The TIDES Are Returning – The four new tankers being built in Korea to sustain to Royal Navy’s global operations are to revive the historic TIDE Class tanker names.    The new ships are to be called TIDESURGE TIDESPRING, TIDERACE, and TIDEFORCE.  The TIDEFORCE is a new name!   These new 37,000 tonnes ships will begin to enter service in 2016 and the names of three are revivals with the original class being the first purpose designed and built replenishment tankers for the Admiralty and incorporated lessons learned from the Second World War, especially operations with the Pacific Fleet Train and a need for a fast replenishment tanker that could keep up with a task force.    The original class comprised :

·         RFA TIDE ASTRAL (1955-1962), ordered by the Royal Australian Navy and commission as HMAS SUPPLY in 1962 and served until 1985)

·         RFA TIDESURGE  (1955-1976)

·         RFA TIDERACE    (1956-1975) (renamed 1958 was originally TIDEFLOW)

·         RFA TIDEFORCE  (1963-1991)

·         RFA TIDESPRING (1963-1991)   ,

The names TIDEFLOW, TIDEPOOL and TIDEREACH will remain dormant.