Australia commissions second tanker
HMAS Stalwart, the second AOR built by Navantia for Australia, was commissioned on 13 November. (RAN)
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) commissioned its second Supply-class replenishment ship on 13 November, in a ceremony conducted at Fleet Base West in Perth.
HMAS Stalwart will provide tanker support to RAN vessels based on Australia’s west coast, whereas the first-of-class HMAS Supply is stationed in Sydney after entering service on 10 April.
HMAS Stalwart, displacing 19,500t, carries the pennant number A304.
Chief of Navy VAdm Michael Noonan said of the auxiliary oiler replenishment ships: ‘Both Stalwart and Supply represent cutting-edge maritime technology and can seamlessly integrate into both national and multinational task groups, which is paramount
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Naval Warfare
-
Shoreline vulnerability drives Gulf interest in USV networks
Ukraine’s combat-proven Magura uncrewed surface vessel is attracting Gulf state interest as the Iran war exposes gaps in layered maritime air defence, raising questions about whether low-cost attritable systems can gain a foothold in a procurement culture historically drawn to high-end Western platforms.
-
Sweden swayed by speed to capability in French frigate win
Naval Group has secured a contract to supply four Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention frigates to the Royal Swedish Navy, extending the French naval industry’s reach into Northern Europe and showing why speed to capability has become the defining criterion in today’s defence procurement contests.
-
SOF Week 2026: US NSW explores 3D-printed USVs for forward-deployed operations
US Naval Special Warfare Command is assessing the feasibility of rapidly producing expendable mid-sized USVs in theatre to support SOF and maritime security missions.
-
SOF Week 2026: MARSOC selects upgraded Shark Marine dive navigation system
MARSOC is procuring the Shark Marine Dive Tablet 2 to address a longstanding combat diver navigation capability gap, improving underwater positioning, situational awareness and integration with existing diver propulsion vehicles.