Ol-class tanker (1965)

Last updated

RFA Olmeda (A124).png
RFA Olmeda
Class overview
NameOl class
Builders
Operators
Preceded by Tide class
Succeeded by Wave class
In service1965–2021
Completed4
Cancelled1
Lost1
Retired3
General characteristics
Class and type Tanker
Displacement33,240 long tons (33,773 t) full load
Length648 ft (198 m)
Beam84 ft 2 in (25.65 m)
Draught34 ft (10 m)
Propulsion2× Pametrada steam turbines, double reduction geared
Speed21 kn (24 mph; 39 km/h)
Range10,000 nmi (19,000 km) at 16 kn (18 mph; 30 km/h)
Complement
  • 88 RFA
  • 40 RN
Armament
  • 2× 20 mm guns
  • 2× Chaff launchers
Aircraft carried3× Westland Wessex or Westland Sea King helicopters

The Ol-class tankers were Royal Fleet Auxiliary "fast fleet tankers" tasked with providing fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world.

Contents

Class history

The three ships in the class, RFA Olwen, RFA Olmeda and RFA Olna, were an evolution of the earlier Tide-class replenishment oilers. The lead ship of the class was launched as RFA Olynthus, thus becoming known as Olynthus class although she was renamed RFA Olwen in 1967, to avoid confusion with HMS Olympus. Consequently, the class became Olwen class, and thereafter Ol class. [1]

Similarly, RFA Olmeda originally entered service as RFA Oleander, but was later renamed to avoid confusion with HMS Leander.

The three ships saw service in a wide range of locations, including during the Falklands War, which saw Olmeda take part in the recapture of Thule Island, and in the Persian Gulf during the 1990/91 Gulf War.

The ships were replaced by the Wave class. One modified Ol-class vessel, Kharg, was built for the former Imperial Iranian Navy in 1977. The vessel was delivered to the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy in 1984, and was lost on 2 June 2021. [2] [3]

Construction programme

NamePennantBuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissioned
Royal Navy
Olwen (ex-Olynthus)A122 Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Tyneside 11 July 196310 July 196421 June 19651999
Olna A123Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Tyneside2 July 196428 July 19651 April 196624 September 2000
Olmeda (ex-Oleander)A124 Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear 27 August 196319 November 196418 October 1965January 1994
Iranian Navy
Kharg 431Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallend27 January 19763 February 19775 October 1984Sank 2 June 2021

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Fleet Auxiliary</span> Naval auxiliary fleet which supports the Royal Navy

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a naval auxiliary fleet owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service and provides logistical and operational support to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The RFA ensures the Royal Navy is supplied and supported by providing fuel and stores through replenishment at sea, transporting Royal Marines and British Army personnel, providing medical care and transporting equipment and essentials around the world. In addition the RFA acts independently providing humanitarian aid, counter piracy and counter narcotic patrols together with assisting the Royal Navy in preventing conflict and securing international trade. They are a uniformed civilian branch of the Royal Navy staffed by British merchant sailors. The RFA is one of five RN fighting arms.

RFA <i>Fort Austin</i> 1979 Fort Rosalie-class replenishment ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Fort Austin is a retired British Fort Rosalie-class dry stores ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

RFA <i>Bayleaf</i> (A109) 1982 Leaf-class support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Bayleaf (A109) was a Leaf-class support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

RFA <i>Fort Rosalie</i> (A385) Lead ship of her class of replenishment ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Fort Rosalie was the lead ship of her class of Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleet replenishment ships. Fort Rosalie was originally named RFA Fort Grange, but was renamed in May 2000 to avoid confusion with the now-decommissioned RFA Fort George. On 31 March 2021, the ship was withdrawn from service.

RFA <i>Olwen</i> (A122) 1965 Ol-class fast fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Olwen (A122) was an Ol-class "fast fleet tanker" of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

RFA <i>Olna</i> (A123) 1966 Ol-class fast fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Olna (A123) was the third and final of the three Ol-class "fast fleet tanker" of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Olna saw service in the Falklands War.

RFA <i>Olmeda</i> 1965 Ol-class fast fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Olmeda (A124) was an Ol-class "fast fleet tanker" of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The ship was renamed from Oleander after two years in operation.

RFA Olna (A216) was one of two ships built for Shell. She was originally named Hyalina and taken up for Fleet Service soon after building.

Wave-class tanker Class of fast fleet tankers of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

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. The two vessels have seen service in a number of locations, including anti-drug and hurricane relief operations in the Caribbean Sea, anti-piracy activities around the Horn of Africa, and deterrent patrols in the South Atlantic. As of early 2022, both ships were earmarked for "extended readiness" status.

HMAS <i>Westralia</i> (O 195) Leaf-class support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Royal Australian Navy

HMAS Westralia was a modified Leaf-class replenishment oiler which served with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1989 to 2006. Formerly RFA Appleleaf (A79), she served in with the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) from 1975 to 1989. The ship was initially leased to the RAN, then purchased outright in 1994. In 1998, a fire onboard resulted in the deaths of four sailors. Westralia was decommissioned in 2006, and the ship was sold into civilian service for use as a Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel, under the name Shiraz. However, the ship was laid up in Indonesia until late 2009, when she was sold to a Turkish ship breaking company. Arriving in January 2010, the vessel was scrapped.

<i>Fort Rosalie</i>-class replenishment ship Class of fleet replenishment vessel of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

The Fort Rosalie or Fort class of fleet replenishment vessel of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary were designed to replenish Royal Navy taskgroups with various armaments and victualling stores while under way. Unlike the bigger Fort Victoria class, they supply dry stores and not fuel. RFA Fort Rosalie was originally known as Fort Grange but was renamed in 2000 to avoid confusion with the new Fort Victoria-class replenishment oiler RFA Fort George. Both ships were withdrawn from service and later sold in 2021.

RFA <i>Wave Ruler</i> (A390) 2003 Wave-class fast fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Wave Ruler is a Wave-class fast fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) of the United Kingdom tasked with providing fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world.

RFA <i>Wave Knight</i> (A389) 2003 Wave-class fast fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Wave Knight is a Wave-class fast fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) of the United Kingdom tasked with providing fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world.

<i>Ol</i>-class tanker (1918) Oiler ship class from the UK

The Ol-class tankers were Royal Fleet Auxiliary Replenishment oilers built from 1917-1919 tasked with providing fuel and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world. There were six ships in the class. Until 1936 they were managed by Davies and Newman with RFA crews, after which time they were transferred to the Admiralty.

RFA <i>Tidespring</i> (A136)

RFA Tidespring is a Tide-class replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Built by DSME in 2016, the ship entered service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in November 2017.

RFA <i>Tiderace</i> (A137) 2018 Tide-class replenishment tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Tiderace is a Tide-class replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Ordered from DSME in 2012, she was officially named on 1 December 2016 and was accepted by the Ministry of Defence in June 2017. Tiderace entered service on 2 August 2018.

RFA <i>Tidesurge</i> (A138) 2019 Tide-class replenishment tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Tidesurge is a Tide-class replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Built by DSME in 2017, she entered service with the RFA on 20 February 2019.

In 1989 the Royal Navy was under the direction of the Navy Department in the UK Ministry of Defence. It had two main commands, CINCFLEET and Naval Home Command.

RFA <i>Tideforce</i> 2019 Tide-class replenishment tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Tideforce is a Tide-class replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Launched in 2017, the ship entered service with the RFA in 2019.

References

  1. ↑ "RFA Olwen(2)". Historical RFA. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  2. ↑ "Iran warships enter Mediterranean via Suez Canal". BBC News. 18 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "Iran navy's largest ship sinks after fire onboard". The Independent . UK. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.