1964    

UK Ness class



Support Ship

ships



Support Ship Ness class





Derivatives / Succeeded by
1981 US Sirius class



  Specifications


160crew
159.50length (m)
22beam (m)
7.80draught (m)
18max speed (knots)

helicopter   Aircraft


Typical Max
Landing platform only. No hangar
UK Royal Navy Westland Wessex 01
UK Royal Navy Westland Sea King 01








  Shipyards


UK Swan Hunter (Neptune) - Low Walker2
UK Swan Hunter (Wallsend) - Wallsend1



  List of Ships


Filter:     Hide Transfers     Hide derivatives

19661982UKRoyal Fleet AuxiliaryA339RFA LynessGSPE - LY
19812005 Sirius class US US Navy T-AFS-8 USNS Sirius
19671983UKRoyal Fleet AuxiliaryA344RFA StromnessGTBH - ST
19832009 sunk 2010 Sirius class US US Navy T-AFS-10 USNS Saturn
19671980UKRoyal Fleet AuxiliaryA345RFA TarbatnessGUAJ - TB
19812008 Sirius class US US Navy T-AFS-9 USNS Spica



3 units



  Events


1964-dec-07OrderedOrdered UK A339 RFA Lyness
1964-dec-07OrderedOrdered UK A344 RFA Stromness
1964-dec-07OrderedOrdered UK A345 RFA Tarbatness
1965-apr-01Laid downLaid down UK A339 RFA Lyness (Low Walker), Yard No. 2016
1965-oct-05Laid downLaid down UK A344 RFA Stromness (Low Walker), Yard No. 2017
1966-apr-07LaunchedLaunched UK A339 RFA Lyness
1966-apr-15Laid downLaid down UK A345 RFA Tarbatness (Low Walker), Yard No. 2018
1966-sep-16LaunchedLaunched UK A344 RFA Stromness
1966-dec-22CommissionedCommissioned UK A339 RFA Lyness to replace RFA Duquesne.
1967-feb-28LaunchedLaunched UK A345 RFA Tarbatness
1967-aug-10CommissionedCommissioned UK A344 RFA Stromness
1967-aug-10CommissionedCommissioned UK A345 RFA Tarbatness
1967-oct-09DeploymentDeployment UK A344 RFA Stromness visit from 78 Sq Wessex HC.2 XR500 for VERTREP, while off Aden.
1968-sep-10DeploymentDeployment UK A345 RFA Tarbatness Exercise Coral Sands participated in Exercise Coral Sands, until 13 Oct
1968-oct-14Port VisitPort Visit UK A345 RFA Tarbatness visit to Newcastle, NSW, following Exercise Coral Sands, until 24 Oct.
1969-jul-26DeploymentDeployment UK A339 RFA Lyness Fleet Review: Ships of the Western Fleet Present at Ships of the Western Fleet review in Torbay.
1970-apr-17DeploymentDeployment UK A345 RFA Tarbatness Apollo XIII splashdown recovery to waters off Mauritius as standby for secondary splashdown site for Apollo XIII recovery
1970-aug-29Port VisitPort Visit UK A339 RFA Lyness Ship open to visitors at Plymouth Navy Days 1970.
1970-novDeploymentDeployment UK A344 RFA Stromness Operation Burlap to Bay of Bengal to assist in Bhola Cyclone relief efforts
1970-decAircraftAircraft UK A344 RFA Stromness Operation Epigram assigned Wessex HU.5 XT485/K-ST as detached flight until c Feb 1971.
1974-janDeploymentDeployment UK A345 RFA Tarbatness departed UK as support ship for HMS Fife, Flagship of Task Group 317.1 for 9 month Indian Ocean and Australia group deployment in company with HMS Apollo, HMS Argonaut, HMS Ariadne, HMS Danae and HMS Londonderry. Returned to HMNB Devonport on 4 Oct.
1974-sep-17DeploymentDeployment UK A344 RFA Stromness 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, RFA Olna and HMS Blake, returned Jun 1975.
1975-apr-26AircraftAircraft UK A339 RFA Lyness recovered Sea King HAS.1 XV652 as a precautionary landing.
1975-jul-22DeploymentDeployment UK A345 RFA Tarbatness departed UK as support for HMS Glamorgan, flagship of global Task Group 317.3, accompanied by RFA Gold Rover and RFA Tidespring. Escorted by elements of the 8th Frigate Squadron HMS Ajax, HMS Berwick, HMS Plymouth and HMS Rothesay. Returned 14 Apr 1976
1976-aug-28Port VisitPort Visit UK A339 RFA Lyness Ship open to visitors at Plymouth Navy Days 1976.
1977-jan-26DeploymentDeployment UK A345 RFA Tarbatness Left Portsmouth with RFA Tidepool and RFA Green Rover for an Atlantic deployment, supporting HMS Tiger and her escort group until May 1977.
1977-jun-25DeploymentDeployment UK A344 RFA Stromness Fleet Review: Silver Jubilee of HM The Queen Present at Silver Jubilee Fleet Review, off Hillhead
1977-sep-05DeploymentDeployment UK A345 RFA Tarbatness Departed HMNB Portsmouth for 7.5 month group deployment (TG 317.6) to Australia and Far East, supporting HMS Tiger and in company with HMS Rhyl, RFA Grey Rover, RFA Regent and RFA Tidepool. Returned 20 Apr 1978.
1978-may-31DeploymentDeployment UK A344 RFA Stromness departed HMNB Portsmouth supporting HMS Blake, Flagship of Task Group 317.7 for a 6.5 month Caribbean, Atlantic and Pacific group deployment in company with HMS Juno, RFA Green Rover and RFA Tidespring. This group joined with the Devonport group of HMS Ambuscade, HMS Hermione and HMS Leander, returned to UK 12 Dec 1978.
1980DecommissionedDecommissioned UK A345 RFA Tarbatness
1981DecommissionedDecommissioned UK A339 RFA Lyness
1981 UK A344 RFA Stromness disposed
1981-jan-18Fate: transferedFate: transfered UK A339 RFA Lyness to US Sealift Command as Sirius
1981-aug-29Port VisitPort Visit UK A344 RFA Stromness Ship open to visitors at Plymouth Navy Days 1981
1981-sep-30Fate: transferedFate: transfered UK A345 RFA Tarbatness to US Sealift Command as Spica
1982-aprDeploymentDeployment UK A344 RFA Stromness Falklands/Malvinas War
1982-apr-07DeploymentDeployment UK A344 RFA Stromness Operation Corporate Departed HMNB Portsmouth for South Atlantic, joining with HMS Fearless en route and arriving in theatre 16 May. Departed end of Jun and arrived Portsmouth on 19 Jul 1982.
1982-apr-07DeploymentDeployment UK A344 RFA Stromness Operation Corporate Sailed with 45 Commando Royal Marines embarked
1983-jan-01DecommissionedDecommissioned UK A344 RFA Stromness
1983-jan-01Fate: transferedFate: transfered UK A344 RFA Stromness to the US Sealift Command as Saturn









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