RFA ''Resource'' was an armament stores ship of the

Royal Fleet Auxiliary The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a naval auxiliary fleet owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence. It provides logistical and operational support to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The RFA ensures the Royal Navy is supplied and supported by ...

Falklands War

''Resource'' served in the Falklands War, captained at that time by Captain Bruce Seymour. She was one of the first vessels on the scene to pick up survivors from HMS ''Sheffield'', having just supplied her. RFA ''Resource'' was one of several RFA munitions replenishment ships certified to store and supply the fleet with munitions, including WE.177A live nuclear weapons. Other ships capable of carrying (stored in deep magazines) or deploying these weapons were , , and , they were transferred to various Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships with their specialist magazines. This was initially RFA ''Regent'', and when RFA ''Resource'' exited San Carlos, they were transferred to her, and then to RFA ''Fort Austin''. After the end of the conflict they were transported back to Britain aboard RFA ''Fort Austin'' and RFA ''Resource''. Inert practice weapons and surveillance weapons without fissionable material were also transported.

Yugoslavia

One of ''Resource''s last duties before being decommissioned was to serve as a floating munitions storage for UN and

IFOR The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename ''Operation Joint Endeavour''. Background NATO ...

troops in the former

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...

. She spent much of the mid 1990s in

Split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, entertai ...

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

, fulfilling this role.

Decommissioning and scrapping

''Resource'' sailed from Devonport on 24 June 1997, having been renamed ''Resourceful'' for the delivery run to the Indian breakers, and arrived at Alang for scrapping on 20 August 1997. Image:resource_badge.jpg, RFA ''Resource'' ship's badge.

Footnotes

* Guardian Article mentioning RFA Resource - http://www.guardian.co.uk/falklands/story/0,,657867,00.html * Images of RFA Resource and a Wessex Helicopter - http://www.john.fotoblog.org.uk/p14552235.html * Images and information about RFA Resource and sister ship Regent - https://web.archive.org/web/20061212183624/http://www.btinternet.com/~warship/Feature/rfa/pics2.htm * Hansard entry mentioning final fate of RFA Resource - https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmhansrd/vo030227/text/30227w04.htm * Falklands day by day from Royal Navy - http://www.navynews.co.uk/falklands/day_april.asp Stores ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary 1966 ships Falklands War naval ships of the United Kingdom {{UK-aux-ship-stub