2003    

UK Wave class

UK OL class

Support Ship

ships



Support Ship Wave class



Fast Fleet Support Tankers with double hulls for Wet Cargo, built to IMO commercial standards.



  Specifications


80crew
22troops
18200light (tn)
31500full load (tn)
196.50length (m)
28.25beam (m)
10draught (m)
10000range (nm)
18max speed (knots)

1Naval Engine electric motors
4Naval Engine diesel - Wärtsilä VASA32

2Naval Gun single 30 mm
2Close-In Weapon System CIWS Phalanx 20 mm
8Chaff and decoys Seagnat

helicopter   Aircraft


Typical Max
UK Royal Navy AW EH101 01
UK Royal Navy Westland Lynx 01









  Shipyards


UK BAE Systems (Vickers) - 1
UK Kvaerner (Govan) - Govan1



  List of Ships


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2003--UKRoyal Fleet AuxiliaryA389RFA Wave Knight GWBU - WK
2003--UKRoyal Fleet AuxiliaryA390RFA Wave RulerGCVR




2 units



  Events


1997-mar-12OrderedOrdered UK A389 RFA Wave Knight
1997-mar-12OrderedOrdered UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler originally to be built by Vickers at Barrow, construction was moved to Govan, to save that yard.
1998-may-22Laid downLaid down UK A389 RFA Wave Knight Yard No 1119. Laid down at Barrow in a joint ceremony with HMS Albion.
2000-sep-29LaunchedLaunched UK A389 RFA Wave Knight
2001-feb-09LaunchedLaunched UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler at Govan, Yard No 321
2002-novHomeportHomeport UK A389 RFA Wave Knight arrived HMNB Devonport
2003-marCommissionedCommissioned UK A389 RFA Wave Knight to replace the decommissioned RFA Olwen.
2003-apr-27CommissionedCommissioned UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler
2003-sep UK A389 RFA Wave Knight departed UK for 9 month APT(N) deployment, returned on 3 Jun 2004.
2005-febDeploymentDeployment UK A389 RFA Wave Knight supporting Task Group 326.01 in the Caribbean, with HMS Liverpool as APT(N). Returned to UK 20 Dec 2005
2006-jun-23AircraftAircraft UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler temporarily assigned Lynx HAS.3 XZ228 as 218 Flt / 335 until early Jul 2006
2006-oct-11DeploymentDeployment UK A389 RFA Wave Knight Operation Vela (Green Eagle) in support of Exercise Green Eagle phase of Operation Vela, off Sierra Leone
2007-apr-02RefitRefit UK A389 RFA Wave Knight at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, until Jun 2007
2008-jan-21DeploymentDeployment UK A389 RFA Wave Knight departed HMNB Portsmouth in support of a Royal Navy Middle East deployment. Returned to Devonport on 22 Nov.
2008-augAircraftAircraft UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler assigned to 815 Squadron
assigned Lynx HMA.8 ZF557 as Ships Flt, until c Dec.
2008-sepDeploymentDeployment UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler Hurricane Ike relief operations Sent for 5 day relief mission as part of British contribution, in company with HMS Iron Duke.
2008-oct-03Port VisitPort Visit UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler start of a 5 day visit to Havana, Cuba while otherwise engaged in Caribbean anti-drug operations.
2010-febDeploymentDeployment UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler departed Portland Harbour for 21 month Atlantic Patrol Task (North) assignment, returning 12 Dec 2011.
2010-octRefitRefit UK A389 RFA Wave Knight at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, Merseyside
2010-nov-04DeploymentDeployment UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler while on Atlantic Patrol Task (North), arrived at St Lucia after Hurricane Tomas for humanitarian relief duties
2011DeploymentDeployment UK A389 RFA Wave Knight Operation Unified Protector supported the contribution to the international forces and the UK Response Force Task Group with fuel
2011-aprDeploymentDeployment UK A389 RFA Wave Knight departed HMNB Devonport for 11 month east of Suez support deployment with 815 NAS Lynx HMA.8 embarked, returning to Portland on 16 Mar 2012.
2011-jul-22Port VisitPort Visit UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler Met with Cayman Islands emergency planners in preparation for the 2011 Hurricane .
2011-augDeploymentDeployment UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler ordered to Turks and Caicos Islands for humanitarian support, after Hurricane Irene struck.
2012-apr-21RefitRefit UK A389 RFA Wave Knight at Cammell Laird, on Merseyside for 3 months.
2012-sepDeploymentDeployment UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler Assigned as Support Ship to CTF 53 in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Also took up Gulf Readiness Tanker tasking from Oct 2012. Relieved by RFA Fort Victoria and returned to UK via Gibraltar in Jan 2013, for refit.
2013-janDeploymentDeployment UK A389 RFA Wave Knight departed UK for 15 month Atlantic Patrol Task (North) deployment, relieving RFA Argus. The period around Jan 2014 included first time embarking an armed USCG helicopter on a non-US ship. Returned to Portland on 24 Apr 2014.
2013-mar-20Port VisitPort Visit UK A389 RFA Wave Knight Seen at dock in Antigua
2014-janDeploymentDeployment UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler Left UK for Gulf support tanker deployment, relieving RFA Fort Victoria, as part of Operation Kipion. Relieved in turn by RFA Fort Victoria on station on 2 Jul 2015
2014-sep-02DeploymentDeployment UK A389 RFA Wave Knight arrived in Gibraltar for Cougar 14 deployment, in company with HMS Bulwark and RFA Lyme Bay.
2015-feb-05RefitRefit UK A389 RFA Wave Knight refit at Birkenhead, completed by Aug 2015
2016-jun-21DeploymentDeployment UK A389 RFA Wave Knight departed Devonport for APT(N) tasking. Joined by 815 NAS Lynx HMA.8 ZF558/336.
2016-oct-07DeploymentDeployment UK A389 RFA Wave Knight Hurricane Matthew relief operations arrived off the Bahamas late on 7 Oct to assist in Hurricane Matthew humanitarian relief. Lynx HMA.8 /336 embarked.
2017-feb-01Port VisitPort Visit UK A389 RFA Wave Knight visited Grand Cayman for 5 days
2017-jun-30DeploymentDeployment UK A389 RFA Wave Knight Relieved as APT(N) by RFA Mounts Bay at Fort de France
2017-aug-01DeploymentDeployment UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler Exercise Saxon Warrior 17 supporting Warships engaged in Exercise
2017-sepRefitRefit UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler Began refit (Completed Apr 2018) on Merseyside
2018RefitRefit UK A389 RFA Wave Knight CIWS Phalanx 20 mm Completed refit in Dec 2018, with Phalanx now fitted to the previously provided mount stations, fore and aft.
2018-apr-18 UK A390 RFA Wave Ruler Entered lay up period and into Extended Readiness on Merseyside, after a refit.
2021-mayDeploymentDeployment UK A389 RFA Wave Knight departed UK for 8 month Caribbean mission with an 815 NAS Wildcat embarked, returned 27 Jan 2022.
2022-mar UK A389 RFA Wave Knight Laid up at Portsmouth and into Extended Readiness.









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