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Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA)
Ensign of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Featured Author:
Peter Padley
Former Warrant Officer Class One (Garrison Sergeant Major) Peter A Padley MBE
Served in the British Army from 1962 until 2000 as a member of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).
Served with a variety of units including Parachute and Commando Forces on active duty and operations in many theatres around the world.
Former Parachute Instructor and founder member of 3 military Parachute Teams.
HMForces.co.uk
Under the ownership of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), primarily manned by some 2,000 civilians is tasked with the resupply of ships of the Royal Navy while away from home waters with fuel, ammunition, food and other stores required to keep the fleet operational in all respects. In addition the Royal Fleet Auxiliary provide the ability to transport military units and their equipment, the provision of Royal Navy aviation training support, casualty reception and a fleet repair capability. As and when required the RFA is augmented by personnel of the Royal Navy.
The RFA was formed in 1905 in order that coal burning ships of the Royal Navy could be resupplied with coal and other stores while at sea. A fleet of tankers capable of refueling oil burning warships was established during WWI and since its inception the RFA have supported the Royal Navy and land forces wherever they have been deployed.
The ‘Terms of Service’ of those wishing to join the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are that their employment revolves around the resupply of Royal Navy vessels while at sea, and that should their ship be deployed on operations, such as the Falklands Conflict and the Gulf War, then they will remain with the ship. Service in the RFA follows a parallel path to that of the Merchant Navy and as such their training is similar, with the exception that a specific amount of Naval training is included in order that the survival skills needed in an operational environment are taught to crew members. Many RFA vessels carry teams of Royal Navy or Army specialists for tasks such as the repair of helicopters or other military equipment and the operation of self defence armaments.
Ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are equipped to resupply single, and multiple, vessels of the Royal Navy whilst ‘under way’. The most common procedure is Resupply at Sea (RAS) where the donor ship (RFA Vessel) and receiving ship (Royal Navy vessels) steam alongside each other with stores and fuel being transferred from ship to ship by hoses or heavy jackstay transfer suspended from cranes and strong points on both ships. Fuel transfers can also be made from the stern of an RFA vessel to a warship following in the wake of the donor RFA tanker. Sea King and Merlin helicopters embarked on RFA and Royal Navy vessels can also carry out Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP) of ‘dry’ stores from ship to ship. VERTREP stores can be carried in the main internal cargo/personnel compartment of the helicopter but in the main are carried externally as underslung loads.
There are currently 16 ships of various capabilities in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. These vessels range from tankers, resupply, repair, aviation and landing ships.
The Vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
More Vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary – Part 2
Back To: Royal Navy Ships
TAFFRFA
about 1 month ago
2 comments
Royal Fleet Auxillary – 82 (RFA Crew-Bar Re-Union) :
Falklands 30th Anniversary.
14th June, 2012.
At the ‘ WESTON MILL HOTEL, BRIDWELL ROAD, WESTON MILL, PLYMOUTH’.
Calling all shipmates that served on RFA's ; Regent, Resource, Tidespring, Tidepool,
Fort Grange, Fort Austin, Brambleaf, Pearleaf, Plumleaf, Bayleaf, Appleleaf, Olwen, Olmeda, Olna,
Sir Geraint, Sir Galahad, Sir Percivale, Sir Tristram, Sir Lancelot, Sir Bedivere, Engadine, Stromness,
and last but not least, Blue Rover.
1.•If you served on any of these RFA down the Falklands in 82, or were RFA personnel on other ships, you are most welcome to come and join us.
2.•This will be an informal get together.
3.•This is a great opportunity to meet up with ‘old shipmates’, many for the first time since 1982, and hopefully make this event a Typical ‘RFA Crew Bar’ success !
4.•Places maybe limited depending on the response to this and other advertisements, so please contact me (on the email address below) as soon as possible, and I will put you on the ‘Guest List’.
5.•Alternatively, search Facebook, for the 'Event’.....‘RFA Crew Bar Piss-up – Getting it together after 30 years’, and contact us there, also, so that we can get an idea of the numbers attending please can you click the ‘attending’ or ‘maybe attending’ button.
6.•On the 15th/16th June, some of us will be travelling up to Pangbourne for the Commemorations on the 17th June. If you would like to go there, please contact me and I will put you in touch with someone organising an RFA attendance, again, limited spaces most likely, (no transport supplied, but there maybe lifts in others’ cars’ up to Pangbourne).
•For either event, please contact, robiowbirds@btinternet.com ....
StewartThompson
4 months ago
1452 comments
Any idiotic comments will be deleted. If you've an opinion about the RN, put it in the forums. People forget that without the courage and bravery of the RFA we could not have won the Falklands War.