Further elements of the newly-strengthened Royal Navy task group have sailed from British ports for training in the Mediterranean.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary landing ships Sir Galahad, Sir Percivale and Sir Tristram sailed yesterday morning at half-hourly intervals from the military port at Marchwood, on Southampton Water while aviation training ship RFA Argus flew on five Sea King helicopters of 820 Naval Air Squadron while the 28,000-tonne ship was alongside at Southampton’s QE2 berth.

Once the aircraft were on board, the RFA sailed yesterday evening. Argus has a large flight deck and extensive hangar facilities, and she also has a secondary role as a primary casualty reception ship.

The four ships form part of the Amphibious Task Group which was ‘bolted on’ to Naval task Group 2003, a planned deployment to the Asia-Pacific region, and which has now been reconfigured to meet any eventuality, including operations in Iraq.

A total of nine RFA ships will be joining the reinforced task group, led by aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, which sailed from Portsmouth at the weekend.

Tanker/stores ship RFA Fort Victoria, with Merlins embarked, will be in direct support of Ark Royal, while two more supply ships, RFAs Fort Austin and Fort Rosalie, will leave the UK shortly.

Two tankers, RFAs Orangeleaf and Oakleaf, are already in the Mediterranean, while three further RFAs are currently deployed in the Gulf on specific tasks – Bayleaf is the permanent Arabian Gulf Ready Tanker, landing ship Sir Bedivere is mother ship for four Royal Navy mine countermeasures vessels already in the region, and forward repair ship RFA Diligence is also on station.

Helicopter carrier HMS Ocean is expected to sail from Devonport today to join up with the task group, and Type 23 frigate HMS Marlborough is due out of Portsmouth tomorrow for the same reason.