Royal Fleet Auxiliary Wave Knight will arrive in HMNB Gibraltar tomorrow Saturday for a routine logistic support visit.

RFA Wave Knight, a Wave Knight-class fast fleet tanker, has been deployed for seven months – six of these in the Middle East – providing support to the Royal Navy and coalition operations east of Suez. She has also supported NATO’s security mission in the Mediterranean.

Launched in 2000 and accepted into service in 2003, RAF Wave Knight is the second ship to bear this name in RFA service.

The Fast Fleet Tankers are crewed by 72 RFA personnel and there is also provision for 26 RN personnel for helicopter and weapons systems operations. The tankers’ role is to deliver food, fuel, water and other essential supplies to Royal Navy and coalition warships. Thanks to Wave Knight, these ships can remain operational for months or even years at a time.

They also play a vital role in protecting shipping routes, countering piracy, and providing humanitarian relief.