RFA Tidesurge (A138)

Last updated
RFA Tidesurge MOD 45163850.jpg
RFA Tidesurge in Cornwall on 27 March 2018.
History
British-Royal-Fleet-Auxiliary-Ensign.svgUnited Kingdom
NameRFA Tidesurge
OrderedFebruary 2012
Builder DSME
Laid down7 December 2015
Launched4 June 2016
Sponsored byLady Joanna Woodcock
In service20 February 2019
Homeport Marchwood Military Port, Southampton [1]
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics [2]
Class and type Tide-class fast fleet tanker
Displacement37,000 t (36,000 long tons)
Length200.9 m (659 ft 1 in)
Beam28.6 m (93 ft 10 in) [3]
Draft10 m (32 ft 10 in)
PropulsionCODELOD
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range18,200 nautical miles (33,700 km; 20,900 mi)
Capacity
  • Tanks for diesel oil, aviation fuel (19,000 m³) and fresh water (1,400 m³)
  • Lubrication oil stored in drums
  • Stowage for up to 8 ft × 20 ft containers
Complement63 plus 46 non-crew embarked persons (Royal Marines, flight crew, trainees)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Kelvin Hughes Integrated Bridge System
  • Servowatch IPMS System
  • 3 × SharpEye radar [4]
Armament
  • 2 × Phalanx CIWS (fitted for, depending on deployment) [5]
  • 2 × 30 mm cannons (fitted for, depending on deployment) [6]
Aircraft carried1 medium helicopter with full hangar facilities (Merlin / Wildcat), flight deck capable of landing Chinook-size helicopter

RFA Tidesurge is a Tide-class replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Built by DSME in 2017, she entered service with the RFA on 20 February 2019. [7]

Contents

Construction

Tidesurge undergoing fitting out in A&P Falmouth, England. RFA Tidesurge (28830640747).jpg
Tidesurge undergoing fitting out in A&P Falmouth, England.

The third-in-class, Tidesurge was built by DSME in Okpo, Geoje, South Korea. She was laid down on 7 December 2015 and was launched six months later on 4 July 2016. [8] A series of builder's sea trials commenced soon after and, during November 2017, the ship formed a "sistership bond" with the Republic of Korea Navy frigate ROKS Daegu. [8] Following the completion of builder's sea trials, Tidesurge departed Opko en route for her delivery to the United Kingdom. During her journey, she made stopovers at United States Fleet Activities Sasebo in Japan and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. She then transited the Panama Canal into the Atlantic Ocean, anchoring off Antigua before continuing her transit to Falmouth, England. [8] She arrived in Falmouth on 27 March 2018 and underwent UK customisation work, including the fitting of self-defence weaponry, communications systems and armour, in the A&P Falmouth shipyard. [9] [10] Further trials took place within British waters and, in November 2018, the ship carried out helicopter landing trials with a Chinook helicopter — a "first" for the class. [11] In February 2019, she carried out her first replenishment at sea (RAS) with Royal Navy destroyer HMS Defender and, on 20 February 2019, she was welcomed into the RFA fleet in a ceremony attended by her Lady Sponsor, Joanna Woodcock, in the ship's affiliated town of Greenock. [12] [7]

Operational history

On 9 May 2019, Tidesurge joined two other RFA ships, Fort Victoria and Tideforce, to assist with the latter's sea trials. The manoeuvres involved the first "Tide-to-Tide" RAS in history. [13] Two months later, Tidesurge assisted with the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker, named Grace I, which was believed to be heading to Syria. Royal Marines from 42 Commando fast-roped onto the oil tanker via a Wildcat helicopter which launched from Tidesurge. The oil tanker was impounded in Gibraltar, an act which was condemned by Iran as an "act of piracy", before later being released. [14] Between entering service and August, Tidesurge had seen a "surge in demand", operating in the Norwegian Sea, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Circle, including with an 814 Naval Air Squadron Merlin helicopter on board. [15]

In October 2019, Tidesurge participated in Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) before joining Exercise Joint Warrior, a large-scale NATO military exercise in Scotland. During the exercise, she carried out a RAS with U.S. Navy destroyer USS Donald Cook — reportedly a "first" for the class. [16]

In January 2020, Tidesurge underwent general repair and maintenance at Cammell Laird's shipyard in Birkenhead, England. [17] The ship was again reported to be in dry dock for refit at Cammell Laird in October 2023. [18]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "FOI(A) regarding the Royal Navy" (PDF). What do they know?. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  2. ↑ "Tide Class MARS Tanker". BMT. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "DSME Announced as Winning Bid for Royal Navy's MARS Tanker Competition". Defencepro Daily. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  4. ↑ "Kelvin Hughes to supply equipment for 4 MARS tankers vessels for Royal Fleet Auxiliary". navyrecognition.com. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  5. ↑ "Last ditch defence – the Phalanx close-in weapon system in focus". Navy Lookout. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  6. ↑ "The all-rounder – the 30mm Automated Small Calibre Gun in focus". Navy Lookout. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  7. 1 2 "RFA Tidesurge Welcomed to the Fleet". Royal Navy. 20 February 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 "RFA Tidesurge". Historical RFA. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  9. ↑ "Arrival of tanker Tidesurge is important milestone for RFA". The Packet. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  10. ↑ "Third Tide-Class Tanker – RFA Tidesurge – Arrives in UK". DE&S. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  11. ↑ "Trials to Launch and Land Chinooks on RFA Tidesurge". Royal Navy. 12 November 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  12. ↑ "Royal Fleet Auxiliary: Tankers". TheyWorkForYou. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  13. ↑ "Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ships Link-up During Sea Trials". Royal Navy. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  14. ↑ "Action off Gibraltar". Save the Royal Navy. 13 July 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  15. ↑ "Surge in Demand for New Tanker". Royal Navy. 22 August 2019.
  16. ↑ "RFA Tidesurge Replenishes US Destroyer". Royal Navy. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  17. ↑ "RFA Tidesurge Surges into Shipyard". Cammell Laird. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  18. ↑ @NavyLookout (8 October 2023). "@NavyLookout. @RFATidesurge refit underway in No. 5 dock @CammellLaird" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 October 2023– via Twitter.
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