RFA Sir Galahad
RFA Sir Galahad (L3005) is a landing ship logistical (LSL) of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service. She is a combined landing craft and ferry with two flight decks for helicopters and bow and stern doors. There is capacity for around 400 troops and 3,440 tonnes of supplies.
She was built by Swan Hunter and entered service in 1988. She was named and given the identical pennant number to the Sir Galahad sunk in the Malvinas War.
The ship has seen service in two wars since it was built, both of them against Iraq. It was deployed in 1991 for Operation Granby and in 2003 for Operation Telic *. Its role in both conflicts was transport of supplies. In Gulf War II, Sir Galahad transported humanitarian aid, docking in Umm Qasr on 28 March 2003 after being delayed while naval mines were cleared from the harbor.
On Thursday July 20, she made her last journey under the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's flag, as she sailed from Marchwood to Portsmouth to be decommissioned.
* = Operation (or Op) TELIC is the codename under which all British operations of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and after are being conducted.
Ordered: 6 September 1984
Laid down: 12 May 1985
Launched: 13 December 1986
Commissioned: 25 November 1987
Decommissioned: July 2006
Fate: inactive