RFA Tideforce
{{Short description|2019 Tide-class replenishment tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = RFA Tideforce (A139) 1.jpg | Ship caption = RFA Tideforce on the Firth of Clyde on 28 February 2019. }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = United Kingdom | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval-RFA}} | Ship name = Tideforce | Ship namesake = | Ship ordered = February 2012 | Ship awarded = | Ship builder = DSME | Ship laid down = 24 December 2015 | Ship launched = 21 January 2017 | Ship completed = | Ship in service = 30 July 2019 | Ship out of service = | Ship refit = | Ship struck = | Ship homeport = Marchwood Military Port, Southampton{{Cite web|date=27 April 2021|title=FOI(A) regarding the Royal Navy|url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/743903/response/1777888/attach/3/FOI2021%2003678%20Response.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1|access-date=27 April 2021|website=What do they know?}} | Ship identification = *{{IMO Number|9655561}}
| Ship motto = Raise on the 3/4 | Ship nickname = | Ship fate = | Ship status = In active Service | Ship notes = | Ship badge = 125px | Ship honours = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = {{cite web|accessdate=23 February 2012|publisher=BMT|title=Tide Class MARS Tanker|url=http://www.bmtdsl.co.uk/?/309/1978/}} | Ship class = {{sclass2|Tide|tanker|0}} fast fleet tanker | Ship displacement = {{convert|37,000|t|LT|abbr=on}} | Ship length = {{convert|200.9|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|28.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}}{{cite web|accessdate=23 February 2012|publisher=Defencepro Daily|title=DSME Announced as Winning Bid for Royal Navy's MARS Tanker Competition |url=http://www.defpro.com/news/details/32660/?SID=f5303fc3fef14be038575b5623b1d2d9}} | Ship draft = {{convert|10|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship propulsion = CODELOD | Ship speed = {{convert|20|kn}} | Ship range = {{convert|18,200|nmi}} | Ship endurance = | Ship capacity = *Tanks for diesel oil, aviation fuel (19.000 m³) and fresh water (1,400 m³)
| Ship complement = 63 plus 46 non-crew embarked persons (Royal Marines, flight crew, trainees) | Ship sensors = *Kelvin Hughes Integrated Bridge System
| Ship EW = | Ship armament = * 2 × Phalanx CIWS (fitted for, depending on deployment){{cite web |url=https://www.navylookout.com/last-ditch-defence-the-phalanx-close-in-weapon-system-in-focus/ |title=Last ditch defence – the Phalanx close-in weapon system in focus |work= Navy Lookout |date=10 August 2020 |access-date=29 March 2023}}
| Ship armor = | Ship aircraft = 1 medium helicopter with full hangar facilities (Merlin / Wildcat), flight deck capable of landing Chinook-size helicopter | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship notes = }} |
RFA Tideforce is a {{sclass2|Tide|tanker|0}} replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Launched in 2017, the ship entered service with the RFA in 2019.
Construction
Tideforce, along with her three sister ships, was built by DSME in South Korea. As the fourth and final Tide-class vessel, her steel was first cut on 2 December 2015 prior to being laid down on 24 December 2015. Around nine months later, the ship was fully assembled and floated out by 12 September 2016. A series of builder's sea trials subsequently commenced and, in June 2018, the ship left South Korea for delivery to the United Kingdom via San Diego and the Panama Canal.{{cite web |title=RFA Tideforce |url=http://www.historicalrfa.org/rfa-tideforce |website=Historical RFA |accessdate=8 September 2020}} The ship arrived in Falmouth for fitting out on 22 August 2018. This involved the installation of communications equipment, defensive systems, a floating helipad and refueling rigs.{{cite news |title=FOURTH TIDE-CLASS TANKER ARRIVES FOR FIT-OUT |url=https://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/vessel-build-and-maintenance/vessel-repair-and-maintenance/fourth-tide-class-tanker-arrives-for-fit-out |accessdate=8 September 2020 |agency=Maritime Journal |date=22 August 2018}} Following fitting out, the ship carried out capability assessment trials, replenishment at sea (RAS) trials and first-of-class flying trials. Her first RAS was carried out with {{RFAux|Fort Victoria|A387|6}} off the Isle of Portland and a RAS with her sister ship {{RFAux|Tidesurge|A138|6}} occurred shortly thereafter.{{cite web |title=Royal Fleet Auxiliary: Tankers |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-07-12.276528.h |website=TheyWorkForYou |accessdate=28 September 2020 |date=17 July 2019}} In July 2019, she achieved further milestones, carrying out her first RAS with the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Queen Elizabeth|R08|6}}, as well as her first RAS with a foreign vessel, {{HNLMS|Friesland|P842|6}} of the Royal Netherlands Navy.
Operational history
File:HMS Tideforce Westlant 19.jpg
Tideforce entered service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary on 30 July 2019, the last of her class to do so following sister ships Tidespring, Tiderace and Tidesurge.{{cite news |title=RFA Tideforce Joins Royal Fleet Auxiliary Completing UK's New Tanker Fleet |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2019/07/rfa-tideforce-joins/ |accessdate=8 September 2020 |agency=Naval News |date=31 July 2019}} In September, the ship joined the UK Carrier Strike Group on its three-month Westlant 19 deployment to the United States.{{cite news |title=HMS Queen Elizabeth Joins World's Biggest Coffee Morning |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2019/september/27/190927-qnlz-biggest-coffee-morning |accessdate=8 September 2020 |agency=Royal Navy |date=27 September 2019}}
In August 2020, Tideforce rendezvoused with Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 to provide replenishment.{{cite news |title=Tanker Tideforce Powers NATO Task Group |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2020/august/10/200810-tanker-tideforce-powers-nato-task-group |accessdate=8 September 2020 |agency=Royal Navy |date=10 August 2020}} In March, whilst conducting aviation training off the Devon and Dorset coast, Tideforce responded to an emergency call from a Dutch-flagged ship and provided assistance to an injured sailor.{{cite news |title=Naval Tanker's Crew Help Injured Sailor Off Portland |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2020/march/30/270320-tideforce-story |accessdate=8 September 2020 |agency=Royal Navy |date=30 March 2020}} During the same month, the ship joined eight UK naval ships in responding to seven Russian vessels near British waters.{{cite news |title=Nine British Royal Navy and RFA ships 'monitoring every movement' of Russian war ships in UK waters |url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/nine-british-royal-navy-and-rfa-ships-monitoring-every-movement-russian-war-ships-uk-waters-2518756 |accessdate=8 September 2020 |agency=The News |date=26 March 2020}} In June, the ship carried out the first night time replenishment at sea with a {{sclass|Queen Elizabeth|aircraft carrier}}.{{cite news |title=First night replenishment at sea for British Navy HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier |url=https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2020/june/8522-british-navy-queen-elizabeth-aircraft-carrier-night-replenishment-at-sea.html |accessdate=8 September 2020 |agency=Navy Recognition |date=3 June 2020}}
In October 2022, Tideforce, with Wildcat helicopter embarked, was deployed to the Turks and Caicos islands to provide surveillance support to the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force which was confronted with rising gang violence in the territory.{{cite web |url=https://maritime-executive.com/article/royal-navy-deploys-to-help-fight-gang-violence-in-turks-caicos |title=Royal Navy Deploys to Help Fight Gang Violence in Turks & Caicos |work=Maritime Executive |date=11 October 2022 |access-date=2 December 2022}}
In July 2023, Tideforce conducted replenishment-at-sea exercises with MV Raleigh Fisher, a merchant navy vessel on contract to the MoD. The purpose of the exercise was to trial replenishment-at-sea capabilities with merchant navy ships.{{cite web |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2023/july/03/230703-tideforce-commercial-replenishment |title=Tideforce replenish-at-sea trials with commercial tanker |website=Royal Navy |date=3 July 2023 |access-date=6 July 2023}} In September 2023, Tideforce was tasked to escort HMS Queen Elizabeth during her "Operation FIREDRAKE" deployment in northern European waters.{{cite web | url=https://www.navylookout.com/2023-carrier-strike-group-deployment-begins/ | title=2023 Carrier Strike Group deployment begins |website=Navy Lookout | date=11 September 2023 }}
In October 2024, it was reported that she was docked, though available to deploy in an emergency, primarily due to the shortage of sailors in the RFA.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-08 |title=RFA Fort Victoria to be placed in long-term lay up |website= Navy Lookout |url=https://www.navylookout.com/rfa-fort-victoria-to-be-placed-in-long-term-lay-up/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |language=en-GB}}
In November 2024, she supported HMS Iron Duke in monitoring two groups of Russian vessels passing through the English Channel. The Russian ships included the newly commissioned Admiral Gorshkov-class frigate Admiral Golovko and Russian seabed spy ship Yantar. Yantar has likely been primarily engaged in information gathering, charting the location and vulnerabilities of cables and other undersea energy infrastructure should they wish to interfere with them in the future.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-15 |title=Royal Navy monitors Russian seabed spy ship Yantar loitering in Irish Sea {{!}} Navy Lookout |url=https://www.navylookout.com/royal-navy-monitors-russian-seabed-spy-ship-yantar-loitering-in-irish-sea/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=www.navylookout.com |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2024-11-15 |title=RAF Lossiemouth fighter jets track Russian bomber over North Sea |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2nldyg3y6o |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website}}
{{Tide-class tanker}}
{{Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tideforce}}
Category:Ships built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering