Independent Royal Navy news and analysis
RFA Tideforce has completed six weeks of intensive operations in the North Atlantic and Arctic, supplying Royal Navy and allied warships, carrying out anti-submarine operations and monitoring Russian naval activity. The tanker delivered more than 2.9 million litres of fuel and supported both RN aircraft carriers.
Operating under Combined Task Force 320, Tideforce covered approximately 7,500 miles while supporting maritime security and anti-submarine warfare operations. The ship provided fuel to French and Dutch warships in the High North and supported both HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth during separate periods of carrier operations.
A Merlin HM2 helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron was embarked throughout, using Tideforce as a floating base for intelligence-gathering sorties, including missions monitoring Russian naval units in the English Channel and North Atlantic. The ability to embark and operate the Merline adds considerably to the utility of the Tide-class tankers beyond their primary replenishment role.
Operations in the High North were complicated by severe weather, forcing Tideforce to seek shelter off northern Iceland. The ship subsequently rode out Storm Boelo off Ireland and avoided three further storms while supporting the second phase of Operation FIRECREST.
The ship’s engineers also carried out significant repairs to the port main propulsion engine while at anchor, including removing a cylinder head. This enabled the tanker to remain on task without returning to port for repairs. Tideforce subsequently conducted a day-and-night replenishment with HMS Queen Elizabeth following the carrier’s departure from Belfast and undertook navigation training in the challenging tidal waters of the Gulf of Corryvreckan.
The other three Tide-class tankers are at different stages of deployment, maintenance and regeneration. RFA Tidespring arrived at Balaena Birkenhead for maintenance on 14 October, following extensive global operations that have taken her to Australia, the Indo-Pacific, South Atlantic, North Atlantic, Mediterranean and Arctic. Since her last maintenance period shes sailed more than 45,700 nautical miles, including her major contribution to the 2025 Carrier Strike Group deployment, during which she conducted 79 replenishments at sea before detaching from the group.
RFA Tiderace and RFA Tidesurge are also undergoing work in Birkenhead. Tiderace is being regenerated following a lengthy period laid up because of the RFA personnel shortage. Although substantial progress has been made, several outstanding defects must still be resolved before she can return fully to operational service.
Tidesurge is undergoing a more conventional major refit, aligned with the five-year Lloyd’s Register classification cycle. The work includes 42 days in dry dock to clean and repaint her hull and maintain the propulsion system and bow thruster. Balaena is undertaking around 1,200 maintenance tasks and 38 capability enhancements, with completion expected before Christmas, followed by trials and operational training.
Tideforce arrived at the Faslane Oil & Fuel jetty this morning, likely to reload more fuel. It should be noted that RFA Lyme Bay is the only other RFA currently on operations. She has spent the last couple of months based in Mombasa, Kenya, prepared as a mine warfare mothership for possible, if increasingly unlikely, deployment to support mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz. RFA Proteus has been operating out of Devonport recently but is currently alongside in Portland and RFA Fort Victoria is also in the basin at Birkenhead, slowly regenerating.
The Tide-class tankers have proved highly capable and versatile, but the RFA’s continuing personnel shortages have prevented the full potential of the four-ship fleet from being realised. With Tiderace approaching a return to service and Tidesurge progressing through refit, there is an opportunity for improve tanker availability, provided sufficient qualified seafarers can be recruited and retained.
RFA Fort Victoria begins refit to rebuild Royal Navy replenishment skills
RFA Tiderace to rejoin the fleet after being laid up due to lack of sailors
RFA Tideforce shadows Russian naval vessels in the English Channel
RFA Tidesurge spends two months supporting Royal Navy and NATO warships in the North Atlantic
Phew — that was close.
Main engine fail — not a good look.
What is it with the RN / RFA and their operation of ships?
We seem to be very unlucky.
2.9mill litres of liquids = 2,500 tonnes of fuel?
Not a lot of stuff being moved about over 6 weeks.
Plus 175miles per day — not really putting it about was she?
Also the one helicopter angle — surely we could have managed two?
What else are they actually doing at the moment?
Every story just highlights how poor we are at the moment with naval stuff.
Every story just highlights how poor we are at the moment with naval stuff
Very well said.
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