RFA Wave Knight (A389)

In October 2004, Wave Knight and the frigate HMS Montrose provided assistance to the stricken Canadian submarine HMCS Chicoutimi, which ran into difficulties 100 miles (160 km) north-west of County Mayo, Ireland after 2,000 litres of seawater entered the vessel due to hatches being left open in the fin. Three of the Chicoutimi's crew were airlifted to hospital in Ireland, one dying en route.[7][8][9]

During 2008 and 2009, Wave Knight was deployed to the Middle East, where she acted as Arabian Gulf Ready Tanker in support of Allied forces, providing fuel and supplies to ships from over eight nations[10][11]

Wave Knight prepares to transfer fuel to the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan during a replenishment at sea.

Between 17–21 May 2008, the Wave Knight participated in Exercise KhunjarHaad, a multi-national exercise held in the Gulf of Oman. Other participating warships included the American destroyer USS Russell, the French frigate Surcouf, the British frigate Montrose, and four other coalition ships conducted air defence; surface warfare operation; visit, board, search and seizure; and joint gunnery exercises, which focused on joint interoperability training and proficiency.[12]

On 18 April 2009, Royal Navy personnel operating from Wave Knight in the Gulf of Aden managed to intercept and fend off two pirate attacks involving the vessels Handy Tankers Magic and Front Ardennes using the ship's armament. At 0800, the ship received a distress call from MV Handy Tankers Magic indicating that they were under attack by pirates and requesting assistance. Arriving on the scene, Wave Knight gave chase to the pirate skiff and using its weapons as cover, held it and its 'mother boat' until the Dutch naval vessel HNLMS De Zeven Provincien arrived. 13 hostages were released and the pirates' weapons were destroyed. Within two hours, another distress call was received by Wave Knight from the vessel MV Front Ardennes, also under attack by pirates. Arriving to give support, the ship prevented the pirates from boarding the tanker, firing warning shots and causing the pirates to flee. With helicopters from the NATO task group ships HMCS Winnipeg and USS Halyburton, Wave Knight gave chase for six hours, until HMCS Winnipeg arrived, disarming the pirates.[13][14]

The then commanding officer of Wave Knight, Captain Pilling, said:

RFA Wave Knight is a modern replenishment ship designed to be able to support a myriad of coalition maritime operations. Our primary role is refuelling and aviation operations, but we are fully capable of conducting anti-piracy operations in and around the Horn of Africa. We have been on station for over a year providing support to many nations, and we remain committed to helping ensure maritime security.

— Captain Pilling, Royal Navy interview[15]

On 23 October 2009 personnel aboard Wave Knight witnessed the kidnapping by Somali pirates of two British citizens, Paul and Rachel Chandler, from the yacht Lynn Rival. Despite coming to within 15 m of the couple's vessel, they did not intervene for fear of endangering their lives.[16] When giving a speech at Chatham House on 27 November 2009, First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope made his position on the crew's conduct clear, stating that "They do not appreciate, and I do not like them, being branded cowards".[17]

In 2009–2010, the ship underwent a re-fit in Liverpool. As of February 2011, she was back in service.

Wave Knight at anchor in Plymouth Sound, 2008

On 25 April 2011, Wave Knight left Portland and joined the COUGAR 11 deployment, the first of the Response Force Task Group deployments, where she is acting as a supply/support ship. The deployment also saw her take part in Exercise Cypriot Lion, off the coast of Cyprus.[5][18]

3 June 2011 saw Wave Knight and the vessels HMS Albion, HMS Sutherland and RFA Fort Rosalie, ordered to break away from the COUGAR 11 deployment and head to the coast of Libya to take part in Operation Unified Protector, the ongoing NATO operation there.[19] By late June the vessels were back on the RFTG tasking, and after passing through the Suez Canal began Operation Red Alligator, a major exercise in the Red Sea with the Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia.[20]

February 2012 saw Wave Knight operating in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden as part of Operation Scimitar Anzac, an anti-piracy operation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. This international operation included the Royal Navy destroyer Daring, the Royal Australian Navy frigate Parramatta, and the Pakinstan Navy's Babur. Wave Knight acted as the replenishment vessel for the ships.[21] She returned to the UK on 16 March 2012 to prepare for a refit period after ten years of operations. During the refit upgrades were made to the ships engine, cabins, and air conditioning systems.[22][23]

In January 2013, Wave Knight departed Portland for a six-month deployment to the Caribbean, where she will act as Atlantic Patrol (North), relieving RFA Argus. She conducted anti-narcotic operations and was on standby to provide humanitarian aid for the 2013 hurricane season On 1 May 2013, Wave Knight was berthed in Miami's Port Government Cut.[23] On 17 June she called into the port of Willemstad, Curaçao at the Otrabanda Megapier.

Wave Knight deployed as part of the COUGAR 14 Response Force Task Group.[24]

In July 2016, Wave Knight relieved HMS Mersey in the Caribbean to begin another stint on Atlantic Patrol Task (North).[25] In February 2017, Wave Knight berthed in Havana, Cuba, for a formal visit[26] while in May she arrived in Bermuda for the 35th America's Cup sailing regatta; the first such regatta held in British waters since the 1860s and the first on the eastern seaboard since 1983.

Wave Knight returned to Portland on 13 July 2017 having been relieved in the Caribbean by RFA Mounts Bay.[27]

In June 2019 she supported ships of the UK Joint Expeditionary Force for exercise Baltic Protector in the eastern Baltic before heading for Norway for exercise Dynamic Mongoose in July.[28] In August 2019 she will go to the Persian Gulf for a long-planned deployment to Operation Kipion in the role of KIPION Ready Tanker.[29]