RFA Black Rover (A273) RFA Black Rover (A273) was ordered in November 1971, launched on the 30th of October 1973 at Wallsend, and completed on the 23 of August 1974. In 1980 RFA Black Rover and HMS Eskimo arrived in the area off the Bahamas, after a Cuban aircraft had sunk the Bahamian registered fishing boat Flamingo in a fishing area dispute. April 1996 saw the first joint Royal Navy / US Navy / Russian Navy exercise off the south coast of England. RFA Black Rover supported HMS Gloucester during the exercise. In May of the following year RFA Black Rover along with HMS Liverpool supported the voluntary evacuation of Montserrat during volcanic eruptions on the island. The following year (1998) RFA Black Rover offered humanitarian relief after two hurricanes in the Caribbean, firstly to St Kitts and Montserrat and secondly to the Honduran offshore islands after hurricane Mitch. With a maximum speed of 19 knots, these small fleet tankers are fitted with a flight deck but no hanger, as such she is only capable of refuelling embarked helicopters. The Rover boats have been the work horses of the RFA for the last few decades. Due to being only single hulled the Rover Class ships will be phased out over the next few years. RFA Black Rover ship details. Length: 140.6 metres Breadth: 19.2 metres Draught: 7.3 metres Displacement: 11,522 tonnes Speed: 19 knots Propulsion: Crossley Pielstick engines producing 16,000 bhp through a reduction gearbox to a controllable pitch propellor. Correction by Colin J. Evans
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