Government House today announced that RFA TIDEFORCE, a ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, is visiting Bermuda’s waters for a brief stopover. The purpose of the visit is to give its crew a period of rest before continuing on out to sea.
While here, a Royal Navy helicopter from RFA TIDEFORCE will conduct familiarisation flights over across the island. This was last done in 2020 and is a key part of the ongoing hurricane preparedness plan for Bermuda. The helicopter will also conduct offshore training with the ROYAL BERMUDA REGIMENT COAST GUARD.
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) provides logistical support to the Royal Navy, all over the world. RFA TIDEFORCE is the Fourth of Class of the Military Afloat Reach & Sustainability (MARS) Tankers. At 30,000 tonne, the Tide class tankers are the largest ships currently in service within the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
The Tide Class tankers are flexible, state-of-the-art double-hulled vessels, designed to provide key underway replenishment at sea (RAS) capability and support to the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.