1965    

UK OL class

UK Improved Tide class

Support Ship

ships



Support Ship OL class





Derivatives / Succeeded by
2003 UK Wave class



  Specifications


88crew
11750light (tn)
36000full load (tn)
197.50length (m)
25.60beam (m)
10.40draught (m)
10000range (nm)
21max speed (knots)
26500power (shp)

2Naval Gun single 20 mm
2Chaff and decoys Corvus chaff launcher

helicopter   Aircraft


Typical Max
UK Royal Navy Westland Wessex 13
UK Royal Navy Westland Sea King 14









  Shipyards


UK Hawthorn Leslie - Hebburn2
UK Swan Hunter (Neptune) - Low Walker1



  List of Ships


Filter:     Hide Transfers     Hide derivatives

19651999UKRoyal Fleet AuxiliaryA122RFA OlwenGQKA - OW
19651994UKRoyal Fleet AuxiliaryA124RFA OlmedaGPBE - OD
19662000UKRoyal Fleet AuxiliaryA123RFA OlnaGOGS - ON
2003--UKRoyal Fleet AuxiliaryA389Wave class RFA Wave Knight GWBU - WK
2003--UKRoyal Fleet AuxiliaryA390Wave class RFA Wave RulerGCVR

5 units



  Events


1963-feb-04OrderedOrdered UK A122 RFA Olwen
1963-jul-11Laid downLaid down UK A122 RFA Olwen at Hawthorn Leslie, before it joined the Swan Hunter group.
1963-aug-27Laid downLaid down UK A124 RFA Olmeda Yard No. 2004
1964-jul-02Laid downLaid down UK A123 RFA Olna at Hawthorn Leslie, before it joined the Swan Hunter group.
1964-jul-10LaunchedLaunched UK A122 RFA Olwen as RFA Olynthus
1964-nov-19LaunchedLaunched UK A124 RFA Olmeda as RFA Oleander
1965-jun-21CommissionedCommissioned UK A122 RFA Olwen
1965-jul-28LaunchedLaunched UK A123 RFA Olna
1965-augDeploymentDeployment UK A122 RFA Olwen present at Plymouth Navy Days 1965, as RFA Olynthus
1965-oct-18CommissionedCommissioned UK A124 RFA Olmeda
1966AircraftAircraft UK A122 RFA Olwen while in support of HMS Victorious 1966/67 Far East deployment, received detached 814 NAS Wessex HAS.1 XM845 / 274-V as Olynthus Flt.
1966-apr-01CommissionedCommissioned UK A123 RFA Olna
1966-aug-27DeploymentDeployment UK A123 RFA Olna present at Plymouth Navy Days 1966
1967-jul-11 UK A122 RFA Olwen renamed RFA Olwen
1967-novDeploymentDeployment UK A123 RFA Olna part of Task Force 318 to cover the British withdrawal from Aden during Operation Magister.
1967-dec-04 UK A124 RFA Olmeda renamed RFA Olmeda
1968-sep-20DeploymentDeployment UK A123 RFA Olna Exercise Coral Sands participated in Exercise Coral Sands, until 13 Oct.
1969-jul-26DeploymentDeployment UK A124 RFA Olmeda Fleet Review: Ships of the Western Fleet Present at Ships of the Western Fleet review in Torbay.
1969-nov-25AircraftAircraft UK A124 RFA Olmeda lost 826 NAS Wessex HAS.3 XP153/143-E off Portugal, (usually embarked on HMS Eagle).
1970-novDeploymentDeployment UK A122 RFA Olwen Operation Burlap to Bay of Bengal to assist in Bhola Cyclone relief efforts
1971-aug-28Port VisitPort Visit UK A124 RFA Olmeda Ship open to visitors at Plymouth Navy Days 1971.
1974-julDeploymentDeployment UK A122 RFA Olwen Partition of Cyprus part of Task Force support to Eastern Mediterranean during Cyprus emergency
1974-julDeploymentDeployment UK A123 RFA Olna Partition of Cyprus supported evacuations during partition of Cyprus
1974-sep-17DeploymentDeployment UK A123 RFA Olna departed HMNB Portsmouth to support Task Group 317.2 for Far East deployment, joining with HMS Achilles, HMS Diomede, HMS Falmouth, HMS Leander, HMS Lowestoft, RFA Green Rover, HMS Blake and RFA Stromness, returned Jun 1975.
1974-oct-14Port VisitPort Visit UK A123 RFA Olna Visited Simonstown en route Far East deployment, in company with other ships from TG 317.2, until 21 Oct.
1975-feb-06DeploymentDeployment UK A124 RFA Olmeda Separation of Cypriot states Ordered to Cyprus to tend HMS Tiger and HMS Charybdis, in support of UN Peace Keeping Force and British interests, until 14 Feb.
1977-jun-25DeploymentDeployment UK A122 RFA Olwen Fleet Review: Silver Jubilee of HM The Queen Present at Silver Jubilee Fleet Review, off Bramble anchorage
1977-nov-25DeploymentDeployment UK A122 RFA Olwen Operation Journeyman stood back from the Falklands in support of HMS Phoebe and HMS Alacrity. 819 NAS Sea King embarked.
1979-may-08DeploymentDeployment UK A124 RFA Olmeda departed HMNB Portsmouth supporting HMS Norfolk, Flagship of Task Group 317.8 for a 6.5 month Indian Ocean and Far East group deployment in company with HMS Achilles, HMS Arethusa, HMS Falmouth, RFA Black Rover and RFA Regent. This group joined with the Devonport group of HMS Arrow and HMS Dido, returned to Portsmouth on 14 Dec 1978.
1981-marDeploymentDeployment UK A123 RFA Olna Armilla Patrol deployed on Armilla Patrol with HMS Rothesay, HMS Newcastle and RFA Fort Grange.
1981-mayDeploymentDeployment UK A122 RFA Olwen accompanied by HMS Glasgow and HM Submarine Superb, shadowed Kirov task group in the northern Atlantic.
1982-febDeploymentDeployment UK A123 RFA Olna Deployed HMNB Portsmouth to Persian Gulf with Wessex HU.5 XS507 coded 314.ON named "buzby" of 772 Squadron embarked; In company with HMS Cardiff and HMS Amazon; Contaminated fuel tanks required ship to return to UK for cleaning; On the way back to the UK anchored off Gib waiting for SS Uganda to depart as converted hospital ship for Operation Corporate. XS507 Wessex HU.5 carried out first deck landing on SS Uganda whilst RFA Olna did refuelling trials with the Uganda; Olna returned to UK whilst Uganda sailed South; Arrived UK Apr82
1982-feb-04AircraftAircraft UK A124 RFA Olmeda visited Yonderberry Jetty to fuel, from 4 to 15 Feb 1982 with Sea King HAS.2A XV660/350-OD and XV698/351-OD embarked.
1982-apr-05DeploymentDeployment UK A124 RFA Olmeda Operation Corporate Departed HMNB Devonport for South Atlantic with 824 Squadron A Flt embarked (including XV649/355), leaving theatre on 21 Jun and arriving back at HMNB Devonport on 12 Jul 1982.
1982-may-10DeploymentDeployment UK A123 RFA Olna Operation Corporate Departed from Spithead anchorage for South Atlantic with 848 Squadron B Flt embarked, leaving the theatre on 31 Aug 1982 in company with HMS Invincible.
1982-jun-17DeploymentDeployment UK A122 RFA Olwen departed HMNB Portsmouth for South Atlantic, in company with HMS Birmingham, HMS Southampton, HMS Apollo and HMS Bacchante to support patrols of the post-war Falklands TEZ.
1982-jun-18DeploymentDeployment UK A124 RFA Olmeda Operation Keyhole supported HMS Yarmouth and HMS Endurance in the recovery of South Thule.
1983-may-27DeploymentDeployment UK A123 RFA Olna recovered ditched Wasp HAS.1 XV638 of 829 Sq Achilles Flt from sea, 50nm NE of Tibau do Sul, Brazil.
1983-jun-20AircraftAircraft UK A124 RFA Olmeda While operating from RFA Olmeda, Sea King HAS.5 ZA130 ditched and remained afloat off Portland Bill on 20 Jun 1983. Recovered.
1983-novDeploymentDeployment UK A122 RFA Olwen Departed UK for Ascension Island with 845 NAS Wessex HU.5 XT455 / YU embarked.
1986-aug-26DeploymentDeployment UK A124 RFA Olmeda met with HMS Illustrious in South China Sea to return detachment of 2 Sea Kings from 814 NAS.
1988-sep-26Port VisitPort Visit UK A122 RFA Olwen Fleet Review: Australia Bi-centennial Naval Salute to Sydney for Australian Bi-centennial Fleet Review
1990-apr-18DeploymentDeployment UK A123 RFA Olna departed Portsmouth for 10 week western North Atlantic deployment supporting TG 318.1, with HMS Ark Royal (flagship), HMS Glasgow, HMS Brave, HMS Cumberland and RFA Fort Grange.
1991-jan-10DeploymentDeployment UK A124 RFA Olmeda departed HMNB Portsmouth in support of HMS Ark Royal leading TG 323.2 to eastern Mediterranean.
1991-dec-18DeploymentDeployment UK A123 RFA Olna Rescue from fishing ship Kartli gave aid to rescued mariners from the Kartli and used by Rescue helicopters to disembark survivors temporarily, as they returned to scene of search to recover more.
1993-janDeploymentDeployment UK A122 RFA Olwen UNPROFOR operated with 2 Sea King HAS.6 of 820 NAS (including ZG819 / 018), in support of HMS Ark Royal off Bosnia, with RFA Fort Grange, until Jul 1993.
1994-janDecommissionedDecommissioned UK A124 RFA Olmeda
1994-jul UK A124 RFA Olmeda renamed Niaxco and sailed (not towed) to Alang
1994-augFate: scrappedFate: scrapped UK A124 RFA Olmeda at Alang, India
1994-octDeploymentDeployment UK A123 RFA Olna deployed to Adriatic Sea until Jul 1995 to support NATO operations around Bosnia-Herzegovina in the former Republic of Yugoslavia.
1996 UK A122 RFA Olwen IFOR (implementation force) in Adriatic sea
1998-may-04RefitRefit UK A123 RFA Olna until 28 Aug 1998
1999DecommissionedDecommissioned UK A122 RFA Olwen
2000DecommissionedDecommissioned UK A123 RFA Olna
2001Fate: scrappedFate: scrapped UK A123 RFA Olna
2001-feb UK A122 RFA Olwen Departed Portsmouth Harbour, originally for scrapping in Turkey.
2001-mayFate: transferedFate: transfered UK A122 RFA Olwen renamed Kea
2001-julFate: scrappedFate: scrapped UK A122 RFA Olwen at Alang, India









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