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Patrol ship officers value time on RFA tanker to gain sea experience
5 August 2024
Two Royal Navy officers embarked on Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Tidespring said their experience on board was invaluable as they looked to further their knowledge and experience of time at sea.
Sub Lieutenants Adam Whitelaw and Kieran Kitsell spent a month on board the support ship as part of their Specialist Fleet Time training.
The pair, who are currently deployed with Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Medway, said their experience on Tidespring enabled them to put into practise what they had learned at the Maritime Warfare School at HMS Collingwood and gave them a better understanding of the important role the RFA plays in keeping the Royal Navy fuelled, fed and ready for action.
They joined the ship while she was on tasking in UK waters and of their 33 days on board, spent 29 of those at sea – sailing more than 5,000 nautical miles in the Atlantic and North Sea.
They saw multiple replenishments-at-sea and worked with Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond, a US maritime patrol aircraft and other aircraft from the Netherlands and Portugal. The ship also conducted anti-submarine warfare operations alongside the United States and Norwegian Navy.
While embarked, Sub Lts Whitelaw and Kitsell spent more than 200 hours on Tidespring’s bridge, giving them crucial insight into the RFA’s ability to safely replenish stores, equipment and fuel in close formation and in potentially rough conditions.
Throughout this trip alone I have seen first-hand how the Royal Fleet Auxiliary performs a vital role in enhancing our Navy’s capabilities in order to conduct vital tasking
Sub Lt Whitelaw said: “My time onboard gave me a massive appreciation to the roles that the RFA undertake in defence tasking and how close ties between all arms of the Naval Service is vital for operational output.
“Thankfully, we were able to integrate quickly as the bridge equipment onboard was already familiar to us, operating the same radars and types of software. This commonality allowed us to complete vital serials before progressing onto the next stage of our career.”
He added: “Putting into practice the skills learnt at Britannia Royal Naval College and the Maritime Warfare School at HMS Collingwood on national tasking was thoroughly enjoyable, made all the better by the welcoming nature and efforts made by the crew to train us.”
Sub Lt Kitsell found the time on Tidespring equally as beneficial.
“Throughout this trip alone I have seen first-hand how the Royal Fleet Auxiliary performs a vital role in enhancing our Navy’s capabilities in order to conduct vital tasking,” he said.
“Albeit there are some differences between the way the RFA and RN operate, many key principles remain unchanged. For example, from a Warfare perspective, conducting operational tasking whilst remaining navigationally safe is of the utmost importance.
“In particular, I have found it extremely useful taking scenarios I had learned in the simulator and seeing them replicated in real life. It is always extremely satisfying seeing something you have trained for all of a sudden fall into place as you practice it for real out on the open ocean.
“Being attached to Tidespring has proved to be an incredible learning experience.”