15th September 2026 at 11:21am
One of the UK’s two aircraft carriers has carried out her first replenishment at sea (RAS) for the first time in two years.
RFA Tidespring, a Tide-class tanker, provided HMS Queen Elizabeth with fuel, while the aircraft carrier’s bridge and seamanship teams acquired more skills on the vessel.
A RAS is a routine, but quite dangerous, method of transferring fuel, munitions and stores from one ship to another.
- Sacrifice of silent service remembered at submariners memorial commemoration
- Owned by Norway, inhabited by Russians: Could UK troops end up fighting here?
- Dolphin escort for HMS Queen Elizabeth just days after carrier leaves Portsmouth harbour
The 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier is currently on a three-month deployment around the UK and northern Europe.
During the next few weeks, the vessel and her crew will work alongside allies to enhance collective security, deterrence and readiness.
She will undertake advanced training under the Royal Navy’s Fleet Operational Standards and Training (FOST) organisation, exercising across the full spectrum of modern naval warfare to ensure that the carrier is ready to respond to threats.
Discover more from JC's Royal New Zealand Navy, World Navies, Military News, Lighthouses and other Marine News-
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.