History | |
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United Kingdom | |
Name: | RFA Wave Knight |
Operator: | Royal Fleet Auxiliary |
Ordered: | 12 March 1997 |
Builder: | |
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: |
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Speed: | 18 knots (33 km/h) |
Range: | 10,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h) |
Capacity: |
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Complement: | 80 Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel with provision for 22 Royal Navy personnel for helicopter and weapons systems operations |
Sensors and processing systems: |
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Armament: |
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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.