The class is tasked with providing fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world.

[3] The two vessels have seen service in a number of locations, including anti-drug and hurricane relief operations in the Caribbean Sea,[7][8][9] anti-piracy activities around the Horn of Africa,[10][11] and deterrent patrols in the South Atlantic.

The equipment load includes cranes (for stores handling and abeam replenishment), steering and rudder gear, thyristor-controlled winch/windlasses and double drum mooring winches.

On deployments to Atlantic Patrol Task (N) they have typically embarked a Royal Navy Lynx or a United States Coast Guard helicopter[citation needed].

[3] They carry a full medical team and sick bay and are capable of distributing 2,000 emergency relief packages in times of crisis.

[17] As early as 2010, BAE Systems had proposed providing Brazil with a variant of the Wave-class, tailored to meet the specific aviation, stores and personnel requirements of the Brazilian Navy.