• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

RFA Leaf Support Tankers

These ships have dual responsibility for the replenishing of warships at sea and for the bulk movement of fuels between Ministry of Defence depots. The ships were originally designed as commercial tankers but were taken over by the MoD and converted to RFA service. They can carry some food and stores, but the main cargo is diesel and aviation fuel. Two of these vessels, Orangeleaf and Bayleaf, are chartered.

Replenishment at Sea (RAS) is a capability vital for operations, but is a serial rarely practiced by Hunt class ships back home due to their small size in comparison to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's tankers and the reduced requirement for it in UK waters. RAS'ing involves warships and auxiliary ships sailing in very close proximity to one another at only 42 meters apart, while connected by a tensioned steel wire rope called a jackstay which can be then used to transfer stores and fuel. Maneuvering a 700 ton Hunt Class Ship next to a 37,700 ton Tanker certainly focuses the mind! Replenishment at Sea is a dangerous and complex evolution which requires every member of the Ship's Company to work as a team to achieve it in a safe, timely and effective manner.

As of 2006 plans for the out of service date for RFA Brambleleaf and RFA Orangeleaf was 2009 with the remaining two tankers, RFA Oakleaf and RFA Bayleaf, leaving service in 2010. In order to keep RFA Bayleaf operational until she is withdrawn from service, minor refit work was due to be undertaken in 2008. No refit work was planned for the other three tankers.

Orangeleaf took a well-earned break from FOST (Flag Officer Sea Training) Tanker duties to conduct a maintenance period at Portland in early June 2009. As well as completing a range of engineering tasks, the ship hosted a number of visits from shore based staff, including RFA Personnel, RFA Support and surveyors from Lloyds and the MCA. Personnel from Cammel Laird shipyard were also onboard, measuring up some of the larger work packages that will be carried out during our forthcoming refit.

On 15 December 2010 the Secretary of State for Defence (Dr Liam Fox) stated that: "The White Paper "Securing Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The Strategic Defence Review" (Cm 7948), presented to the House on 19 October 2010, explained the Government's intention to make certain changes to the armed forces in order to deliver the force structure we require for the future and to help address the legacy of unaffordability in the defence budget. I am now able to explain more fully those changes that affect the Royal Navy's surface fleet.... The final changes affect the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The White Paper said that there would be a fleet of resupply and refuelling vessels scaled to meet the Royal Navy's requirements. With a smaller surface fleet these requirements are correspondingly lower, and hence we have decided to withdraw from service from April 2011 the auxiliary oiler RFA Bayleaf and the auxiliary oiler replenishment RFA Fort George."