Tide-class tanker

Last updated

RFA Tiderace arrives at Fleet Activities Yokosuka for a scheduled port visit in August 2017.jpg
Tiderace in August 2017
Class overview
NameTide class
Builders DSME
Operators British-Royal-Fleet-Auxiliary-Ensign.svg Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Preceded by Leaf class and Rover class
Cost
  • £452 million (eventually £550 million) for 4 RFA vessels (hull build only)
  • £137.5 million per RFA unit final (hull build only)
  • NOK 1.32 billion for HNoMS Maud (FY 2013)
In service2017
Planned4 (RFA), 1 (Norway)
Completed4 (RFA), 1 (Norway)
Active4 (RFA), 1 (Norway)
General characteristics [1]
Type Fast fleet tanker
Displacement39,000 t (38,000 long tons; 43,000 short tons)
Length200.9 m (659 ft 1 in)
Beam28.6 m (93 ft 10 in) [2]
Draft10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Propulsion Combined diesel-electric or diesel (CODELOD)
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) [3]
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 eight 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 × DS30B Mk 1 30 mm guns (fitted for, depending on deployment) [6]
Aircraft carried1 × Wildcat or AgustaWestland Merlin
Aviation facilities
Aerial view of RFA Tideforce RFA Tideforce MOD 45166104.jpg
Aerial view of RFA Tideforce

The Tide-class tanker (formerly the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) project) is a class of four fast fleet tankers that entered service with the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary from 2017. The 37,000 t ships provide fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world. Norway ordered a similar 26,000 t version with a 48-bed hospital and greater solid stores capacity, but reduced liquid capacity; it was delivered in November 2018 as HNoMS Maud two years after originally planned. The two classes are very similar but are not directly comparable due to large variance in capabilities delivered.

Contents

The two variants are both based on the AEGIR design from Britain's BMT Defence Services but were built by Daewoo in South Korea with final outfitting in the UK and Norway respectively. Britain ordered four ships in February 2012 at a cost of £452m for the building of the hulls, but in the end became £550m.

The Norwegian Navy ordered HNoMS Maud in June 2013 for NOK1,320m (~£140m).

Development

On 22 February 2012 an order for four tankers was placed with Daewoo at a contract cost of £452m, plus an additional £150m to be spent in Britain, making a total cost for the four ships slightly over £600 million. [7] Building ships in South Korea caused controversy in Britain, but no British yards tendered for the order. [7] On 14 November 2012 it was announced that the new class would revive names from the Cold War Tide-class oilers - Tidespring (A136), Tiderace (A137), Tidesurge (A138), and the new name Tideforce (A139). [8] The previous Tidespring earned a battle honour in 1982 for her service during the Falklands War, which included transporting a company of Royal Marines to recapture South Georgia. The board carrying the honour and the ship's badge were both taken to Korea for installation in the new Tidespring. [9]

Design

RFA Tide class

The Tide class are a 200.9 m (659 ft 1 in), 39,000 t [10] derivative of BMT Defence Services' AEGIR-26 design, [11] whose origins lie in a civilian tanker from Skipskonsulent of Norway. [12] They are double-hulled to reduce or prevent oil being lost by damage to the outer hull, in line with the MARPOL regulations for civilian tankers (from which military tankers are partially exempt). As well as being safer, this means that Tides can go to places that discouraged their single-hulled predecessors - the recently decommissioned Rover-class vessels and Leaf-class tankers. [13]

There are three stations for replenishment at sea (RAS) abeam, of diesel oil, aviation fuel and fresh water. There is also a rig for astern replenishment. The flight deck and helicopter hangar allow for replenishment by air - "vertical RAS". [1] The flight deck is large and strong enough for a Chinook helicopter to land on. [14] Propulsion uses medium-speed diesel engines driving twin shafts [15] in a hybrid combined diesel-electric or diesel (CODELOD) arrangement [16] designed for fuel efficiency across a wide range of speeds.

All four ships can be armed with two 30 mm cannons and two Phalanx CIWS. [17] The 30 mm cannons are fitted aft, directed starboard, and port. One of the CIWS mounts is located forward, and the other aft. Only when a vessel is on a high-risk deployment are Phalanx CIWS and 30 mm fixtures likely to be fitted. This policy is common among RFA vessels and follows that when a ship is deployed to more dangerous theatres, such as east of Suez, heavy dedicated armament is warranted. When in home waters and carrying out more superficial tasks such as FOST, there is little need for the vessels to be equipped with heavy armaments. [18] For instance, as of June 2021, RFA Tidespring has currently been fitted with her fore and aft Phalanx CIWS fixtures and both 30 mm cannons whilst deployed worldwide with CSG21.

Other variants

BMT offer the AEGIR fleet tanker in three sizes. The AEGIR-10, AEGIR-18 and AEGIR-26 are 18,000 DWT and 26,000 DWT respectively, and can carry 8,000 m3 (2,100,000 US gal), 16,000 m3 (4,200,000 US gal) and 24,000 m3 (6,300,000 US gal) of fuel. [15] The AEGIR-18R replenishment ship trades a third of its fuel capacity for 1,350 m3 (48,000 cu ft) of dry stores in an extended superstructure. [15] The standard AEGIR-18 has less range (10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km; 12,000 mi)) and is slower (18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)) than the British version. [15]

The design has been entered in a number of competitions, but as of March 2016 the only foreign order has been for an AEGIR-18R derivative from the Royal Norwegian Navy in 2013 (see below). The AEGIR-18A, a derivative of the AEGIR-18R like the Norwegian ship but with among other things better air-conditioning, was offered to Australia for Project SEA 1654 Phase 3, a requirement for two supply ships to replace HMAS Success and HMAS Sirius. [19] In June 2014 it was shortlisted along with the Buque de Aprovisionamiento en Combate, which would be built in Spain by Navantia, [19] who have built most of Australia's recent warships. In March 2016 Australia announced it would be buying the Spanish ship. [20] In March 2016 Daewoo also lost out to Hyundai in a competition to supply New Zealand with a tanker. [21] A 2014 Daewoo presentation points out that India, Singapore and Brazil all need new supply ships in the near future. [22]

Operators

Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Tiderace and Tidesurge in Falmouth, England. Tiderace and Tidesurge (41097960222).jpg
Tiderace and Tidesurge in Falmouth, England.

First steel was cut on 24 June 2014 for RFA Tidespring, [9] and she was named in a ceremony on 7 October 2015. [23] She was expected to arrive in Falmouth in spring 2016 to allow A&P Group to fit military equipment such as communications gear. [24] Following sea trials, Tidespring was to enter service in the fourth quarter of 2016, [25] with her three sister ships following at six-month intervals. [26] In August 2016 it was reported that RFA Tidespring was still undergoing trials with builder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) in South Korea; [27] procurement minister Harriett Baldwin has blamed "delays in finalising elements of electrical design and the installation of Multi-Cable Transit insulation in accordance with new legislative regulations" which have now been resolved. [28] Tidespring reached the UK in spring 2017, docking at Falmouth on 2 April for seventeen weeks to fit weapons and communications gear. [29] Four months of acceptance trials will follow; [29] her sisters will enter service by the end of 2018. [28]

Name Pennant No. BuilderLaid downLaunchedNamedEntered serviceStatus
Tidespring A136Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co.December 2014April 20157 October 2015 [23] 27 November 2017In Service
Tiderace A137June 2015November 20151 December 2016 [30] 2 August 2018In Service
Tidesurge A1387 December 20154 June 2016 [31] 29 August 2017 [32] 20 February 2019In Service
Tideforce A13924 December 2015 [33] 21 January 201724 January 2018 [34] 30 July 2019In Service

Royal Norwegian Navy

HNoMS Maud [35] was ordered on 28 June 2013 [22] to replace HNoMS Tyr and HNoMS Valkyrien [36] at a cost of NOK1,320m [36] (~£140m) [37] with 100% offsets. [36] She is based on the AEGIR-18R design. [11] but includes a 48-bed [38] hospital underneath the flight deck with an operating theatre, isolation ward and CT scanner. [39] She can carry 7000 tonnes of F76 fuel oil, 300 tonnes of F44/JP-5 jet fuel, 200 tonnes of ammunition and 40 ISO containers or a mix of vehicles and boats. [22] She has two abeam RAS rigs and a stern reel, and a 25-tonne deck crane. [22] A side ramp allows easy access for vehicles and for the support of submarines and other small vessels. [22] The flight deck can accommodate helicopters up to CH-53 Super Stallion size, and the hangar can operate one NH90 with level 2 maintenance or stow a second. [22] The core crew will be 40–50, with accommodation for 100 more if needed; [36] facilities include a gym and sauna. [22] Four Sea PROTECTOR remote weapon stations are planned. [22]

First steel for Maud was cut on 14 April 2015. [22] Delivery was planned for 30 September 2016 followed by acceptance trials in Norway in early 2017, and then FOST in the UK and other exercises before full entry into service in January 2018. [22] However, delivery was postponed due to technical problems and the vessel was finally commissioned in Norway in May 2019. [40]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Norwegian Navy</span> Military unit

The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces responsible for naval operations of Norway. As of 2008, the Royal Norwegian Navy consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 4 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support vessels and 2 training vessels. It also includes the Coast Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Fleet Auxiliary</span> Naval auxiliary fleet which supports the Royal Navy

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a naval auxiliary fleet owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service and provides logistical and operational support to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The RFA ensures the Royal Navy is supplied and supported by providing fuel and stores through replenishment at sea, transporting Royal Marines and British Army personnel, providing medical care and transporting equipment and essentials around the world. In addition the RFA acts independently providing humanitarian aid, counter piracy and counter narcotic patrols together with assisting the Royal Navy in preventing conflict and securing international trade. They are a uniformed civilian branch of the Royal Navy staffed by British merchant sailors.

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Wave-class tanker

The Wave-class tankers are a class of fast fleet tankers in service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The class is tasked with providing fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world. There are two ships in the class, RFA Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler. The ships were ordered to replace the aging Ol-class tankers RFA Olna and RFA Olwen. The two vessels have seen service in a number of locations, including anti-drug and hurricane relief operations in the Caribbean Sea, anti-piracy activities around the Horn of Africa, and deterrent patrols in the South Atlantic. As of early 2022, both ships were earmarked for "extended readiness" status.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Replenishment oiler</span> Naval auxiliary ship

A replenishment oiler or replenishment tanker is a naval auxiliary ship with fuel tanks and dry cargo holds which can supply both fuel and dry stores during underway replenishment (UNREP) at sea. Many countries have used replenishment oilers.

HMAS <i>Sirius</i> (O 266) Fleet replenishment vessel

HMAS Sirius was a commercial tanker purchased by the Royal Australian Navy and converted into a fleet replenishment vessel to replace HMAS Westralia. She was named in honour of HMS Sirius of the First Fleet. Launched in South Korea on 2004, and converted in Western Australia, Sirius was commissioned in 2006; three years before a purpose-built vessel would have been built, and at half the cost. The tanker was decommissioned in 2021.

Tide-class replenishment oiler

The Tide class was a series of six replenishment oilers used by the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), and the Chilean Navy.

RFA <i>Wave Ruler</i> (A390)

RFA Wave Ruler is a Wave-class fast fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) of the United Kingdom tasked with providing fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world.

RFA <i>Wave Knight</i> (A389) British fleet auxiliary vessel

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Spanish replenishment oiler <i>Cantabria</i>

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A fleet solid support ship is a type of Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ship designed to supply solids, such as ammunition, explosives and food, to Royal Navy ships at sea. The term can also refer to the programme to replace the RFA's existing solid support ships, the Fleet Solid Support Ship Programme.

RFA <i>Tidespring</i> (A136)

RFA Tidespring is a Tide-class replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Built by DSME in 2016, the ship entered service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in November 2017.

RFA <i>Tiderace</i> (A137)

RFA Tiderace is a Tide-class replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Ordered from DSME in 2012, she was officially named on 1 December 2016 and was accepted by the Ministry of Defence in June 2017. Tiderace entered service on 2 August 2018.

RFA <i>Tidesurge</i> (A138)

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.

HMNZS <i>Aotearoa</i>

HMNZS Aotearoa, formerly the Maritime Sustainment Capability project, is an auxiliary ship of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Builder Hyundai Heavy Industries delivered the ship to the Navy in June 2020, and she was commissioned into service on 29 July 2020. Full operational capability was expected to be achieved in 2021. The vessel will serve as a replenishment oiler, and has replaced HMNZS Endeavour, the Navy’s last fleet oiler, which was decommissioned in December 2017.

RFA <i>Tideforce</i>

RFA Tideforce is a Tide-class replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Launched in 2017, the ship entered service with the RFA in 2019.

HNoMS <i>Maud</i>

HNoMS Maud is a replenishment oiler constructed at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea. She was built on behalf of the Norwegian Defense Materials Agency Forsvarsmateriell, for service in the Royal Norwegian Navy.

<i>Supply</i>-class replenishment oiler

The Supply class is a class of replenishment oilers of the Royal Australian Navy, a role that combines the missions of a tanker and stores supply ship. As such they are designated auxiliary oiler replenisher (AOR). They are tasked with providing ammunition, fuel, food and other supplies to Royal Australian Navy vessels around the world. There are two ships in the class, Supply and Stalwart. The project is expected to cost anywhere between $1 and $2 billion. Navantia were selected to build a design based on the Spanish Navy's current replenishment vessel Cantabria, which entered service in 2011.

The Fleet Solid Support Ship Programme (FSSP) aims to deliver up to three fleet solid support ships to the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The ships will be used to provide underway replenishment of dry stores, such as ammunition, spare parts and supplies, to ships of the Royal Navy. They will regularly deploy with the UK Carrier Strike Group, providing crucial supplies to the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers and their escorts. All three ships had been scheduled to enter service between 2028 and 2032. However, subsequently the Ministry of Defence indicated that the first ship would in fact not be operational until 2031.

References

  1. 1 2 "Tide Class MARS Tanker". BMT. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  2. ↑ "DSME Announced as Winning Bid for Royal Navy's MARS Tanker Competition". Defencepro Daily. 22 February 2012. Archived from the original on 12 December 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "Supporting the Royal Navy at sea – the Tide class tankers". themilitarytimes.co.uk. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  4. ↑ "Kelvin Hughes to supply equipment for 4 MARS tankers vessels for Royal Fleet Auxiliary". NavyRecognition.com. 18 September 2012. 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 "MOD to order four new RFA tankers". Ministry of Defence. 23 February 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  8. ↑ "New fleet of RFA tankers named". Ministry of Defence. 14 November 2012.
  9. 1 2 "Lady sponsor announced for RFA Tidespring". Royal Navy. 2 September 2014.
  10. ↑ "First tanker to support Royal Navy carriers sails into Portsmouth". Royal Navy. 16 November 2017.
  11. 1 2 "Euronaval News" (PDF). SOGENA. 29 October 2014. p. 6.
  12. ↑ "Aegir-18R A flexible multiple-commodity fleet support vessel" (PDF). BMT Defence Services. 2 September 2008.
  13. ↑ "MoD buys £452m MARS tanker ships". Defence Management. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  14. ↑ "Royal Fleet Auxiliary's new tanker arrives in UK for customisation work sustaining 300 jobs". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Aegir® A family of naval task force support ship designs" (PDF). BMT Defence Services. 19 October 2011.
  16. ↑ "RENK develops its naval market domain with large Navy orders". RENK AG, Augsburg. 2012.
  17. ↑ "Supporting the Royal Navy at sea - the Tide class tankers". The Military Times. 2018.
  18. ↑ "Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Questions for the Ministry of Defence, UIN 144851". UK Parliament. 2018.
  19. 1 2 Rahmat, Ridzwan (12 October 2015). "DSME, Navantia unveil design proposals for new RAN replenishment ships". IHS Jane's Navy International.
  20. ↑ Grevatt, Jon (10 March 2016). "Australia selects Navantia for new replenishment ship". IHS Jane's Defence Industry. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  21. ↑ Scott, Richard (3 March 2016). "HHI in frame for New Zealand tanker programme". IHS Jane's Navy International.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Lee, Sung Jin (27 August 2014). "Logistics Support Vessel HNoMS Maud". Sjømilitære Samfund.
  23. 1 2 "New naval tanker naming ceremony". British Embassy Seoul. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  24. ↑ Maclean, Richard (12 October 2015). "MARS tankers expected next Spring". Falmouth Packet .
  25. ↑ "First MARS Tanker is named in South Korea" (PDF). Desider. November 2015. p. 22.
  26. ↑ "RFA contract for A&P" (PDF). Ship and Offshore Repair Journal. Vol. 12, no. 6. March 2015. p. 4.
  27. ↑ "British Navy Sees Delay In Delivery Of South Korean-Built Tanker". Defense News. 4 August 2016.
  28. 1 2 "Royal Fleet Auxiliary: Written question - 51473". UK Parliament. 1 November 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  29. 1 2 Barnicoat, David (29 March 2017). "A&P Falmouth welcomes arrival of RFA fleet tanker after months of planning". Falmouth Packet. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  30. ↑ "RFA Tiderace unveiled in South Korea". British Embassy Seoul. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  31. ↑ "RFA Tidesurge". HistoricalRFA.org.
  32. ↑ "공지 - 대우조선해양". DSME.co.kr.
  33. ↑ "RFA Tideforce". HistoricalRFA.org.
  34. ↑ "Chrzest RFA Tideforce". zbiam.pl. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  35. ↑ "Largest ship of the Norwegian Navy under construction in South Korea". Royal Norwegian Embassy in Seoul. 25 June 2015.
  36. 1 2 3 4 "Inngår kontrakt om nytt logistikkfartøy". Skipsrevyen (in Norwegian). 28 June 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  37. ↑ "BMT Confirmed as Design Contractor for Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation's Logistics and Support Vessel". BMT Group Ltd. 1 July 2013.
  38. ↑ "Norwegian Navy orders new logistics vessel". Norway Post. 29 June 2013.
  39. ↑ "Saab receives design and integration orders for healthcare capability for Norwegian support vessel". Skipsrevyen. 7 October 2014.
  40. ↑ "Skriftlig spørsmål fra Anniken Huitfeldt (A) til forsvarsministeren" [Written questions from Anniken Huitfeldt (A) to the Minister of Defence]. Storting of Norway (in Norwegian). 8 August 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
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