Leaf-class tanker

RFA Oakleaf
Class overview
Operators
Succeeded byTide class
Built1959–1981
In commission1959–2016
Completed13
Scrapped13
General characteristics
TypeFleet Support Tanker
Displacement17,470 – 49,377 tons
Propulsion1 × 6-cylinder William Doxford & Sons marine diesel engine
Speed14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)

The Leaf class is a class of support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), the naval auxiliary fleet of the United Kingdom. The class is somewhat unusual as it is an amalgam of various civilian tankers chartered for naval auxiliary use and as such has included many different designs of ship. Leaf names are traditional tanker names in the RFA, and are recycled when charters end and new vessels are acquired. Thus, there have been multiple uses of the same names, sometimes also sharing a common pennant number.

The role of support tanker generally involves the bulk transport of fuel oils between distribution centres, the replenishment of front-line fleet tankers such as the Wave and Fort Victoria classes and using their replenishment at sea (RAS) abilities to allow them to directly support naval warships. For RAS, Leaf-class ships have an amidships derrick allowing a single vessel on either beam and a single point for a vessel astern.