RFA Wave Knight completes Middle East deployment
UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) tanker Wave Knighthas returned to the UK following a seven-month deployment to the Middle East.
The vessel sustained Royal Navy, French, Spanish and US naval vessels with fuel as they patrolled waters east of Suez for six months; as well as NATO’s security mission in the Mediterranean, Operation Sea Guardian.
In total Wave Knight dispensed 12,276 cubic metres of ship fuel during the mission, and 319 cubic metres of fuel for helicopters and aircraft flown from allied warships in the region.
The vessel’s fuel tanks will be pumped out at the fuel depot in Loch Striven, where it is due to arrive on 29 February. The ship will then head to Devonport to offload remaining stores and supplies, then sail to Birkenhead at the end of March to begin a refit at the Cammell Laird yard.
More from Naval Warfare
-
Israeli Navy looks to expand as war reshapes future force requirements
Israel’s navy is preparing for a larger and more technically diverse role, but its ambitions could be impacted by supply chain restrictions, accelerating demand for domestic naval production as well as autonomous maritime capabilities.
-
Quantum sensing gathers pace as navies eye undersea advantage
As AI dominates defence conversations, industry increasingly points to quantum sensing as the technology set to change submarine and uncrewed underwater vehicle operations.
-
Competitive P17B tender marks a shift in Indian Navy frigate procurement
The Indian Navy's P17B programme is expected to combine greater weapons capacity with a competitive domestic construction model, although key systems could remain dependent on international supply chains.
-
How France’s SNLE 3G programme is reshaping the naval nuclear industrial base
Extending far beyond a four-submarine replacement programme, France’s ballistic missile submarine effort is a decades-long industrial initiative designed to preserve the country’s ability to build and sustain nuclear-powered strategic platforms.
-
Quantum Systems enters maritime domain with Baltic-focused USV and UUV
Quantum Systems has launched into the maritime domain with Seavex and Subvex, aiming to close a Baltic Sea ISR gap opened by infrastructure sabotage.