The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ship, Tideforce, successfully completed a series of replenish-at-sea (RAS) trials with the commercial ship, MV Raleigh Fisher, according to a press release by the Royal Navy.
The trials, which took place off the coast of Portland, aimed to examine how RFA tankers could extend services to the commercial sector and vice versa.
The operations included both the exchange of fuel between Tideforce and MV Raleigh Fisher, as well as a series of successful dry hook-ups.
Captain Chris Clarke, Commanding Officer of Tideforce, praised the MV Raleigh Fisher’s crew for quickly adapting to the complexities of RAS operations.
The trials are a significant step towards increased cooperation with the British merchant fleet and enhancing the Royal Navy’s operational sustainability.
Captain Chris Clarke, Commanding Officer of Tideforce, said:
“I last undertook such operations in 1982 during the Falklands campaign, and I wondered whether the underpinning seamanship and navigational skills would be at a sufficient level to deliver this operation safely and successfully…For all of them this was a first and to have achieved so much, so quickly, is a testament to their dedication and drive to ensure they could deliver fuel safely whilst separated just 35 metres and underway.”
Further trials are likely to be conducted in the future to explore and expand this capability.
This Tanker is chartered to do work for the MoD I understand. One poster here ( forget who ) alerted me to it a while ago, I’d not heard of it.
Think it was me! Paying to charter a commercial tanker when we have 2 Waves laid up shows it’s all about RFA manpower rather than money.
They have been around for years. Clyde Fisher is another. They essentially bring fuel to Portsmouth or Plymouth fuel points and possibly Gib.
We support them with force protection measures.
See above. There are plenty of tactical scenarios this concept works for, so it’s important to try it out.
it has been going on quite a long time, so I would assume it is far cheaper.
that was me
Indeed it was mate, thanks.
useful information that can be found in “British Warships & Auxiliaries” which is published around April every year.
Ha, yes. Which a plane spotter friend has just bought me as I found the more obscure details of things like the SD fleet and these interesting.
Yes, they have need to expended the range of ships covered over the years, sadly as the Royal Navy has shrunk. I brought my first one in 1997, but have managed (via Ebay) to get the nearly every issue back to 1979.
Good to know that if CSG is forward deployed the Tides at least can be re fueld/supplied without having to have friendly port to go alongside. Not sure how would do with resupplying Fort Vic away from friendly ports? along way back to Guz.
B****y cheek, wondering if the civilian ship’s crew would be up to it. Try lightering a ‘V’ 3 times in less than a week, if you even know wnat that means. I’ve spent the better part of 35 years sailing with the Merchant Navy & these guys spend more time at sea in a year than the RN does in their whole time in the RN & work blooming hard & get shot at – see the recent attack on the MT Richmond Voyager, for their dedication.
I recall the Merchant Navy really stepped up during the Falkland campaign with 70 merchant ships sailing south. There’s a book, ‘They couldn’t have done it without us’ I think its called.
Good to know this can be done ✔
Interesting. The concept is a oil tanker goes dark in the middle of the ocean a long way from anywhere. Then the RFA meet up. Collect fuel. Go back to replenishing on duty warships. That way a task group can stay on station a long time, the tanker stays out of harm’s way. Win win. The Germans used that tactic at the start of WW2 for their surface raiders.
Alternatively a couple of large tankers flank a QE carrier providing shielding against anti ship missiles and top up the RFA ships on station. Either/or works.