Overview
- RFA Tidesurge tracked Kilo‑class submarine Krasnodar for three days from the North Sea through the Strait of Dover into the English Channel before handing monitoring to a NATO ally near Ushant.
- An embarked Merlin from 814 Naval Air Squadron remained on standby for anti‑submarine operations, though the Russian boat stayed on the surface despite rough weather.
- The Ministry of Defence said Russian naval activity near the UK has increased by about 30% over the past two years.
- Officials described the mission as a show of presence aligned with the government’s Plan for Change, with Tidesurge subsequently returning to Portland.
- Use of a support tanker for the task drew criticism from maritime security sources highlighting pressure on the Royal Navy’s surface fleet, marking the second such RFA deployment this year.