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1982-apr | Commissioned | A135 RFA Argus Operation Corporate taken up from trade (mv Contender Bezant) for South Atlantic operations. Departed Plymouth Sound 20 May 1982 with Wasp HAS.1 XS562/371 and XT427/372 embarked, returned to Southampton 1 Aug 1982. | |
1982-jun-17 | Port Visit | A135 RFA Argus Operation Corporate called at Port William to discharge vehicles and supplies. | |
1982-aug-7 | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus departed UK for a further South Atlantic deployment but without Ships Flight. | |
1984 | Refit | A135 RFA Argus until 1988 at Harland and Wolff | |
1984-feb | Fate: transfered | A135 RFA Argus purchased by MoD for RFA service | |
1984-mar | Refit | A135 RFA Argus conversion from RO-RO ferry in Belfast, until 3 Mar 1988. | |
1988-jul-26 | Aircraft | A135 RFA Argus Sea King HAS.5 ZE418 and Lynx XZ690 whilst on ship hot weather trials | |
1990-oct | Refit | A135 RFA Argus rapid refit to add primary casualty receiving facilities as response to Iraqi invasion of Kuwait | |
1990-oct | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus Operation Desert Shield/Storm departed HMNB Devonport for Persian Gulf, embarked Sea Kings of 846 NAS en route and arrived in theatre 15 Nov. | |
1991-apr-2 | Port Visit | A135 RFA Argus Arrived Portland Harbour and disembarked Sea Kings of 846 and 848 Squadrons after combat service in the Gulf. | |
1991-apr-20 | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus Operation Haven Departed UK with eight 846 NAS and two 845 NAS Sea King HC.4, plus six Lynx and four Gazelles from 3 CBAS, for Iskenderun to deploy the air assets as part of Operation Haven, arriving on 30 Apr. | |
1992-nov | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus departed UK for the Adriatic, with 4 Sea King HC.4 of 845 Sq B Flt embarked.. | |
1993-jan | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus UNPROFOR for Adriatic deployment to assist UNPROFOR, as aviation support for HMS Ark Royal, troop transportation and medical support for the group. Returned to UK in Jun. | |
1994-jan-11 | | A135 RFA Argus major fire at Portland. Delayed return to service after refit | |
1999-jun-1 | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus replaced HMS Invincible off Kosovo. | |
2000-nov | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus ordered to join Operation Basilica to Sierra Leone, replacing HMS Fearless (after her boiler fire off Sicily). | |
2001-aug-24 | Port Visit | A135 RFA Argus International Festival of Sea 2001 Present at IFOS Portsmouth. | |
2002-nov-13 | Aircraft | A135 RFA Argus While operating in Lyme Bay, the rotors of 848 NAS Sea King ZF123/ZQ struck the ship and crashed. | |
2003-jan-15 | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus Operation Telic to support operations in Iraq as Primary Casualty Receiving Station with 2 Sea King from 820 NAS embarked, completing 28 May 2003. | |
2006-oct | Refit | A135 RFA Argus weapons systems upgrade at A&P Falmouth Docks, completed mid Jan 2007 | |
2009-jan-21 | Refit | A135 RFA Argus Major refit of casualty receiving facilities at A&P Falmouth (pic 1), until Nov 2009 | |
2010-jun-13 | | A135 RFA Argus Participated with 100 years AERONAVALE with R91 Charles de Gaulle at Rade d hyeres. | |
2011-nov-7 | Trials | A135 RFA Argus Hosted first deck landing for Lynx Wildcat by 700W Squadron for c 1 month of type handling trials | |
2012-apr | Aircraft | A135 RFA Argus 815 NAS 228 Flt Lynx HMA.8 /322 assigned as Argus Flt | |
2012-may-12 | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus left UK for a 7 month Caribbean maritime security and anti-narcotic deployment as Atlantic Patrol Task (North), and to be on station during the hurricane season to provide disaster relief | |
2012-aug-10 | Port Visit | A135 RFA Argus 3 day visit to Cayman Islands during APT(N) deployment | |
2012-sep-5 | Port Visit | A135 RFA Argus 3 day visit to Montserrat for disaster planning and coordination exercise | |
2012-nov | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus operating in Caribbean on counter-narcotics mission with Dutch Navy frigate ZrMs Van Amstel. | |
2013-jan-21 | Refit | A135 RFA Argus refit at A&P Falmouth, principally addressing main machinery and engine control systems plus improvements to medical facilities, completing 10 Jul. | |
2013-oct-18 | Trials | A135 RFA Argus sea trials with AW139 Wildcat until Nov 7 | |
2014-mar-31 | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus Exercise Joint Warrior 14-1 JW 14-1 | |
2014-oct-11 | Port Visit | A135 RFA Argus arrived in Falmouth, to load medical supplies before setting off for Sierra Leone as part of the UK contribution (Operation Gritrock, qv) to combat the 2014 Ebola outbreak. 3x Merlin HM.2 of 820 NAS embarked. | |
2014-oct-17 | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus Operation Gritrock departed Falmouth for Sierra Leone to assist British nationals in fighting the Ebola outbreak. Arrived Freetown 30 Oct and first of 6 UK built hospitals opened on 5 Nov. Departed Freetown on 27 Mar 2015, for return to Mounts Bay (pic 2) on 6 Apr and Falmouth on 7 Apr. | |
2014-oct-17 | Aircraft | A135 RFA Argus embarked Merlin HM.2 ZH850, ZH856, ZH864 of 820 NAS. Disembarked to RNAS Culdrose on return to UK, from Mounts Bay, 6 Apr 2015 | |
2015-apr-11 | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus Exercise Joint Warrior 15-1 participated in JW 15-1, off NW Scotland | |
2015-may | Refit | A135 RFA Argus entered Falmouth for 11 month refit, completed 24 Mar 2016 | |
2017-jun-24 | Port Visit | A135 RFA Argus Arrived at Greenwich for Armed Forces Day and Seafarers Day celebrations. Departed 28 Jun. | |
2019-jun-6 | Port Visit | A135 RFA Argus BALTOPS 19 visited Kiel, in company with other NATO warships, in preparation for Baltic exercise 9-21 Jun. | |
2019-oct-5 | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus Exercise Joint Warrior 19-2 Participated in JW19-2 | |
2020-apr-2 | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus Departed HMNB Devonport for Caribbean HADR mission in run up to Hurricane season. 3x Merlin HC.4 from 845 NAS embarked (ZJ122 / F, ZJ125 / J and ZJ127 /L) plus 815 NAS 203 Flt Wildcat HMA.2 ZZ531, Royal Marines from 47 CDO and 24 CDO Royal Engineers. Returned to UK 18 Dec. | |
2020-may-3 | Port Visit | A135 RFA Argus 3 day visit to Cayman Islands for Hurricane season preparedness. | |
2020-jun | Deployment | A135 RFA Argus In Cayman Island waters for a fortnights anti-narcotic, border security and medevac support mission while both RCIPS H145 are in US for depth maintenance. Departed 19 Jun for Turks and Caicos Islands. | |
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