Royal Fleet Auxiliary Tide Class Replenishment Tanker Tideforce Departing Devonport 8 5 22

The tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary "RFA Tideforce" is seen being assisted out of Devonport ‪@RoyalNavy‬in Plymouth from the River Tamar towards Plymouth Sound passing Devils Point.

Tideforce was built in South Korea by ‪@HanwhaOceanOfficial‬in June 2018 via San Diego and the Panama Canal. The ship arrived in Falmouth, UK for fitting out on 22 August 2018. This involved the installation of communications equipment, defensive systems, a floating helipad and refueling rigs.

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 RFA Fort Victoria off the Isle of Portland and a RAS with her sister ship RFA Tidesurge occurred shortly thereafter. In July 2019, she achieved further milestones, carrying out her first RAS with the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, as well as her first RAS with a foreign vessel, HNLMS Friesland of the Royal Netherlands Navy.

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. In September, the ship joined the UK Carrier Strike Group on its three-month Westlant 19 deployment to the United States.

In August 2020, Tideforce rendezvoused with Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 to provide replenishment. 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. During the same month, the ship joined eight UK naval ships in responding to seven Russian vessels near British waters. In June, the ship carried out the first night time replenishment at sea with a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier.

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.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a naval auxiliary fleet owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence. It 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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