Versatility Is Key To Aviation Training Ship
Text from Ships Of The Royal Navy No. 532
Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Argus was quick of the mark in
terms of military service - she was already doing sterling
work in the Falklands before she became a permanent part of
the Ministry of Defence.
Built in Italy as the container ship Contender Bezant, she
was taken up from trade by the RFA during the Falklands War
and subsequently converted by Harland and Wolff in Belfast
before being accepted into RFA service in 1988.
Her primary role is to provide specialist aviation training
facilities to the Fleet Air Arm.
As such, she is often to be found sailing on ten-day deployments
to Vigo or Lisbon with a Naval Air Squadron embarked, giving
trainee aircrew intensive at-sea flying experience.
More than two-thirds of her length is taken up by a five-spot
landing deck, which has a 5ft-thick concrete underside, giving
Argus the ability to operate any of the Royal Navy's helicopters
- the new Merlin has been operating from the ship in a trials
programme in recent months.
Argus can also, when required, transport and launch RN FA2
Sea Harriers or RAF GR7 Harriers.
All flying operations are manages from Argus' Flyco - an air
traffic control centre.
She has two aircraft lifts which serve four hangar spaces
below the flight deck. The hangars are separated by watertight
doors which can be closed in cases of collision or battle
damage.
Her design may have resulted in a less-than-graceful appearance,
but it is also the key to her valuable versatility.
As a logistic ship she can transport cargo and vehicles, housed
on deck or in the hangars - a door built into the hull on
the starboard side allows vehicles to be driven directly on
board.
This makes loading and unloading Argus a relatively fast operation
- exploited to the full when Argus was part of the UK's contribution
to the UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in the former Yugoslavia.
The ship is also equipped with a hospital complex which includes
two operating theatres and beds for 96 casualties, installed
when the ship deployed to the Gulf in 1990.
The hospital complex is due to be upgraded during her next
refit.
But because Argus does not comply with Geneva Convention/International
Red Cross requirements - for example, she can be fitted with
guns for self-defence, and have operational units embarked
- she is referred to as a primary casualty reception ship.
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