Australasian tankers meet Supply and demand
HMAS Supply, the first AOR built by Navantia for Australia, during its commissioning in Sydney. (RAN)
Australia and New Zealand are both sporting new replenishment ships as their fleets modernise.
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) commissioned its first of two Supply-class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) ships on 10 April, in a ceremony at Fleet Base East in Sydney.
HMAS Supply (pennant number A195) displaces 19,500t; it had actually arrived in Garden Island, Western Australia last October after completing its journey from its place of birth with Navantia in Spain.
Since then, Supply had been undergoing a final fit-out and testing with Australian-specific equipment. This included its Phalanx close-in weapon system, Saab 9LV combat management system (CMS), two Typhoon 25mm weapon systems and Raytheon communications suite.
Indeed, this is the first Australian oiler to
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