Tide-class replenishment oiler

RFA Tidepool (A76) underway
Class overview
Name	Tide class
Operators	Royal Fleet Auxiliary  Royal Australian Navy  Chilean Navy
Preceded by	RFA Olna
Succeeded by	Ol class
Built	1953–1963
In commission	1955–1992
Planned	4 + 2
Completed	6
Retired	6
General characteristics
Type	Replenishment oiler
Displacement	Early Tide class 26,000 long tons (26,417 t) full load Later Tide class 27,400 long tons (27,840 t)
Length	583 ft (178 m)
Beam	71 ft (22 m)
Draught	32 ft (9.8 m)
Propulsion	2 × Parmetrada steam turbines Early Tide Class 3 × Babcock & Wilcox Boilers Later Tide Class 2 × Foster Wheeler Watertube steam boilers Double reduction gearbox, single shaft
Speed	17 knots (20 mph; 31 km/h)
Complement	90 (RFA)

The Tide class was a series of six replenishment oilers used by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), the naval auxiliary fleet of the United Kingdom, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), and the Chilean Navy.

The class was based on RFA Olna, which had served with the British Pacific Fleet during the Second World War.^[1] Three ships were laid down for the RFA in 1953, with a fourth being ordered by the RAN at the same time.^[1] Two more ships, built for the RFA to a modified design, were launched in 1962.

Upon completion, the RANs Tide Austral could not be accepted into service because of manpower and financial difficulties. The ship was instead loaned to the RFA from 1955 until 1962, when she was returned to the RAN and commissioned as HMAS Supply. She was 'paid off' in 1985.^[1]

The first three ships were removed from service and scrapped during the late 1970s. The two modified ships, Tidespring and Tidepool saw service in the Falklands War, after which Tidepool was sold to the Chilean Navy and renamed Almirante Jorge Montt.^[2] Tidespring remained with the RFA and was scrapped in 1992. Supply remained with the RAN until 1985.