RFA Olmeda (A124)
.png) RFA Olmeda at sea | |
| History | |
|---|---|
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| Name: | RFA Olmeda |
| Builder: | Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallend, Tyne and Wear |
| Yard number: | 2004 |
| Laid down: | 27 August 1963 |
| Launched: | 19 November 1964 |
| Commissioned: | 18 October 1965, as Oleander |
| Decommissioned: | January 1994 |
| Renamed: |
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| Fate: | Arrived Alang for demolition, 17 August 1994 |
| Badge: |
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| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Ol-class tanker |
| Displacement: | 33,240 long tons (33,773 t) full load |
| Length: | 648 ft (198 m) |
| Beam: | 84 ft 2 in (25.65 m) |
| Draught: | 24 ft (290 in) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × PAMETRADA steam turbines, double reduction geared, single shaft |
| Speed: | 21 knots (24 mph; 39 km/h) |
| Range: | 10,000 nmi (19,000 km) at 16 kn (18 mph; 30 km/h) |
| Complement: |
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| Armament: |
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| Aircraft carried: | 3 × Wessex or Sea King helicopters |
| Service record | |
| Operations: | |
RFA Olmeda (A124) was an Ol-class "fast fleet tanker" of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The second of her class, Olmeda came into service in late 1965 as Oleander. As with its sister ships, Olmeda's early service was routine. However, the ship had to be renamed from Oleander to Olmeda to avoid confusion with HMS Leander.
Olmeda saw extensive service during the Falklands War, being one of the first ships to head south. The ship took part in the recapture of Thule Island. Unlike the other two members of the class, Olmeda did not serve in the Persian Gulf during the liberation of Kuwait in 1991, but accompanied HMS Ark Royal in the Eastern Mediterranean, acting as station tanker, refuelling Ark Royal and her task group, and supporting other ships on their way to and from Operation Granby.
Olmeda's service came to an end a great deal earlier than Olwen and Olna. In 1993, the ship was decommissioned, and was sold for scrapping to an Indian company.
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