RFA ''Oakleaf'' (A111) was a Leaf-class fleet support tanker, formerly of the

Royal Fleet Auxiliary The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a naval auxiliary fleet owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence. It provides logistical and operational support to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The RFA ensures the Royal Navy is supplied and supported by ...

, and the second ship to bear the name. Formerly the

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

vessel MV ''Oktania'', built by A. B. Uddevalla, Sweden, and completed in 1981, ''Oakleaf'' was added to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1986, before being decommissioned in 2007.

Role

As well as their role of replenishing warships at sea, support tankers perform the bulk movement of fuels between Ministry of Defense (Navy) depots. The ''Oakleaf'' had three Leaf-class sisters - ''Brambleleaf'', ''Bayleaf'' and ''Orangeleaf''. All four were originally designed as commercial tankers and underwent major conversions to bring them up to Royal Fleet Auxiliary standards and equip them for naval support. These involved adding a considerable amount of electronics, both in communications and navigational aids, fitting two replenishment rigs and increasing the amount of accommodation. While the ships can provide some food and stores support, their main cargoes are

diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...

and

aviation fuel Aviation fuels are petroleum-based fuels, or petroleum and synthetic fuel blends, used to power aircraft. They have more stringent requirements than fuels used for ground use, such as heating and road transport, and contain additives to enhanc ...

. ''Oakleaf'' was capable of replenishing ships with fuel using a standard jackstay or

derrick A derrick is a lifting device composed at minimum of one guyed mast, as in a gin pole, which may be articulated over a load by adjusting its guys. Most derricks have at least two components, either a guyed mast or self-supporting tower, and a ...

rig abeam and towed rig for astern replenishment. She was fitted to take containers on her main deck for the provision of stores and to enhance ship's stores capabilities for long deployments.

Design

The normal complement was 36, composed of officers and senior and junior ratings. Among the departments, the PO (Supply) was responsible for 5,000 stores line items as well as for food and drink, clothing and bedding. The RISC (Royal Fleet Auxiliary Interim Stores Computer) system was his only assistant on board. ''Oakleaf'' was powered by a four-cylinder Burmeister and Wain long stroke oil engine capable of developing driving a single controllable-pitch propeller. She also had bow and stern variable-pitch thrust propellers. Fitted with automatic power management, the vessel could be operated with her machinery spaces unmanned - as with her sister ships, her engines could be controlled from either the ship's bridge or the (air conditioned) machinery control room.

Service history

In September 1994, ''Oakleaf'', participated in

Operation Uphold Democracy Operation Uphold Democracy was a military intervention designed to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The operation was effectively authorized by ...

in Haiti, replenishing ships of the international task force. In July 1995, the West Indies Guardship, and her support ship, Royal Fleet Auxiliary ''Oakleaf'' provided assistance following

volcanic activity Volcanism, vulcanism or volcanicity is the phenomenon of eruption of molten rock (magma) onto the surface of the Earth or a solid-surface planet or moon, where lava, pyroclastics, and volcanic gases erupt through a break in the surface called a ...

on the island of

Montserrat Montserrat ( ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is part of the Leeward Islands, the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies. Montserrat is about long and wide, with r ...

. She was decommissioned from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 2007, and laid up awaiting disposal at Her Majesty's Naval Base in Portsmouth. ''Oakleaf'' sailed from Portsmouth on 29 September 2010 in the tow of tug ''Mega One'' for

Aliağa Aliağa is a town and a district of Izmir Province in the Aegean Region of Turkey. The town is situated at about north of Izmir. Aliağa has a large port, mainly for oil and bulk cargo. Its economic activity is based on tourism, shipbreaking, ...

, Turkey for breaking, arriving on 22 October 2010.

References

External links

MOD ''Oakleaf'' page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oakleaf Tankers of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Leaf-class tankers 1981 ships