Rover-class tanker

RFA Black Rover in Plymouth 2005.
Class overview
Builders	Swan Hunter
Operators	Royal Fleet Auxiliary Indonesian Navy Portuguese Navy
Succeeded by	Tide-class tanker
Built	1968–1974
In commission	1970–2017 (RFA)
Completed	5
General characteristics
Displacement	Template:Rover class tanker displacement 6,692 tonnes deadweight (DWT)
Length	Template:Rover class tanker length
Beam	Template:Rover class tanker beam
Draught	Template:Rover class tanker draught
Propulsion	Template:Rover class tanker propulsion
Speed	Template:Rover class tanker speed
Range	Template:Rover class tanker range
Capacity	Template:Rover class tanker capacity
Complement	Template:Rover class tanker complement
Sensors and processing systems	Template:Rover class tanker sensors
Electronic warfare & decoys	Template:Rover class tanker EW
Armament	Template:Rover class tanker armament
Aircraft carried	Template:Rover class tanker aircraft

The Rover class is a British ship class of "Small Fleet Tanker", active from 1970 to 2017 with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Two remain in service, one having been sold to Portugal and one to Indonesia; the rest have been scrapped or are awaiting disposal. They are tasked with the replenishment at sea (RAS) of naval warships with fuel oils and with limited supplies of other naval stores. For RAS tasking, they can refuel a vessel on either beam and a third trailing astern and have a large flight deck to allow vertical replenishment (VERTREP) with helicopters.

History

Tenders for what became 5 ships were invited in 1967. Problems with the original propulsion led to the first three of the class being re-engined in 1974. The final two had minor changes including improved accommodation and different stern anchor arrangements. Blue Rover suffered a fire during construction in 1970 which killed two shipyard workers. Costs ranged from £3m for Green Rover to £7.7m for Gold Rover, last of the class.

Ships

Name	Pennant	Builder	Commissioned	Fate
Green Rover	A268	Swan Hunter, Hebburn	15 August 1969	To Indonesian Navy 1992
Grey Rover	A269	Swan Hunter, Hebburn	10 April 1970	Scrapped 2010
Blue Rover	A270	Swan Hunter, Hebburn	15 July 1970	To Portuguese Navy 1993 as Berrio
Gold Rover	A271	Swan Hunter, Wallsend	22 March 1974	Decommissioned 6 March 2017
Black Rover	A273	Swan Hunter, Wallsend	23 August 1974	Decommissioned 2016, awaiting disposal

Photos

• 
  RFA Gold Rover (A271) leaving Plymouth Sound in March 2010
• 
  NRP Bérrio, 2007 (ex RFA Blue Rover)

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Warships of the Royal Navy, Captain John E. Moore RN, Jane's Publishing, 1979, ISBN 0-531-03730-4
• Britain's Modern Royal Navy, Paul Beaver, Patrick Stephens Limited, 1996, ISBN 1-85260-442-5