Tide-class Fast Fleet Tanker

The Tide-class tanker (formerly the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) project) is a class of eight fast fleet tankers that will enter service with the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary from 2016 onwards. The 37,000 ton ships will provide fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world. Norway has ordered a 26,000 ton version with a 48-bed hospital and greater solid stores capacity, for delivery in October 2016 as KNM Maud.

The two variants are both based on the AEGIR design from Britain's BMT Defence Services but are being built by Daewoo in South Korea with final outfitting in the UK and Norway respectively. Britain ordered eight ships in February 2012 at a cost of £904m, causing controversy for being built abroad. The Norwegians ordered their ship in June 2013 for NOK1,320m (~£140m).

Specifications

 * Type: Fast Fleet Tanke
 * Service Period: 2016
 * Characteristics
 * Length: 659 feet 1 inch (200.89 meters)
 * Beam: 93 feet 10 inches (28.6 meters)
 * Draft: 32 feet 10 inches (10.01 meters)
 * Displacement: 36,000 tons
 * Crew: 119
 * Propulsion: Diesel engines, 2 x shafts
 * Range: 18,200 nautical miles (33,706.4 km)
 * Speed: 26.8 Knots (49.64 km/hr)
 * Sensor Suite: Kelvin Hughes Integrated Bridge System with 3 x SharpEye radar
 * Armament:
 * 2 x 20mm/70-caliber Mk.15 Blk.1B Phalanx CIWS
 * 1 x Otobreda 76mm/62-caliber naval gun
 * Aircraft Carried: 2 x AW101 Merlin maritime helicopters with full aviation facilities

Royal Navy

 * RFA Tidespring (A396)
 * RFA Tiderace (A397)
 * RFA Tidesurge (A398)
 * RFA Tideforce (A399)
 * RFA Tideflow (A400)
 * RFA Tiderange (A401)
 * RFA Tidepool (A402)
 * RFA Tidereach (A403)

Royal Norwegian Navy

 * KNM Maud