy operations around the world, including counter-piracy and counter-narcotics missions, as well as humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts.

The ship has a core crew of around 60 personnel and can accommodate up to 350 troops, with extensive living, catering and welfare facilities for embarked forces.

At the stern, a floodable dock enables the ship to launch and recover a Royal Marines Landing Craft Utility, while cranes can embark and deploy smaller landing craft from the upper deck. 

A large flight deck is also capable of operating helicopters up to the size of a Chinook.