Leaf-class tanker

	RFA Oakleaf
Class overview
Operators:	Royal Fleet Auxiliary; Royal Australian Navy;
Succeeded by:	Tide class
Built:	1959–1981
In commission:	1959–2016
Completed:	13
Scrapped:	13
General characteristics
Type:	Fleet Support Tanker
Displacement:	17,470 tons – 49,377 tons
Propulsion:	1 × 6 cylinder William Doxford & Sons marine diesel engine
Speed:	14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)

The Leaf class is a class of support tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). The class is somewhat unusual as it is an amalgam of various civilian tankers chartered for naval auxiliary use and as such there have been many different designs of ship in this particular class. Leaf names are traditional tanker names in the RFA, and are recycled when charters end and new vessels are acquired. Thus, there have been multiple uses of the same names, confusingly sometimes sharing a common pennant number.

The role of support tanker generally involves the bulk transport of fuel oils between distribution centres, the replenishment of front-line fleet tankers such as the Wave and Fort Victoria classes and using their replenishment at sea (RAS) abilities to allow them to directly support naval warships. For RAS, Leaf-class ships have an amidships derrick allowing a single vessel on either beam and a single point for a vessel astern.

Ships

RFA Appleleaf

(1979–1989) Appleleaf (ex-Hudson Cavalier) – A79 – 40,200 tons, to Royal Australian Navy as HMAS Westralia
(1960–1970) Appleleaf – A83 – 22,980 tons

RFA Bayleaf

(1982–2011) Bayleaf (ex-Hudson Progress) – A109 – 37,700 tons, chartered originally for Falklands War
(1959–1973) Bayleaf – A79 – 17,960 tons

RFA Brambleleaf

(1979–2009) Brambleleaf (ex-Hudson Deep) – A81 – 40,200 tons
(1959–1972) Brambleleaf – A81 – 17,960 tons

RFA Cherryleaf

(1973–1980) Cherryleaf – A82 – 18,560 tons
(1960–1966) Cherryleaf – A82

RFA Oakleaf

(1986–2009) Oakleaf (ex-Oktania) – A111 – 50,000 tons

RFA Orangeleaf

(1984–2015) Orangeleaf (ex-Balder London) – A110 – 33,750 tons
(1959–1978) Orangeleaf – A80 – 17,470 tons

RFA Pearleaf

(1960–1985) Pearleaf – A77 – 25,790 tons

RFA Plumleaf

(1960–1985) Plumleaf – A78 – 26,480 tons

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References

Moore, John E (1979). Warships of the Royal Navy. 5. Jane's Publishing. ISBN 0-531-03730-4.
Beaver, Paul (1996). Britain's Modern Royal Navy. Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-85260-442-5.

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