Reproduced with permission of the MOD
Subsequent name:
IMO Number: 9655561
Class: Fast Fleet Tanker (MARS)
Pennant No: A139
Signal Letters: GXRN
Laid down: 24 December 2015
Builder: Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME), South Korea
Launched: 21 January 2017
Into Service: 2019
Out of service:
Fate:
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: A class of four tankers at a total cost of £452 million – designed by BMT Defence Services, Bath
22 February 2012 ordered
2 October 2013 Ships Badge approved by the Admiralty Board
July 2014 Yard Nr: 7047
2 December 2015 first steel cut
24 December 2015 laid down. Captain (X) Shaun Jones OBE RFA assumed command
26 July 2016 commencement of assembly of the sections from the various fabrication sheds
12 September 2016 floated out
21 January 2017 ‘launched’
July 2017 work progresses
27 September 2017 further progress in the ships construction
24 January 2018 officially named at Okpo. The Lady Sponsor is Lady Sarah Messenger wife of General Sir Gordon K Messenger KCB, DSO & Bar, OBE, ADC Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
2 February 2018 sailed Okpo, South Korea
12 February 2018 berthed at Okpo, South Korea
22 February 2018 moved berths at Okpo, South Korea
RFA Tideforce – initial stretch Rig 4
9 May 2018 Captain (E) Nigel Sim RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
18 May 2018 Captain (X) Robert H Allan OBE RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
23 June 2018 sailed from Okpo, South Korea (details from AIS)
RFA Tideforce sails from her builders
28 June 2018 at the entrance of Sasebo Bay
Image © binmel.jp & with thanks from RFA Nostalgia
17 July 2018 berthed at San Diego, California
21 July 2018 sailed from San Diego, California
RFA Tideforce on passage from San Diego to Panama
30 July 2018 arrived at the Panama Anchorage, Pacific Ocean
1 August 2018 sailed from the Panama Anchorage and transitted the Panama Canal
RFA Tideforce in the Miraflores Locks, Panama Canal
9 August 2018 passed the Azores
14 August 2018 anchored off Falmouth
© Matt Bromage
August 2018 Captain (X) Jonathan Huxley RFA appointed as Commanding Officer
15 August 2018 berthed at Falmouth in No: 2 dry dock
© Charlotte Graham
© MOD
19 November 2018 Captain (E) Nigel Sim RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Captain (E) Nigel Sim RFA
3 February 2019 sailed from Falmouth
5 February 2019 berthed at Portland Harbour
9 February 2019 sailed from Portland Harbour
15 February 2019 berthed at Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot
25 February 2019 sailed from Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot
27 February 2019 anchored Tail of Bank
1 March 2019 sailed from Tail of Bank
3 March 2019 arrived at Devonport
18 March 2019 sailed from Devonport
22 March 2019 arrived at Plymouth
25 March 2019 sailed from Plymouth
29 March 2019 arrived at Plymouth Sound and made fast to ‘D’ Buoy
RFA Tideforce and RFA Fort Victoria in Plymouth Sound
courtesy of RFA Nostalgia with thanks
4 April 2019 sailed from Plymouth Sound
6 April 2019 arrived at Portland
29 April 2019 sailed from Portland
1/2 May 2019 RASed with RFA FORT VICTORIA
3 May 2019 RASed with RFA TIDESURGE (2)
4 May 2019 RASed with RFA ARGUS and later arrived at Plymouth Sound making fast to ‘D’ Buoy
RFA TIDEFORCE RASes with RFA ARGUS
14 May 2019 sailed from Plymouth Sound RASing with RFA’s FORT VICTORIA and TIDESURGE (2)
17 May 2019 berthed at Portland
19 May 2019 RASed with RFA TIDESURGE (2)
25 May 2019 sailed from Portland
28 May 2019 RASed with HMS SUTHERLAND
31 May 2019 arrived at Plymouth Sound making fast to ‘C’ Buoy
3 June 2019 sailed from Plymouth Sound
5 June 2019 arrived at Portland
6 June 2019 sailed from Portland
7 June 2019 arrived at Plymouth Sound making fast to ‘D’ Buoy
11 June 2019 sailed from Plymouth Sound
13 June 1019 berthed at Devonport
20 June 2019 sailed from Plymouth Sound
21 June 2019 arrived at Plymouth Sound making fast to ‘D’ Buoy
24 June 2019 sailed from Plymouth Sound
29 June 2019 arrived at Plymouth Sound
2 July 2019 sailed from Plymouth Sound returning later the same day
5 July 2019 RASed with HMS KENT
8 July 2019 sailed from Plymouth Sound returning later the same day
10 July 2019 sailed from Plymouth Sound
11 July 2019 RASed with HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH
12 July 2019 arrived at Plymouth making fast to ‘C’ Buoy
15 July 2019 sailed Plymouth Sound returning and later sailing again the same day
17 July 2019 RASed with HNMLS Friesland
RFA TIDEFORCE RASes with HNMLS Friesland
25 July 2019 arrived at Cherbourg, France
27 July 2019 sailed from Cherbourg, France
28 July 2019 berthed at Portland
30 July 2019 at Portland Service of Dedication held onboard
23 August 2019 sailed from Portland
26 August 2019 arrived at the Naval Fuel Depot at Loch Striven
28 August 2019 sailed Loch Striven
29 August 2019 off Plymouth Sound
30 August 2019 anchored in the Big Ships anchorage, Stokes Bay sailing later to join HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH on the ‘WESTLANT 19’ deployment
courtesy of & © George Mortimer, RFAHS member, with thanks
2 September 2019 embarked a flight from No: 815 Squadron from RNAS Yeovilton who joined the ship for the ‘WESTLANT 19’ deployment
6 September 2019 RASed with HMS DRAGON
9 September 2019 RASed with HMS NORTHUMBERLAND
10 September 2019 RASed with HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH
12 September 2019 berthed at Halifax, Nova Scotia
16 September 2019 sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia
RFA Tideforce sailing from Halifax, Nove Scotia
© Clarence Hemeon
20 September 2019 RASed with HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and HMS DRAGON
3 October 2019 RASed with HMS NORTHUMBERLAND
8 October 2019 berthed at Jacksonville, Florida
16 October 2019 sailed from Jacksonville, Florida
31 October 2019 berthed at Norfolk, Virginia
3 November 2019 sailed from Norfolk, Virginia
11 November 2019 RASed with HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and HMS NORTHUMBERLAND
12 November 2019 RASed with HMS DRAGON
14 November 2019 RASed with HMS DRAGON and HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH
15 November 2019 berthed at Norfolk, Virginia
23 November 2019 sailed from Norfolk, Virginia
29 November 2019 RASed with HMNoMS Thor Heyerdahl
30 November 2019 RASed with HMS NORTHUMBERLAND
1 December 2019 RASed with HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH
2 December 2019 RASed with HMNoMS Thor Heyerdahl
4 December 2019 berthed at Devonport
20 December 2019 at Devonport RFA TIDESPRING (2) berthed alongside
10 January 2020 sailed from Devonport
16 January 2020 arrived at Portland Port
19 January 2020 sailed from Portland Port
25 January 2020 arrived at Plymouth Sound and made fast to ‘C’ Buoy
RFA Tideforce approaching Plymouth Sound having picked up the pilot
© RFA Nostalgia
28 January 2020 sailed from Plymouth Sound
5 February 2020 RASed with HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH
© MOD
6 February 2020 anchored in the Portland Port anchorage
7 February 2020 berthed in Portland Port
12 February 2020 sailed from Portland Port returning to her berth later the same day
18 February 2020 sailed from Portland Port
24 February 2020 berthed at the Naval Oil Fuel Depot at Loch Striven
25 February 2020 sailed from the Naval Oil Fuel Depot at Loch Striven
28 February 2020 arrived at Plymouth Sound making fast to ‘C’ Buoy later entering Devonport Dockyard
13 March 2020 sailed from Devonport Dockyard
16 March 2020 sailed from Plymouth Sound from to sea
20 March 2020 arrived at Plymouth Sound making fast to ‘C’ Buoy
23 March 2020 sailed from Plymouth Sound to sea
30 March 2020 sailed from Portland Port
2 April 2020 RFA ARGUS prior to her deployment RASes with RFA TIDEFORCE
8 April 2020 arrived at Plymouth and berthed in Devonport Dockyard
24 April 2020 moved from Devonport Dockyard to Plymouth Sound and made fast to ‘D’ Buoy
26 April 2020 sailed from Plymouth Sound to the sea
1 May 2020 berthed at Portland Port
4 May 2020 sailed from Portland Port
15 May 2020 arrived at Plymouth Sound from Sea and made fast to ‘C’ Buoy
19 May 2020 sailed from Plymouth Sound to Sea
22 May 2020 arrrived at Plymouth Sound from Sea and made fast to ‘C’ Buoy
25 May 2020 sailed from Plymouth Sound to Sea and RASed with HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH
28 May 2020 arrived at Plymouth Sound and made fast to ‘D’ Buoy
2 June 2020 sailed from Plymouth Sound
3 June 2020 RASed with HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH
4 June 2020 berthed at Portland Port
6 June 2020 sailed from Portland Port
20 June 2020 berthed at Portland Port
13 July 2020 sailed from Portland Port
17 July 2020 arrived Plymouth Sound from Sea and made fast to ‘C’ Buoy
19 July 2020 sailed from Plymouth Sound to Sea
25 July 2020 arrived at Plymouth Sound and made fast to ‘C’ Buoy
27 July 2020 sailed from Plymouth Sound to Sea
13 August 2020 arrived at Plymouth Sound and made fast to ‘C’ Buoy
24 August 2020 sailed from Plymouth Sound to sea
28 August 2020 berthed at Portland Port
1 September 2020 sailed Portland Port
4 September 2020 arrived at Plymouth Sound – anchorage 23 then to Devonport
25 September 2020 sailed from Plymouth Sound to sea
27 September 2020 berthed at the Oil Fuel Depot at Loch Striven sailing later in the day
3 October 2020 RASed with RFA FORT VICTORIA
5 October 2020 in the North Sea off Scotland engaged with RFA FORT VICTORIA supporting HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, HMS DEFENCER, HMS DIAMOND, HMS KENT, HMS NORTHUMBERLAND, USS The Sullivans and HNLMS Evertsen in Exercise Joint Warrior
17 October 2020 berthed at the Oil Fuel Depot at Loch Striven
20 October 2020 sailed from Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot
3 November 2020 at the Gareloch
20 November 2020 sailed from Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot
1 December 2020 berthed at Hunterston
3 December 2020 sailed from Hunterston
10 December 2020 berthed again at Hunterston
12 December 2020 sailed from Hunterston to a berth at Garelochhead
5 March 2021 sailed from Garelochhead
8 March 2021 berthed at Portland Port
19 March 2021 sailed from Portland Port
23 March 2021 berthed at the Oil Fuel Depot at Loch Striven
1 April 2021 sailed from Loch Striven berthing later the same day at Garelochhead
26 April 2021 berthed at Birkenhead
3 February 2022 sailed from Camel Lairds, Birkenhead into the River Mersey with the assistance of the tugs Sandon, Elbe and Belgie
6 February 2022 berthed at Portland Port
1 April 2022 berthed at the Oil Fuel Depot at Loch Striven
11 April 2022 sailed from Loch Striven
14 April 2022 berthed at Portland Port
25 April 2022 sailed from Portland Port
5 May 2022 berthed at Devonport
8 May 2022 sailed from Devonport
18 May 2022 arrived at Devonport
24 May 2022 sailed from Devonport
29 May 2022 berthed at Portland Port
1 June 2022 sailed from Portland Port
10 June 2022 arrived at Plymouth Sound from the sea making fast to ‘D’ Buoy
15 June 2022 sailed from Plymouth Sound to sea
24 June 2022 arrived at Plymouth Sound from the sea making fast to ‘D’ Buoy
29 June 2022 sailed from Plymouth Sound to sea
30 June 2022 berthed at Devonport
24 July 2022 sailed from Devonport to sea
29 July 2022 berthed at Garelochhead Oil Fuel Depot
1 August 2022 berthed at Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot
3 August 2022 sailed from Loch Striven
6 August 2022 arrived at Plymouth Sound from the sea making fast to ‘C’ Buoy
8 August 2022 sailed to sea from Plymouth Sound
12 August 2022 berthed at Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France
15 August 2022 sailed from Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France
19 August 2022 berthed at Portland Port
2 October 2022 berthed at Bermuda