RFA Cardigan Bay Completes Four-Year Gulf Mission

A Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship has completed a four-year tour of duty in the Gulf.

Since 2017, RFA Cardigan Bay has been crucial to Royal Navy operations in the Gulf – especially minehunting and clearance by British ships and partner nations in the region.

Before leaving the Middle East, RFA Lyme Bay took over from RFA Cardigan Bay – the second time she has relieved her sister ship.

Commodore David Eagles, Head of the RFA, was on hand to welcome the crew home and thank them for their efforts.

"After four years as a forward presence, supporting defence outputs in the Gulf, RFA Cardigan Bay returns to the UK for a major refit and upgrade at our industrial partner shipyard in Falmouth," he said.

"Prior to this I am delighted to welcome her home to Portland after such a prolonged deployment on the frontline," he said.

After originally being built to support amphibious operations involving Royal Marines, the Bay class proved to be extremely versatile, notably as a floating hub for mine warfare.

RFA Cardigan Bay also served as a floating base for specialist dive teams and experts testing automated mine warfare systems.

It has also been used as a hub for helicopters moving personnel and supplies around the region and as a 'petrol station' and supermarket for minehunters.

Her ability to hold enough fuel to fill multiple ships at one time, as well as 200 tonnes of provisions, meant that minehunters could remain on operations for extended periods

As a result, RFA Cardigan Bay was in high demand since arriving in the Gulf during 2017 – the second time in the last decade the ship was deployed to the region to support minehunters.

The ship has taken part in numerous regular MINEXs – combined Anglo-American workouts for their mine warfare forces based in the Gulf.

She has also been involved in large international maritime exercises focused on wider security in Middle East waters, and four Khunjar Haad (Sharp Dagger) exercises – the principal annual test of Oman's armed forces.

Most recently, Cardigan Bay was at the hub of the Anglo-French-US Artemis Trident, which takes place every two years.

As well as the usual mine hunting element, the exercise also involved self defence tests against air and surface threats, maritime security, force protection and diving operations.

The ship was crucial to the success of the large-scale exercise, transferring fresh water, fuel and stores for Royal Navy and coalition ships.

Cover image: A dockyard worker at Portland waits for RFA Cardigan Bay to berth (Picture: Royal Navy).