Wave-class tanker

Not to be confused with Wave-class oiler.

Wave class
RFA Wave Ruler (left) carrying out a replenishment at sea with the frigate HMS Iron Duke in 2006
RFA Wave Ruler (left) carrying out a replenishment at sea with the frigate HMS Iron Duke in 2006
Class overview
NameWave class
BuildersVSEL (later BAE Systems Marine)
OperatorsRFA Ensign Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Preceded byOl class
Succeeded byTide class
In commission8 April 2003–present
Completed2
Laid up2 (both ships in "extended readiness" - uncrewed reserve)
General characteristics [1][2][3]
TypeFast fleet tanker
Displacement31,500 tonnes approx
Length196.5 m (644 ft 8 in)
Beam28.25 m (92 ft 8 in)
Draft9.97 m (32 ft 9 in)
Propulsion
  • Diesel-electric:
  • 4 × Wartsila 12V 32E/GECLM diesel generators 25,514 metric horsepower (18.76 MW)
  • 2 × GEC Alstom motors with Cegelec variable speed converters 19,040 metric horsepower (14 MW)
  • 1 × shaft
  • 18t thrust electric Kamewa bow thruster and 12t thrust electric stern thruster, both powered by Cegelec variable speed drives and motors
Speed20 knots (37 km/h)
Range10,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Capacity
  • 16,000 m3 of liquids (of which 3,000 m3 aviation fuel & 380 m3 fresh water)
  • 125 tonnes of lubricating oil
  • 500 m3 of solids
  • 150 tonnes of fresh food in eight 20 ft refrigerated container units.
Complement80 Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel with provision for 22 Royal Navy personnel for helicopter and weapons systems operations
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Surface search: E/F band
  • Navigation: Kelvin Hughes Ltd SharpEye navigation radar[4]
  • IFF: Type 1017
Electronic warfare
& decoys		Sea Gnat decoy launcher system[5]
Armament
Aircraft carried1 × Merlin helicopter with full hangar facilities

The Wave-class tankers are a class of fast fleet tankers in service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The class is tasked with providing fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world. There are two ships in the class, RFA Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler. The ships were ordered to replace the aging Ol-class tankers RFA Olna and RFA Olwen.[3] The two vessels have seen service in a number of locations, including anti-drug and hurricane relief operations in the Caribbean Sea,[7][8][9] anti-piracy activities around the Horn of Africa,[10][11] and deterrent patrols in the South Atlantic.[12][13] As of early 2022, both ships were earmarked for "extended readiness" status (i.e. uncrewed reserve).[14]

  1. ^ Jane's Fighting Ships, 2004–2005. Jane's Information Group Limited. p. 817. ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.
  2. ^ Wave Class Fast Fleet Tankers at the Royal Navy homepage Archived 28 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b "Wave Class Royal Fleet Auxiliary, United Kingdom". naval-technology.com. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  4. ^ "New navigation radar system for Royal Navy". Government of the United Kingdom. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Royal Navy to equip 19 ships with trainable decoy launchers". Navy Lookout. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  6. ^ "In focus: the 50 cal heavy machine gun in Royal Navy service". Navy Lookout. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Navy ships help after hurricane". BBC News. 31 August 2008.
  8. ^ "5am update: Storm causes damage, slams Sister Islands". Cayman Compass. 8 November 2008. Archived from the original on 12 November 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2008.
  9. ^ "Cuba welcomes RN anti-drug ship". BBC News. 5 October 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  10. ^ "Sailors Help Foil Pirate Attacks". Western Morning News. 21 April 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2015. [permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "RFA Wave Knight Disrupts Pirate Attacks". Royal Navy. Archived from the original on 1 October 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  12. ^ "Gordon Brown says UK is prepared in Falkland Islands". BBC News. 18 February 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  13. ^ "HMS York - at world's end". Navy News. 29 April 2010. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011.
  14. ^ @NavyLookout (21 February 2022). "NAO report on EP says MoD has decided to place both Wave Class RFA tankers in "extended readiness" saving £79M over…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.