The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed that the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels, Wave Knight and Wave Ruler, will remain in Extended Readiness until 2028.
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/?p=44899
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed that the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels, Wave Knight and Wave Ruler, will remain in Extended Readiness until 2028.
This confirmation is in response to reports that suggested the two ships were to be permanently decommissioned.
In a written question session on 15 June 2023, John Healey, the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, queried the Secretary of State for Defence about the plans for the future of RFA Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler.
“To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for the future of (a) RFA Wave Knight and (b) RFA Wave Ruler,” Healey inquired.
James Cartlidge, the Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, responded by stating that both ships were placed into Extended Readiness in 2022 and 2017 respectively. He further mentioned that the option to reactivate them is being reviewed. “Both RFA Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler were placed into Extended Readiness in 2022 and 2017 respectively. The option to re-activate is kept under review,” Cartlidge said.
Addressing another question by Healey regarding the expected out-of-service date for both ships, Cartlidge provided further details. “Both Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler are programmed to be in Extended Readiness until 2028 in His Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth and Liverpool respectively, under the care and custody of RFA cluster management,” he clarified.
Cartlidge declined to disclose the individual out-of-service dates for the ships, citing the need to preserve the operational security of the fleet, which is odd given that the department routinely does disclose this information.