Australia accepts first new Supply-class replenishment vessel from Navantia

 

The NUSHIP Supply (A195). Photo c/o Navantia.

Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has completed the pre-delivery tests of the first Supply-class replenishment vessel for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), and confirmed that the RAN has formally accepted the ship which allows for its final delivery.

The Australian Department of Defence (DOD) confirmed on 8 January 2021, that the new ship, to be named as HMAS Supply (II) (A195) once commissioned with the RAN, is being readied to join the RAN soon. 

The ship will be the second ship to enter RAN with the same name, and will replace the former HMAS Success (II) which was retired in June 2019.

The new ship arrived in Australia on October 2020 for its delivery cruise and final fit-out works and testing, after completing its sea acceptance trials in Spain on August 2020.

The RAN ordered 2 ships under a A$642 million (US$500 million) contract with Navantia on May 2016 under the Project SEA 1654 Phase 3 Maritime Operational Support Capability program.

The second ship of the class, which would be named HMAS Stalwart (III) (A304) once commissioned with the RAN, was launched on August 2019 and will undergo sea acceptance trials soon, prior to delivery to the RAN which is scheduled to be completed within 2021. 

The future HMAS Stalwart (III) will replace the RAN’s existing replenishment vessel HMAS Sirius, which will be retired in 2021.

The Supply-class replenishment vessels were based on the Cantabria-class ships of the Spanish Navy. They are 174 meters long, a displacement of 19,500 tons.

They are powered by 2 MAN 18V 32/40 diesel engines allowing the ship to reach a maximum speed of 20 knots, and a range of 6,000 nautical miles at 13 knots.

The new ships would be armed with a 20mm Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS), two 25mm Rafael Typhoon remote weapon stations, and four manually-operated 12.7mm heavy machine guns.




[1] Jane’s
[2] Navantia
[3] Royal Australian Navy