A private maritime company has announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s two Wave Class fast fleet tankers, Wave Knight and Wave Ruler, with plans to return the vessels to operational service in support of allied navies.
Inocea Group said the two ships, described as “sovereign logistics platforms”, have been maintained in extended readiness and remain “preserved in class” and in “excellent technical condition”.
The company said it intends to reactivate both vessels to full operational readiness under class and flag-state requirements, after which they would be operated by Inocea companies to support allied naval forces.
In a statement, the firm said the vessels were designed for high-tempo fleet operations and combine speed, endurance, aviation facilities and full replenishment-at-sea capability, adding that they were built to full naval standards and remain capable platforms.
Inocea also claimed that following reactivation both ships could provide frontline service for at least 20 years, stating that their structure and original design standards were intended for sustained global deployment.
The Wave Class tankers previously supported a range of Royal Navy and NATO operations, including deployments in the Arabian Gulf under Operation KIPION and support to NATO task groups during Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR off Libya, as well as counter-piracy and humanitarian relief missions.
Inocea cited its prior experience operating Combat Support Ship Asterix, which it said has supported NATO and allied forces since 2018.
The company described itself as a British international marine and defence technology group with shipyard facilities across the United States, Finland and Canada.
Well that’s different, and a far better option than either scrapping them or selling for peanuts to a South American navy. Fact is we can’t crew them so why not sell them to a commercial company that will provide us and other allies with additional support. I wonder if someone has been having a look at the US companies Omega and Metrea who use ex USAF Tankers to provide Air to Air refuelling for US and NATO forces.
The only down side is what happens if some bright spark at the Treasury decides to privatise the RFA ?
“Fact is we can’t crew them”
Well we could if we directed any portion of the defence budget to restoring RFA pay to competitive levels. Fixing the RFA isn’t hard, nor would take too long either.
In a world where government cared about defence we would have retained these ships, crewed them and used them as West Indies guard ships, rotating them between this role and as tankers for NATO support. In the background we would have ordered two Tides from H&W as replacements and follow on work after the FSS ships were complete.
We are not a serious nation if operating 6 fleet tankers is deemed too difficult.
A shame, nice ships. Double hull, fast, versatile, good self defence, full size hanger … deserved a long and active career in RFA service supporting the QEC, while the Tide’s did the more more mundane taskings. Inocea Group probably picked up a bargain, wouldn’t be supposed to soon hear they have been sold on.
Was not expecting this at all😯
But what makes me laugh is this >
“Inocea Group said the two ships, described as “sovereign logistics platforms”, have been maintained in extended readiness and remain “preserved in class” and in “excellent technical condition”.
And be in service for another 20 years….
In that case, why the bloody hell would we want to get rid of them🤯
Exactly my thoughts – yet again a blo*dy disgrace 🇬🇧👎. A better fate than the Rovers however although in a very different class.
there was a suggestion on NL that the Navy wanted to concentrate on the Tide class, because the Waves were a single screw design and lack movability. Again we did have issues like find a crew for them