Ol Class Fast Fleet Tankers
Required to increase the front line support that the Navy relied upon, the design of these ships evolved from the Tide Class tankers and a class of six ships was envisaged. However only Olynthus, Olna and Oleander were ordered and built and in 1967 Olynthus was renamed Olwen to avoid confusion with the Oberon Class submarine HMS Olympus and sister ship Oleander was renamed Olmeda to avoid confusion with frigate HMS Leander.
The ships were designed to carry four main fuels- Furnace Fuel Oil, Diesel, Avcat and Mogas. In addition they carried limited supplies of fresh water, dry stores and lubricating oils. Each ship has four pairs of replenishment rigs located in between the aft and forward superstructures. A helicopter flight deck and hanger is located at the aft of each vessel. At first they could support three Wessex helicopter carriers but more recently they have the operated three Sea King helicopters. When RFA Engadine and more recently when RFA Argus have been unavailable these ships have been used for helicopter training and Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW).
The Ol Class played an active role in both the Falklands Conflict and the 1991 Persian Gulf War: Olwen operated with the Ark Royal taskgroup in the Mediterranean, while Olna operated nearer to Iraq, supporting the coalition fleet. Olwen has also spent considerable time operating in the Adriatic.
The number of tankers in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) has declined over the last few decades alongside the fall in front line warships. By the time the Tide Class were withdrawn in the 1980s the only fast fleet tankers left in service were the three ships of the 'Ol' Class but with the retirement of Olmeda in 1993 this had fallen to just two: Olna and Olwen. However both are were now nearing 30 years in age and were in need of replacement, having become increasingly costly and difficult to operate and maintain: both have spent significant parts of 1999 and 2000 laid up at Portsmouth and Gibraltar.
With replacement Wave Class tankers under construction, both vessels were withdrawn from service in late 2000 and laid up at Portsmouth. Withdrawing the tankers from service before their replacements had been completed did raise some concerns from the Conservatave Opposition at Wesminster. However, in late 2000 both Olwen and Olna were sold to Eckhardt & Co., Hamburg, who resold them to Turkish shipbreakers.
The Ol Class measure 185.9 metres in length, 25.6 metres in breadth and 11.1 metres in draught. When fully loaded they displace 36,000 tonnes. They have a speed of 21 knots and a normal complement will consist of 88 Royal Fleet Auxiliary and 40 Royal Navy personnel. For self defence purposes they are armed with two 20 mm guns and two Chaff rocket launchers.
Ship Details:
| Ship | Pennant No. | Deck Code | Builder | Launch Date | Commissioned |
| Olwen (ex-Olynthus) | A122 | OW | Hawthorne Leslie, Hebburn | July 10th 1964 | June 21st 1965 |
| Olna | A123 | ON | Hawthorne Leslie, Hebburn | July 28th 1965 | Apil 1st 1966 |
| Olmeda (ex-Oleander) | A124 | OD | Swan Hunter | November 19th 1964 | October 18th 1965 |
Above: RFA Olwen (A122) was launched in 1964 as RFA Olynthus, but renamed in 1967. She has particpated in operations in both the Gulf and Adriatic.
Ship Histories
| Ship | History |
| Olwen (ex-Olynthus) | In refit during the Falklands Conflict (1982), Olwen only arrived after the surrender. Served in the 1991 Gulf War, supporting a task force led by the carrier Ark Royal which was deployed on exercise in the region. She was also deployed to the Adriatic in the mid 1990's where she was involved in supporting the NATO task force. Sold to Turkish Shipbreakers and left Portsmouth under tow of the tug Valiant Nader on February 2nd 2001. |
| Olna | During the 1982 Falklands conflict she supported and sailed with the second wave of ships led by the destroyer H.M.S Bristol. She operated mainly in the Total Exclusion Zone(TEZ) with the carrier group. Olna was also on hand for most of the Persian Gulf War, carrying the 21st Air Defence Battery and two Sea King Helicopters. Arriving in the Gulf in August 1990, she departed briefly in December for a maintenance period in Singapore (during which time her helicopters operated from the Dutch ship HNLMS Zuiderkruis) but returned to the Gulf in January. During the conflict she operated furthur North than any other replenishment ship, as the Americans were reluctant to send their warships any nearer to Iraq after the mining of Tripoli and Princeton. Spent much of 1999 and 2000 in mothballs at Gibraltar. RFA operations off Sierra Leone required her to be reactivated in June 2000 to participate in a multi-national exercise of Scotland. She was later assigned to support sea training off Plymouth. Here she undertook her last ever Replenishment-at-Sea (RAS) with the frigate Coventry before entering Devonport Dockyard in early August 2000 to await disposal. She was later taken to Portsmouth Dockyard and moored alongside sistership Olwen. Sold to Turkish Shipbreakers, leaving Portsmouth on March 2nd 2001. |
| Olmeda (ex- Oleander) | When the Falklands War broke out in 1982 Olmeda left Portsmouth on the 5th April 1982. Her ice strengthened hull, telecommunications systems, 2 Sea King Helicopters and accommodation for Royal Marines proved useful and she participated in the recapture of the island of Thule. She was sold in 1994 for scrapping in India and left left Portsmouth in July 1994 under the name 'Niaxco' for her final voyage. |
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© Written and researched by Jeremy Olver. Updated 4th April 2001. Disclaimer.