HMS Queen Elizabeth conducted her first Replenishment at Sea (RAS) with RFA Tidespring this week. While the main purpose of her current deployment is to conduct helicopter flight trials in the Eastern Atlantic, the opportunity was taken to prove her RAS capability.
A first replenishment at sea for QE with RFA Tidespring was planned to take place in February. The two ships came together but no lines were passed because in the rough weather it was not worth taking risks for a trial that could be postponed until a better opportunity was available.
HMS Queen Elizabeth sailed from Portsmouth on 10th June so had only been at sea for 11 days, assuming she sailed with full fuel tanks, she did not actually need to conduct RAS. For the purposes of the trial, just 200 tonnes of F76 marine diesel oil was transferred from RFA Tidespring.
Of the four Tide class tankers, RFA Tidespring is fully operational while RFA Tiderace is on the verge of entering service. RFA Tidesurge is being fitted out in Falmouth and RAF Tideforce will soon be delivered from her builders in South Korea.
Great to see this finally happening, but when will we see the solid stores RAS system being tested at sea are any of our RFA’s equipped to do so or will we have to borrow a ship from the US navy yo do this
RFA Fort Victoria is being modified to support the carriers with solid stores, pending arrival of FSS in mid 2020s. See https://www.navylookout.com/rfa-fort-victoria-modified-to-support-the-aircraft-carriers/
I just wondered if when HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH goes to the USA later this year if it will do a RAS with a US NAVY supply ship or will RFA Fort Victoria be worked up and ready
As she has a number of port visits planned another option would be to sent food ahead by sea freight. Any necessary spare parts could go air freight. Probably more cost effective than sending an RFA but less training value.
The carriers (HMS HighValueTarget & HMS Delusions of Grandeur) are useless without suitable aircraft, and have been designed without cats & traps, so have to use, at best, F35Bs. Which don’t have the range to keep the carriers out of danger without midair refuelling…. and the refuelling tankers are not stealthy, and would be well within range of modern anti aircraft missiles. Also, there are insufficient escorts in the rest of the navy to provide local protection. So cancel that lot, as it’s effectively useless.
Trident is a very expensive sacred cow – and we have treaty obligations to denuclearise, so that should go as well.
Drones, cyberwarfare, infantry, and working with our European allies would be appropriate for a midsize European power such as Britain, but don’t expect our Imperial overlords to cut their coat according to our cloth.
A comment so full of complete and utter garbage it is difficult to know where to start. Essentially every single thing you said is objectivley wrong. I can’t even be bothered to explain why. It would be pointless to someone with your lack of knowledge regarding naval matters and probably anything else. Now stop trolling and go protest about whatever election result annoyed you most.
Wow it’s not often someone spouts so much incorrect piffle in one post, well done, you have won the “I know absolutely noting about defence issues” award. Did you know the internet is a wondrous thing, and maybe try to use it for some in depth subject matter research, instead of mucky films and getting your tracksuit trousers crusty.
I don’t think there was any support for a European army in the UK. Due to political reasons, such an organisation on the continent would be unwieldy and not a replacement for NATO.
I agree that we are a midsized country and should manage our defence expectations accordingly.
Correction, we are a tiny country and we punch way above our weight!
Actually, we are a country (still!) coming to terms with the end of empire and great power status while new countries increasingly find their time in the sun such as China and India.
Don’t make me laugh, China is a communist dictatorship with actual slave labour camps and appalling human rights violations. It is also ecologically damaged probably beyond repair and has a massive problem looming with it’s ageing population and zero social care. It is also constrained geographically and surrounded by hostile countries. India can’t manage to sail a leased SSN without sinking or setting fire to it, still uses railways and trains built by the Victorians and has massive issues with poverty and lack of basic sanitation for millions of citizens. I think we are doing all right.
Hmm Su7… or should I say Sukhoi 7. FSB getting a bit slack