Rapide-class tanker

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Class overview
Builders:
  • Arsenal de Neons
  • Vickers-Armstrongs Limited
Operators:  Entente
Cost: 500,000,000
Built: 2008-2014
In service: 2014-
Planned: 4
Completed: 4
Active: 4
General characteristics
Type: Nuclear powered replenishment oiler
Displacement: 42,000 t (41,000 long tons)
Length: 200 m (660 ft)
Beam: 28 m (92 ft)
Draught: 11 m (36 ft)
Propulsion:
  • 1 × 200 MW PWR pressurised water reactor
  • 2 × steam turbines
  • 2 × shafts
Speed: 25 kn (46 km/h)
Range: Unlimited distance; 20–25 years
Complement: 200
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 2 helicopters
Aviation facilities: landing pad and hanger

The Rapide-class tanker is a family of four nuclear powered replenishment oilers. They are operated by a joint Entente naval task force and are deployed to assist Entente carrier task forces with rapid deployment to far off conflict zones. Nuclear power was chosen to remove the need for fuel for the oiler itself, freeing up the space for more fuel and munitions, and also to allow the tanker to keep up with the fast speeds that the carrier battlegroups can achieve. They work in tandem with conventionally powered oilers which are used by the respective nations of the Entente to provide rapid and seamless supply to naval task forces to sustain the mission with minimal delays. The ships are shock hardened with important parts of the ship protected and built to military specifications.