RFA Wave Knight (A389)

RFA Wave Knight

A stern view of RFA Wave Knight at anchor in Plymouth, 2006
History
United Kingdom
Name:	RFA Wave Knight
Operator:	Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Ordered:	12 March 1997
Builder:	VSEL BAE Systems Marine Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down:	22 October 1998
Launched:	29 September 2000
Commissioned:	8 April 2003
Identification:	Pennant number = A389
Status:	in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Wave-class Tanker
Displacement:	31,500 tonnes approx
Length:	196.5 metres
Beam:	28.25 metres
Draft:	9.97 metres
Propulsion:	Diesel-electric: 4 × Wartsila 12V 32E/GECLM diesel generators 25,514 metric horsepower (18.76 MW) 2 × GEC Alstom motors with Cegelec variable speed converters 19,040 metric horsepower (14 MW) 1 × shaft 18t thrust electric Kamewa bow thruster and 12t thrust electric stern thruster, both powered by Cegelec variable speed drives and motors
Speed:	18 knots (33 km/h)
Range:	10,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Capacity:	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.
Complement:	80 Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel with provision for 22 Royal Navy personnel for helicopter and weapons systems operations
Sensors and processing systems:	Surface search: E/F band Navigation: KH 1077, I-band IFF: Type 1017
Armament:	2 × DS30B 30 mm cannon 2 × 7.62 mm Mk.44 Miniguns 5 × 7.62 mm L7 Machine Guns 2 × Vulcan Phalanx CIWS
Aircraft carried:	1 Merlin helicopter with full hangar facilities

RFA Wave Knight is a Wave-class Tanker fast fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) of the United Kingdom tasked with providing fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world.

Wave Knight was built by VSEL (after 1999, BAE Systems Marine) in Barrow-in-Furness, being launched in 2000. She was accepted into service in 2003 and is the second ship to bear this name in RFA service. Wave Knight and her sister Wave Ruler replaced the elderly Olna and Olwen, two Ol-class Tanker 36,000 ton fast fleet tankers built at Swan Hunter and Hawthorn Leslie respectively in the 1960s. She is currently commanded by Captain Ross Ferris, RFA.

Wave Knight has a standard crew of 80 Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel with provision for a further 22 Royal Navy personnel to conduct helicopter and weapons systems operations. She carries a full medical team and sick bay and is capable of distributing 2,000 emergency relief packages in times of crisis.

The ship has the capability to supply fuel and other liquid cargo to vessels using replenishment rigs on port and starboard beams and through a Hudson reel-type stern rig. When providing support for amphibious operations, Wave Ruler is also able to deliver fuel to dracones positioned alongside. In addition to fuel, the ship carries ammunition and other stores which can be transferred while underway. She can operate a Merlin HM1 helicopter, or other helicopters of similar size, from a hangar and flight deck at the stern.