Royal Fleet Auxiliary

The RFA was established in 1905 to provide logistical support for the Navy. Since the Royal Navy of that era possessed the largest network of bases around the world of any fleet, the RFA at first took a relatively minor role. receives fuel during a replenishment at sea (RAS) with the former The RFA first became heavily relied upon by the Royal Navy during World War II, when the British fleet was often far from available bases, either due to the enemy capturing such bases, or, in the Pacific, because of the sheer distances involved. World War II also saw naval ships staying at sea for much longer periods than had been the case since the days of sail. Techniques of replenishment at sea (RAS) were developed. The auxiliary fleet comprised a diverse collection, with not only RFA ships, but also commissioned warships and merchantmen as well. The need for the fleet to be maintained was unambiguously demonstrated by World War II. After 1945, the RFA became the Royal Navy's main source of support in the many conflicts that the Navy was involved in. The RFA performed important service to the Far East Fleet off Korea from 1950 until 1953, when sustained carrier operations were again mounted in Pacific waters. During the extended operations of the Konfrontasi in the 1960s, the RFA was also heavily involved. As the network of British bases overseas shrank during the end of the Empire, the Navy increasingly relied on the RFA to supply its ships during routine deployments. The RFA played an important role in the largest naval war since 1945, the Falklands War in 1982 (where one vessel was lost and another badly damaged), and also the Gulf War, Kosovo War, Afghanistan Campaign and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In July 2008, the RFA was presented with a Queen's Colour, an honour unique to a civilian organisation. ==Fleet==

RN aboard RFA Lyme Bay Ships in RFA service carry the ship prefix RFA, standing for Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and fly the Blue Ensign defaced with an upright gold killick anchor. All Royal Fleet Auxiliaries are built and maintained to Lloyd's Register and Department for Transport standards. As of early-2026, there are 9 ships in service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary with a total displacement of approximately 244,000 tonnes. These figures exclude the merchant navy vessels under charter to the Ministry of Defence performing sealift and fuel provisioning roles. Underway replenishment The most important role provided by the RFA is replenishment at sea (RAS), therefore the mainstay of the current RFA fleet are the replenishment ships. Two classes of vessel are in service as of 2024: and the . The Tide class are designated 'Fast Fleet Tankers' that were ordered in February 2012. The four tankers were ordered from DSME, South Korea with design support from Britain's BMT Defence Services, the first of which entered service in 2017. From 2022, only the Tide class remained active with both of the former vessels placed in extended readiness (uncrewed reserve) and then, in 2024/25, retired from service completely. As of April 2024, RFA Tiderace was also reported to be in extended readiness, primarily owing to serious personnel shortages in the RFA. However, as of late 2025 it was reported that she was being reactivated primarily as a result of sailors becoming available due to the retirement of RFA Argus. RFA Fort Victoria is a 'one-stop' replenishment ship, capable of providing under way refuelling and dry cargo (i.e. rearming, victualling and spares). Until 2011, she had a sister ship in until she was decommissioned as a result of defence cuts. Two ships of the also provided dry stores replenishment but were placed into extended readiness in 2020. The two ships were later decommissioned, leaving Fort Victoria the only fleet solid support ship in service. In 2023, Fort Victoria was reported to be in "reduced readiness" and, in 2024, she was relegated to "extended readiness" (uncrewed reserve). A class of three new fleet solid support ships are expected to arrive starting in 2031 under the Fleet Solid Support Ship Programme. The manufacturing contract for this acquisition, valued at £1.6 billion, was signed in January 2023. The Tide class and Fort Victoria incorporate aviation facilities, providing aviation support and training facilities as well as vertical replenishment (VERTREP) capabilities. They are capable of operating and supporting AgustaWestland Merlin and AgustaWestland Wildcat helicopters, both of which are significant weapons platforms. The presence of aviation facilities on RFA ships allows for them to be used as 'force multipliers' for the task groups they support in line with Royal Navy doctrine. Replenishment ships File:RFA Tiderace arrives at Fleet Activities Yokosuka for a scheduled port visit in August 2017.jpg|Tiderace (Tide class) File:RFA Fort Victoria A387 BB.jpg|Fort Victoria (Fort Victoria class) Amphibious warfare From 2025 the RFA has been tasked with playing the lead role in providing amphibious shipping within the naval service, through its three dock landing ships (LSD). Typically one Bay-class vessel has also been assigned as a permanent 'mothership' for Royal Navy mine countermeasures vessels in the Persian Gulf. However, crewing problems in the RFA have meant that the capacity to do this has eroded. Nevertheless, in early 2026 it was indicated that RFA Lyme Bay would again undertake that role. The 2021 defence white paper proposed the acquisition of a new class of up to six Multi-Role Support Ships (MRSS) to support littoral strike operations. These vessels are to replace the Bay-class ships, and other vessels, starting in the 2030s. In the interim, the white paper had proposed to upgrade one of the Bay-class vessels with permanent hangar facilities in order to carry out the littoral strike role. However, in July 2022 it was reported that the future littoral strike role would in fact be assumed by after a refit to convert her to this role. She continued in that role until she was deemed unsafe to sail in 2025 and then earmarked for scrapping in early 2026. Dock landing ships File:The British Royal Fleet Auxiliary landing dock ship RFA Cardigan Bay (L3009) maneuvers into position to receive a U.S. Navy MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26 in 130520-N-OA702-044.jpg|Cardigan Bay (Bay class) Ocean surveillance/survey The RFA has acquired a Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance Ship to protect undersea critical national infrastructure, such as gas pipelines and undersea cables. In February 2023, the vessel identified for this role - MV Topaz Tangaroa - was acquired and in October 2023 entered service as RFA Proteus. She was purchased for some £70 million and was converted to act as a mothership for autonomous systems and have military communications and light defensive armament added. It is reported that a second MROS ship is envisaged, which may be a new build vessel and, as of 2023, is in the concept stage. Service entry is envisaged likely in the early 2030s. Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) Ship File:RFA Proteus in Cammell Laird.webp|Proteus at Cammell Laird Sealift and fuel provisioning The s were acquired in 2002 under a £1.25bn private finance initiative with Foreland Shipping known as the Strategic Sealift Service. These ships are Merchant Navy vessels leased to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) as and when needed and as such are not part of the RFA. However, they are listed here due to their role in expeditionary military operations and in provisioning U.K. military bases and facilities. Originally six ships were part of the deal, allowing the MoD use of four of the ships with two being made available for commercial charter, these latter two were released from the contract in 2012. The MoD also contracts to secure fuel supplies for facilities overseas. For sometime this requirement was maintained through charter of the vessel , then with the vessel Raleigh Fisher and most recently with the ship Leander Fisher. As of 2025, Leander Fisher is tasked with supplying fuel to the United Kingdom's various naval establishments at home and overseas, as well as providing aviation fuel to RAF stations at Cyprus, Ascension Island and the Falkland Islands. The MoD has chartered vessels to commercial companies during periods when not in use for defence purposes. Ministry of Defence sealift/supply vessels • Not part of the RFA, under charter to the MoD File:Merchant Vessel Hartland Point Carrying Military Equipment During Cougar 12 MOD 45154449.jpg|Hartland Point (Point class) ==Rank insignia==

Officers Rank insignia of RFA officers differ from the Royal Navy as the RFA makes use of the diamond used by some British merchant shipping companies, rather than the executive curl used by the RN. The rank of commodore is the most senior in the RFA. Department Colours The RFA uses distinction cloth to distinguish the branch of its officers. The Royal Navy ceased this practice for most officers in 1955, with the exception of medical and dental officers who are denoted by red and orange cloth respectively. Although the Marine Engineering distinction cloth is generally described as being purple, it is in practice closer to maroon. Crew ==Uniforms==

Officers and Ratings of the RFA wear similar uniforms to the regular navy with RFA distinguishing marks. No. 1 Dress This is the formal uniform worn on ceremonial occasions. For all officers it consists of a double-breasted, navy blue reefer jacket with four rows of two RFA buttons; matching trousers; white shirt and black tie; peaked cap; and black leather shoes. Rank insignia is denoted on the lower sleeve. RFA officer cap badges, although similar in style to those used by RN officers, feature a ring with letters 'RFA' surrounding the fouled anchor at the centre. For ratings below the rank of Petty Officer, this uniform is a single breasted tunic fastened with four RFA buttons, with flapped chest pockets and hip pockets; white shirt and black tie, and a dark blue beret and black leather shoes. Petty Officers and Chief Petty Officers wear a double breasted navy blue reefer jacket similar to the Officers version but with three rows of two RFA buttons. They wear a beret with an RFA badge, formerly a pantone blue, now the same colour as the RN Navy Blue. Rank insignia is denoted on the lower sleeve. No. 2 Dress Number 2A dress is the formal evening dress for ceremonial dinners; it consists of a navy blue mess jacket with a white waistcoat (black cummerbund for female officers) with miniature medals. 2B is "mess undress" for other mess functions, and is worn with either a black cummerbund or navy blue waistcoat and miniature medals. 2C, "red sea rig", is worn for informal evening wear on board ship; it consists of a white short sleeved shirt, worn with shoulderboards, without medals and with black trousers, black shoes and a black cummerbund. It is unusual to see a black cummerbund worn with red sea rig as it is traditional to have personalised cummerbunds. These are usually in the branch colours of the wearer and commonly have either a branch insignia or a ship's badge embroidered in the centre. This tradition is also prevalent in the RN. No. 3 Dress This is worn all year round for general duties. It consists of a white shirt with rank insignia on the shoulders, and appropriate headgear. For officers 3A dress includes a long-sleeved shirt and tie, while 3B includes a short-sleeved shirt worn with hard shoulder boards. 3C is the same in all respects as 3A but with the addition of a navy blue woollen jersey. This is the same as for Officer's No. 3 dress but with the relevant rate insignia and beret. Junior rates are only issued with short-sleeve shirts and are not issued with ties. Thus No.3 dress is divided into 3B (without jersey) and 3C dress (navy-blue jersey worn over the shirt with the shirt collar out). There is no equivalent of 3A dress for junior ratings. No. 4 Dress Number 4 dress is the working uniform of the RFA. It is referred to as Royal Fleet Auxiliary Personal Clothing System (RFAPCS); it consists of a navy blue fire-retardant jacket, navy blue baseball cap and beret, navy blue stable belt, navy-blue fire-retardant trousers, dms boots, black T-shirt and an optional navy-blue microfleece. Number 4R dress is the same only without the jacket and with an optional baseball cap. RFAPCS is distinguished from its RNPCS counterpart by the RFA blue ensign and 'ROYAL FLEET AUXILIARY' tape replacing the white ensign and 'ROYAL NAVY' tape worn on the left arm and left chest pocket respectively. Junior ratings may also wear an RFA badged baseball cap in this order of dress, whilst undertaking courses at Royal Navy establishments. No. 5 Dress Number 5 dress is the collective category for all specialist working uniforms. They are worn as required for duties. == Recruitment and training ==

As of 2022–23, the RFA was reported to be facing considerable recruiting challenges. Manpower was said to have dropped by 5 per cent from 2021 to 2022, contributing to the reduced availability, and even potential redundancy, of some vessels. • direct from industry (or where they are suitably trained to allow direct entry) • via the RTO (rating-to-officer) programme • as cadets All new officers take part in a 3-week Initial Naval Training Officers (INT-O) course at BRNC Dartmouth that is designed to familiarise new officers to the RFA and develop leadership skills. ==List of Commodores Royal Fleet Auxiliary==

The post of Commodore of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (COMRFA) was created in 1951, known as Commodore RFA and Deputy Director Royal Navy Afloat Support since 2020, is the senior officer of the RFA. The following people have served as COMRFA: • 1951–1954: Stanley Kent • 1954–1955: William Browne • 1955–1957: Thomas Card • 1957–1962: Thomas Elder • 1962–1964: Albert Curtain • 1964–1966: Eric Payne • 1966–1968: Griffith Evans • 1968–1971: Joe Dines • 1971–1972: Henry L'Estrange • 1972–1977: George Robson • 1977–1983: Samuel Dunlop • 1983–1985: James Coull • 1986–1989: Barry Rutterford • 1989–1994: Richard Thorn • 1994–1999: Norman Squire • 1999–2003: Peter Lannin • 2003–2008: Robert Thornton • 2008–2013: Bill Walworth • 2013–2015: Rob Dorey • 2015–2020: Duncan Lamb • 2020–2024: David Eagles • 2024–present: Sam Shattock == See also ==