RFA Argus (A135)

RFA "Argus" (A135) is an aviation training ship with a secondary role of primary casualty receiving ship in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Italian-built, "Argus" was formerly the container ship MV "Contender Bezant". The ship was requisitioned in 1982 for service in the Falklands War and purchased outright in 1984.

After a four year conversion at Harland and Wolff in Belfast the ship entered RFA service in 1988, replacing RFA "Engadine" in the aviation training role. As a container ship, her directional stability when unloaded would greatly exceed that suitable for a warship. Therefore, her superstructure is deliberately heavily built (weighing some 800 tons), and she has 1,800 tons of concrete ballast carried in former hatch covers, which have been inverted to form tray-like structures ["Rebuilding the Royal Navy : Warship Design Since 1945", D. K. Brown and George Moore, Chatham Publishing, 2003, p.146] .

"Argus" has proven to be a versatile vessel, serving in many wars. Argus was fitted with a fully functional hospital for the 1991 Gulf crisis, which has since been added to providing a fully functional, 100 bed hospital. It is equipped with the best of equipment: x-ray facilities, CAT scanner, ITU ward etc. Casualties can be quickly transferred from the deck directly into the assessment area. In recent conflicts, the ship's role as a Primary Casualty Receiving Ship (referred to as such rather than a hospital ship as the vessel is armed, thus not meeting the Geneva Convention definition of a hospital ship) has been more prominent than its aviation training duties.

The ship deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991 for service in the Gulf War, and also saw service in the Adriatic in 1993 and 1999 supporting British operations in Bosnia and over Kosovo respectively. During this period, "Argus" operated in part as an LPH. Her unsuitability for this role was a major factor in the commissioning of HMS "Ocean". In 2003 "Argus" was deployed again to the Gulf as part of a 33 ship fleet to support a British amphibious assault of the Al-Faw Peninsula. "Argus" operated in its PCRS role.

In 2007 the ship was refitted with upgraded hospital facilities, generators and aviation systems to give an operational life until 2020. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/6649989.stm BBC NEWS | England | Cornwall | Refit of navy ship RFA Argus ends ] ]

In 2008 she deployed to the Middle East to act as a platform for Sea King ASaCs7 helicopters.

There are rumours of replacements for "Argus" being funded by the end of the decade, but little solid has come of it. The previous program to replace Argus was called the Joint Casualty Treatment Ship (JCTS), but after passing initial approval in december 2001 was put on hold. The ITP team managing the project was subsequently disbanded in 2005.

Layout

Being a former container ship, "Argus" does not have a traditional aircraft carrier layout - the ship's superstructure is located forward, with a long flight deck aft. The ship has a small secondary superstructure approximately 2/3 of the way down the flight deck, containing the ship's exhaust funnel. This is used by small helicopters to simulate landing on the flight deck of a destroyer or frigate.

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