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Defence leadership has announced Royal Australian Navy Supply Class replenishment oiler HMAS Supply is due to leave dock next month, after more than 14 months of repair work.
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The Australian Supply Class ship, based on the Spanish Navy’s Cantabria Class design, suffered a shaft alignment issue from build, according to information released in a recent Senate foreign affairs, defence and trade legislation committee meeting held on 14 February.
HMAS Supply (II) is the lead ship of two Supply Class auxiliary oiler replenishment ships built for the Royal Australian Navy by Spanish shipbuilder Navantia in 2020 and commissioned in 2021.
It’s understood the federal government has received a commitment from Navantia to resolve the issues at their expense. HMAS Supply’s sister ship, HMAS Stalwart, also has the same shaft alignment issue, according to the Senate meeting.
Royal Australian Navy Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark David Hammond, speaking at the Senate meeting, said HMAS Supply has been in and out of dry dock over the last 14 months.
“She (HMAS Supply) has been in and out, as a very complex repair, under warranty, has been executed by Navantia,” he said. “The ship has experienced a shaft alignment issue from build which we have been working through.
“Navantia have been working to resolve the issue, which has required design work. We have had to schedule the ship in and out of dry dock around other maintenance activities, including for the private sector.
“That is all being conducted under warranty. She is due to undock next month. I am meeting with Navantia officials this Friday (16 February) to discuss further progress and, noting that she is the first of class for us and Stalwart is the second of class, doing a full condition assessment on the second of class to make sure that any systemic issues are resolved in that ship, as well under warranty.
“She (HMAS Stalwart) is the same design. I am seeing some preliminary indications of similar issues. We are working through that. It is under warranty; They (Navantia) wrote to us with a commitment to resolve the issues at their expense, not as quickly as I would like, but they are working with the right attitude in partnership with us on it.”
HMAS Supply has previously been deployed to international operations and regional presence deployments in a replenishment ship role alongside other Royal Australian Navy ships such as the Canberra Class Landing Helicopter Dock HMAS Canberra.
