The Supply-class ships are intended to carry fuel, dry cargo, water, food, ammunition, equipment and spare parts to provide operational support for deployed Australian naval or combat forces operating away from the nation for long periods. In addition to replenishment, the vessels can be used to combat against environmental pollution at sea, provide logistics support for the armed forces, and to support humanitarian and disaster relief (HADR) operations following a natural disaster. The contract to build the two auxiliary oiler replenishment ships was awarded to Navantia in 2016.[1]
Supply replaced HMAS Success which was decommissioned in June 2019.[4] The ship arrived in Australia in early October 2020.[5] While the ship's operational home port is Fleet Base East, its ceremonial home port is the Port of Eden.[6]
The ship was commissioned on 10 April 2021 at Fleet Base East, Sydney.[4] The commissioning ceremony quickly became the object of national controversy because of the RAN's decision to invite a local group of scantily-clad dancers to perform a routine that included twerking. An anonymous federal government frontbencher commented: "A question worth pondering: what would Horatio Nelson think of this shitshow?".[7]
Australia