The ramped craft logistic (RCL) is a type of

landing craft Landing craft are small and medium seagoing watercraft, such as boats and barges, used to convey a landing force ( infantry and vehicles) from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. The term excludes landing ships, which are large ...

operated by

17 Port and Maritime Regiment RLC 17 Port and Maritime Regiment is a regiment of the British Army's Royal Logistic Corps. The unit is the Army's only regular Port & Maritime capability, though it is twinned with 165 Port and Maritime Regiment RLC, of the Army Reserve. History Th ...

of the

Royal Logistic Corps The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army. History The Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) was formed on 5 April 1993, by the union of five British Army corps: * Royal Engin ...

of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...

. From the early 1980s onwards it was deployed to replace the RPL (

ramped powered lighter The ramped powered lighter (RPL) was a type of landing craft formerly operated by the Royal Corps of Transport of the British Army, from the 1960s until the 1990s. Performing similar tasks to the ramped cargo lighter of the Second World War, it h ...

). One of their first roles was to provide logistical support during the setting up of the garrison in the

Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubou ...

immediately after the

Falklands War The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territori ...

- this role was conducted by the two first of class, ''Arromanches'' and ''Antwerp'', later stationed at the military port at

Marchwood Marchwood is a village and civil parish located in Hampshire, England, United Kingdom. It lies between Totton and Hythe on the western shore of Southampton Water and directly east of the New Forest. The population of the village in the 20 ...

, near

Southampton Southampton () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire, S ...

, RCLs were originally procured for UK, Cyprus and Hong Kong. The two based at the British base at

Akrotiri Akrotiri (Greek: Ακρωτήρι, pronounced ) means "cape, promontory". As a result, many different seaside places bear this name. Akrotiri may refer to: Places Cyprus * Akrotiri and Dhekelia, a British Overseas Territory * Akrotiri (village), ...

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...

, ''Andalsnes'' and ''Akyab'' were operated as 417 Troop of

. They were sold in 2014 Ferguson Transport and Shipping bought four members of the class and fitted them with Epsilon hydraulic cranes for commercial work, principally around the west coast of Scotland.

Fleet list

There were 9 ramped craft logistic brought into service:

References

Bibliography

* * *"Defence Standard 00-3/Issue 3- Design Guidance For The Transportability Of Equipment", 27 May 1985, UK Ministry of Defence
British Army website RCL page
*Gallery of army landing craft: http://www.rfanostalgia.org/gallery3/index.php/RFA-AMPHIBIOUS/Army/Army-Landing-Craft Ship types Landing craft British Army equipment Royal Logistic Corps {{UK-mil-stub