Wave-class Fleet Tanker

The Wave-class fleet tankers are Royal Fleet Auxiliary "Fast Fleet Tankers" tasked with providing fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world. There are seven ships in the class, RFA Wave Knight, RFA Wave Ruler, RFA Wave Commander, RFA Wave Master, RFA Wave Victor, RFA Wave Sovereign, and RFA Wave Rider. The ships were ordered to replace the ageing 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, anti-piracy activities around the Horn of Africa and deterrent patrols in the South Atlantic.

Specifications

• Specifications: FLeet Oiler
• Service Period: 2003-
• Characteristics
  • Length: 645 feet (196.6 meters)
  • Beam: 92 feet 8.2 inches (28.25 meters)
  • Draft: 32 feet 8.52 inches (9.97 meters)
  • Displacement: 31,500 tons
• Crew: 102 (80 RFA personnel with provision, 22 RN personnel for helicopter and weapons systems operations
• Range: 10,000 nautical miles (18,520 kilometers) at 15 knots (27.78 km/h)
• Speed: 18 knots (33.34 km/h)
• Cargo
  • 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.
• Propulsion:
  • 4 x Wartsila 12V 32E/GECLM diesel generators 25,514 metric horsepower (18.76 MW)
  • 2 x GEC Alstom motors with Cegelec variable speed converters 19,040 metric horsepower (14 MW)
  • 1 x shaft
  • 18t thrust electric Kamewa bow thruster and 12t thrust electric stern thruster, both powered by Cegelec variable speed drives and motors
• Sensor Suite:
  • Type 1017 IFF System
  • Raytheon Type 1048 E/F-Band Air Search Radar
  • Kelvin Hughes Type 1077 I-Band Navigation Radar
• Armament
  • 2 x DS30B 30 mm cannon
  • 2 x Mk.44 7.62mm miniguns
  • 5 x 7.62 mm L7 machine guns
  • 2 x Mk.15 Block 1B 20mm Phalanx CIWS
• Aircraft Carried: 1 x AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin helicopter

Unit Run

• RFA Wave Knight (A394)
• RFA Wave Ruler (A395)
• RFA Wave Victor (A396)
• RFA Wave Master (A397)
• RFA Wave Commander (A398)
• RFA Wave Sovereign (A399)
• RFA Wave Rider (A400)