HMS Lofoten was a vessel of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

. Initially built as one of a large number of LSTs in 1945, she was named after the Norwegian islands

Lofoten

Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...

 that were raided during Operation Claymore

Operation Claymore

Operation Claymore was the codename for a British Commandos raid on the Lofoten Islands in Norway during the Second World War. The Lofoten Islands were an important center for the production of fish oil and glycerine, used in the German war industry. The landings were carried out on 4 March 1941,...

 in 1941. She saw little service before being laid up in reserve.

During the Suez crisis

Suez Crisis

The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...

 she was used to land the transport for 45 Commando

45 Commando

45 Commando Royal Marines is a battalion sized unit of the British Royal Marines and subordinate unit within 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines, the principal Commando formation, under the Operational Command of Commander in Chief Fleet....

 which was part of the first ever, operational helicopter assault. In 1964, she was converted into a dedicated helicopter training ship; this involved converting the deck in front of the superstructure into a landing platform. There was no hangar and minimal support facilities - the ship was essentially a platform for practising landings at sea, and a deck to transport helicopters on. In 1967, the Lofoten was replaced in this role by the purpose built RFA Engadine

RFA Engadine (K08)

RFA Engadine was a helicopter support ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The need for Engadine was seen in the mid-1960s as more and more helicopters were deployed from Royal Navy aircraft carriers and surface combatants. The ship was ordered in August 1964, from Henry Robb of Leith , and...

.

Lofoten was again laid up in 1969 to be used as an accommodation ship and as a support vessel being docked alongside nuclear submarines undergoing refits at Rosyth Royal Dockyard

Rosyth Dockyard

Rosyth Dockyard is a large naval dockyard on the Firth of Forth at Rosyth, Fife, Scotland, owned by Babcock Marine, which primarily undertakes refitting of Royal Navy surface vessels.-History:...

 (at least from 1981 onwards), before finally being sold for scrapping in 1993. At that time, another LST; HMS Stalker

HMS Stalker (L3515)

HMS Stalker was a Mark III LST . She was built during the later part of the Second World War, and became the last steam-driven LST to be scrapped. She initially entered service under the designation LST 3515, but was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1947 as HMS Stalker.The ship was built by...

, was also used as a support vessel for nuclear submarine refits at Rosyth, being undertaken in the second of the two nuclear qualified docks.