RFA Tidespring (A136)

RFA Tidespring is a Tide-class replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Ordered from DSME in 2012, the ship was accepted by the Ministry of Defence in 2017, approximately 18 months behind schedule.[5]

For other ships with the same name, see RFA Tidespring.
Tidespring arrives in Falmouth, April 2017
History
United Kingdom
Name: RFA Tidespring
Namesake: RFA Tidespring
Ordered: February 2012
Builder: DSME
Laid down: December 2014
Launched: April 2015
In service: 27 November 2017
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: Tide-class fast fleet tanker
Displacement: 37,000 t (36,000 long tons)
Length: 200.9 m (659 ft 1 in)
Beam: 28.6 m (93 ft 10 in)[2]
Draft: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Propulsion: CODELOD
Speed: 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)[3]
Range: 18,200 nautical miles (33,700 km; 20,900 mi)
Capacity:
  • Tanks for diesel oil, aviation fuel (19,000m3) and fresh water (1,300m3)
  • Lubrication oil stored in drums
  • Stowage for up to 8 × 20 containers
Complement: 63 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
  • 2 × 30 mm cannons
Aircraft carried: 1 medium helicopter with full hangar facilities (Merlin / Wildcat), flight deck capable of landing Chinook-size helicopter

Construction

She arrived for final fitting out at A&P Falmouth, Cornwall on 31 March 2017, after a delivery voyage via Japan and Hawaii.[6]

On 10 May 2017, a crane collapsed beside the ship whilst she was in drydock at Falmouth. The vessel was not damaged in the incident.[7]

Tidespring sailed from Falmouth for final evaluation trials on 1 September 2017[8] which included her first visit to Gibraltar,[9] first of class flying trials,[10] and her first replenishment at sea (RAS) with RFA Wave Knight.

Operational history

On 16 November 2017, Tidespring entered Portsmouth for the first time to prepare for her dedication on 27 November.[11] She performed her first transfer of fuel to HMS Westminster on 11 June 2018.

December 2017: RFA Tidespring in the Firth of Clyde, with the ferry Loch Striven passing by.

Tidespring's first scheduled replenishment at sea was planned to be with HMS Queen Elizabeth on 26 February 2018; although the full procedure had to be abandoned owing to bad weather, Tidespring and Queen Elizabeth were able to undertake a full simulation of the scenario.[12] In April 2018, Tidespring undertook its first major operational tasking by participating in the bi-annual Exercise Joint Warrior of the coast of Scotland.

Tidespring arrived at Norfolk, Virginia in November 2018.

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References
  1. "Tide Class MARS Tanker". BMT. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  2. "DSME Announced as Winning Bid for Royal Navy's MARS Tanker Competition". Defencepro Daily. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  3. "HMS Westminster's refuelling first with new tanker RFA Tidespring". Royal Navy. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  4. "Kelvin Hughes to supply equipment for 4 MARS tankers vessels for Royal Fleet Auxiliary". navyrecognition.com. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  5. 08:29, 19 Jan 2017 at; tweet_btn(), Gareth Corfield. "Britain collects new naval tanker a mere 18 months late". Retrieved 2017-01-27.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. "Royal Fleet Auxiliary's new tanker arrives in UK for customisation work sustaining 300 jobs". Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  7. "Major incident as crane collapses in Cornwall". BBC News Online. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  8. http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/15510185.Navy_and_Fleet_ships_make_up_bulk_of_work_at_docks/
  9. "RFA Tidespring first visit to Gibraltar". Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  10. "First helicopter deck landing for RFA Tidespring". Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  11. "First Tanker to support Royal Navy carriers sails into Portsmouth". Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  12. "Double first as HMS Queen Elizabeth and RFA Tidespring meet up at sea". Royal Navy. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
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