FRESH from her £12m refit , aviation training and casualty treatment ship RFA Argus has begun intensive trials and exercises.

Experts from the Flag Officer Sea Training in Devonport threw pretty much everything bar the kitchen sink at Argus’ ship’s company, from relatively straightforward manoeuvres such as refuelling with tanker RFA Black Rover, to coping with collisions at sea, fire and a helicopter crash on her sprawling flight deck.

Argus has been out of action for the past 12 months while A&P in Falmouth, the ship’s home port, revamped her hospital facilities, communications systems and aviation support.

Although the hi-tech hospital is probably the most eye-catching aspect of the ship to visitors, most of Argus’ time supporting training helicopter crews in the art of living and operating at sea.

Eight weeks of ‘FOSTing’ off Plymouth should hone the skills of the crew ahead of a deployment to the Gulf and Indian Ocean lined up for 28,000-tonne ship in the autumn in support of anti-terrorism work.