First Supply-class AOR for Royal Australian Navy completes sea trials

The first of two Supply-class auxiliary oiler replenishment (AOR) ships on order for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has completed sea acceptance trails, Spanish shipbuilder Navantia announced in a tweet on 10 August.

The company also tweeted that the 19,500-tonne vessel, which will be known as HMAS Supply (II) (with pennant number A195) once commissioned, will be sailing later this month from the company’s facilities in the Spanish coastal city of Ferrol to Australia for her “Australian fit-out”.

The vessel, which is expected to enter service later this year, is one of two ships of the class ordered as part of an AUD642 million (USD460 million) contract signed in May 2016 under Australia’s Project Sea 1654 Phase 3 Maritime Operational Support Capability programme.

Second-of-class Stalwart (III) (with pennant number A304) was launched on 30 August, and is expected to join the RAN in 2022.

The 173.9 m-long ships, which are based on the Spanish Navy’s Cantabria-class AORs, are to replace the AOR ship HMAS Success (II), which was decommissioned on 29 June after 33 years of service, and the supply ship HMAS Sirius .

The two new AOR ships are intended to carry fuel, dry cargo, water, food, ammunition, equipment, and spare parts to provide operational support for the deployed naval or combat forces operating on the high seas for longer periods.