RFA Wave Ruler

Wave Ruler departed the UK shores in February 2010, for a period as Atlantic Patrol Task (South) (APT(S)), arriving in San Carlos Water, in the Falkland Islands, in early March 2010.

In mid May that year, the ship was re-tasked to sail north and undertake the role of APT(North), where she has remained patrolling the seas of the Caribbean returning to the UK in December 2011. This deployment has been as busy if not busier than previous visits to the region, delivering regional defence as well as experiencing some of the sights and sounds that this part of the world has to offer.

During the latter part of the trip and covering the 2011 hurricane season, Wave Ruler had an onboard enhanced capability of a 20 man RN Humanitarian and Disaster Relief team (HADR) in addition to the 815 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) embarked flight. Wave Ruler, has demonstrated throughout her time in the region that she has been capable of delivering the RN goals and objectives in the region in terms of humanitarian support and disaster relief in the aftermath of hurricane Irene as well as delivering a counter narcotics role throughout the region.

After leaving the Falkland Islands in May 2010 and a month at sea the ship arrived in Norfolk, Virginia for three weeks for routine maintenance before heading to the Caribbean via a three day visit to Fort Lauderdale. This was the first time that Wave Ruler was able to load stores which included such delights as American bacon, sausage and Lipton teabags, delicacies few are likely to be rushing to buy on arrival back in the UK. On departure from Fort Lauderdale Wave Ruler carried out a RAS with HMS Manchester. 

For the next 18 months, Wave Ruler was based in the Caribbean Sea, and her primary role was to provide support to the UK Overseas Territories and deliver the UK Government’s presence in the region. This role includes providing regional support in the event of natural disasters such as hurricanes; the season running from the beginning of June until the end of November.  If tasked by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Wave Ruler is able to provide food, water and shelter in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

On arrival in the Caribbean in early July 2010, the next five months proved to be a busy and demanding period with fourteen port visits, together with tasking from the Joint Inter Agency Task Force South (JIATFS) on Counter Narcotics Tasking (CNT) Operations.  This involved working in support of local defence and police forces from a host of Caribbean nations together with the US Navy, US Coastguard and Dutch Navy in the prevention of drug trafficking from South America to the Caribbean, USA and Europe.

After the 2010 hurricane season and a visit to Cartagena in Colombia, the Christmas and New Year was spent in Fort Lauderdale. This was a welcome period of relaxation over the festive season.  Various activities were organised including a trip to Busch Gardens and an invite for the crew to watch an American Football game between the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions in the Sun Life Stadium.

The first three months of 2011 found Wave Ruler undertaking a number of port visits on the US Eastern Seaboard namely Charleston, Norfolk and also the British dependency of Bermuda, before heading back to the Caribbean Sea in early April 2011.

In preparation for the 2011 hurricane season, Wave Ruler went to Mayport, Florida for a maintenance period (AMP) and embarked 20 personnel of the Royal Navy’s Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) team, together with a Lynx helicopter and 13 personnel from 206 Flight, 815 Naval Air Squadron, who had been flown out in the hold of an RAF C17.  Using trained and equipped RFA ship’s company and the HADR team, the ship provided enhanced medical and humanitarian aid when and where required within 36 to 48 hours of our services being requested by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

This was the first time that a dedicated HADR team had been embarked on an RFA, and would prove invaluable in reassuring the British Dependencies of the UK Governments commitment within the Caribbean region.

A mobile FOST training team visited in Mayport and conducted an assessed Disaster Exercise (DISTEX), which simulated many of the scenarios that could be encountered in the aftermath of a hurricane.

After departing Mayport, June and July was taken up with regional engagements with visits to the British Dependencies of Jamaica, Grand Turk, Tortola and Montserrat.  These regional engagements are an important part of the ship’s deployment within the Caribbean region. The defence diplomacy for most islands involved official calls by the CO and OiC the Naval party on the Governor General and other dignitaries. This was often followed by an official lunch onboard and an evening reception. The evening function was attended by between 40 to 60 VIPs. Wave Ruler also maximized opportunities to invite visitors on board including groups from local schools and disaster management teams. Training and equipment demonstrations were laid on for the Local Defence Force and Emergency and Rescue Services.  This allowed the local population to see for themselves the type of aid assistance that could be offered and how they would work alongside the emergency and rescue services in the event of a natural disaster. Additional training was given to local medical teams by the ships RN Medical Officer and the Medical Technician. The ships Lynx helicopter was kept busy conducting agricultural and law enforcement aerial surveys of the islands. On many islands throughout the deployment, ship’s staff gave up their time to do decorating and routine maintenance to schools, hospitals and Red Cross halls.

During the middle of August 2011 Wave Ruler arrived in Curacao for an AMP, this was, however, cut short when on the 23 August the ship was tasked to provide humanitarian assistance to the Turks and Caicos Islands in the aftermath of hurricane Irene.  On arrival off Grand Turk a helicopter reconnaissance of the islands was made to assess the extent of the damage. The ship’s Lynx also transported the Governor to the island of Providenciales to give a joint TV address to the outlying communities in the numerous islands that make up the Turks and Caicos.

Meanwhile Wave Ruler’s combined RFA and RN Disaster Relief Team went ashore in the ship’s boats to collect 1000 tarpaulins from the Disaster Management Centre for distribution to South Caicos and Providenciales.  Her work completed, the ship departed the Turks and Caicos Islands to return to Curacao to complete her AMP.

Before leaving Curacao, the ship had a further FOST Directed Continuation Training (DCT), with the ship once again being put through its paces, including the usual mix of NBCD Fire Fighting, Aviation, Gunnery and Admin inspections. The week culminated in a 24 hour DISTEX using an area within the Dutch Naval Base in Curacao. This exercised the whole ship’s company once again in a range of tasks including, moving disaster relief stores ashore by the ship’s boats and aircraft, establishing an HQ ashore, and progressing simulated search and rescue scenarios.

On the 17 September 2011 the ship arrived in St Kitts and took part in the Islands Independence Day celebrations, the HADR team provided a platoon of 15 that paraded during the official ceremony.  Guided tours took place onboard for local school children, local dignitaries together with members of St Kitts Emergency and Rescue Services. To follow was a period of JIATFS directed CN Ops, before a busy period of five Caribbean island visits in three weeks.  On each island, (Montserrat, Anguilla, Tortola, St Vincent and Antigua) local dignitaries were welcomed on board and the ship’s staff liaised with the respective shore side Emergency and Rescue Services.  The ship participated in St Vincent and Antigua’s Independence Day Celebrations, and in Antigua the ship hosted the British High Commissioner for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Paul Brummell, together with Dr Errol Cort, Minister of National Security and the Chairman of the Caricom Council of Ministers, who witnessed the ship’s Humanitarian and Disaster Relief capabilities and a tour of the ship.

Dr Cort stated in a TV press conference held onboard that;

“This tour has certainly given assurance that even though there was a withdrawal of a warship from the region, the RFA have demonstrated their capability to rise to the occasion if and when there are any natural disasters or to continue with other friendly nations in patrolling the waters and dealing with the issue of drugs”.

As Wave Ruler’s time as APT(N) is now complete, she started the month of December 2011 in Barbados, and finishes it in Birkenhead ready for a well earned AMP. Wave Ruler and everyone, RFA, RN, USCG and Army that has served on her in the last 23 months, can be proud of what has been achieved and the reputation that has been forged between the ship and the islands of the Caribbean.  She has confirmed her position as an extremely capable well trained unit, and delivered on all that has been asked of the RFA.