CommissionedAnchorage Deltamv Contender BezantOperation 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.
RefitHarland and WolffBelfast conversion from RO-RO ferry in Belfast, until 3 Mar 1988.
1988-jul-26
Aircraft
Aircraft Sea King HAS.5 ZE418 and Lynx XZ690 whilst on ship hot weather trials
1990-oct
Refit
Refit rapid refit to add primary casualty receiving facilities as response to Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
1990-oct
Deployment
DeploymentOperation Desert Shield/Storm departed HMNB Devonport for Persian Gulf, embarked Sea Kings of 846 NASen route and arrived in theatre 15 Nov.
1991-apr-02
Port Visit
Port VisitPortland HarbourPortland, Dorset Arrived Portland Harbour and disembarked Sea Kings of 846 and 848 Squadrons after combat service in the Gulf.
1991-apr-20
Deployment
DeploymentIskenderunOperation 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
DeploymentAdriatic Sea departed UK for the Adriatic, with 4 Sea King HC.4 of 845 Sq B Flt embarked..
1993-jan
Deployment
DeploymentDalmatian coastUNPROFOR 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
Portland Harbour major fire at Portland. Delayed return to service after refit
1999-jun-01
Deployment
DeploymentOperation Allied Force replaced HMS Invincible off Kosovo.
2000-nov
Deployment
Deployment ordered to join Operation Basilica to Sierra Leone, replacing HMS Fearless (after her boiler fire off Sicily).
AircraftAccident While operating in Lyme Bay, the rotors of 848 NAS Sea King ZF123/ZQ struck the ship and crashed.
2003-jan-15
Deployment
DeploymentOperation 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
RefitA and P FalmouthRefit weapons systems upgrade at A&P Falmouth Docks, completed mid Jan 2007
2009-jan-21
Refit
Refit Major refit of casualty receiving facilities at A&P Falmouth (pic 1), until Nov 2009
2010-jun-13
Rade d Hyeres Participated with 100 years AERONAVALE with R91 Charles de Gaulle at Rade d hyeres.
Aircraft815 NAS 228 Flt Lynx HMA.8 /322 assigned as Argus Flt
2012-may-12
Deployment
Deployment 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
Port VisitGeorge Town HSB 3 day visit to Cayman Islands during APT(N) deployment
2012-sep-05
Port Visit
Port Visit 3 day visit to Montserrat for disaster planning and coordination exercise
2012-nov
Deployment
Deployment operating in Caribbean on counter-narcotics mission with Dutch Navy frigate ZrMs Van Amstel.
2013-jan-21
Refit
Refit refit at A&P Falmouth, principally addressing main machinery and engine control systems plus improvements to medical facilities, completing 10 Jul.
Port VisitA and P FalmouthStoring 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
DeploymentFreetown PortOperation 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.
DeploymentCaribbean Sea 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-03
Port Visit
Port VisitGeorge Town HSB 3 day visit to Cayman Islands for Hurricane season preparedness.
Deployment 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.
DeploymentGibraltar HarbourLittoral Response Group South departed HMNB Devonport for Gibraltar (arr 12 Oct), en route Duqm, will hold in Eastern Mediterranean, as contingency for Palestinian-Israeli crisis.
2024-aug-14
Port Visit
Port VisitSembawang naval base Press Briefing in Singapore on RN role in Indo-Pacific, Merlin HC.4 ZJ136 / U tied down on deck.
Iskenderun 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.
Dalmatian coast 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.
Rade d Hyeres Participated with 100 years AERONAVALE with R91 Charles de Gaulle at Rade d hyeres.
George Town HSB 3 day visit to Cayman Islands during APT(N) deployment
Freetown Port 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.
Tirpitzhafen BALTOPS 19 visited Kiel, in company with other NATO warships, in preparation for Baltic exercise 9-21 Jun.
Gibraltar Harbour Littoral Response Group South departed HMNB Devonport for Gibraltar (arr 12 Oct), en route Duqm, will hold in Eastern Mediterranean, as contingency for Palestinian-Israeli crisis.
Sembawang naval base Press Briefing in Singapore on RN role in Indo-Pacific, Merlin HC.4 ZJ136 / U tied down on deck.
Diego Garcia Port visited Diego Garcia
Aircraft