1982 to present    

A135 RFA Argus

UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary






IMO: 7822550
MMSI: 233303000
Flight Deck: AS
Call Sign: GDSA





  Events


History of UK RFA Argus A135

1982-aprCommissionedCommissioned Anchorage Delta mv Contender Bezant 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-17Port VisitPort Visit Port William Operation Corporate called at Port William to discharge vehicles and supplies.
1982-aug-07DeploymentDeployment departed UK for a further South Atlantic deployment but without Ships Flight.
1984RefitRefit until 1988 at Harland and Wolff
1984-febFate: transferedFate: transfered purchased by MoD for RFA service
1984-marRefitRefit Harland and Wolff Belfast conversion from RO-RO ferry in Belfast, until 3 Mar 1988.
1988-jul-26AircraftAircraft Sea King HAS.5 ZE418 and Lynx XZ690 whilst on ship hot weather trials
1990-octRefitRefit rapid refit to add primary casualty receiving facilities as response to Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
1990-octDeploymentDeployment 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-02Port VisitPort Visit Portland Harbour Portland, Dorset Arrived Portland Harbour and disembarked Sea Kings of 846 and 848 Squadrons after combat service in the Gulf.
1991-apr-20DeploymentDeployment TR 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.
1992-novDeploymentDeployment Adriatic Sea departed UK for the Adriatic, with 4 Sea King HC.4 of 845 Sq B Flt embarked..
1993-janDeploymentDeployment HR 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.
1994-jan-11 Portland Harbour major fire at Portland. Delayed return to service after refit
1999-jun-01DeploymentDeployment Operation Allied Force replaced HMS Invincible off Kosovo.
2000-novDeploymentDeployment ordered to join Operation Basilica to Sierra Leone, replacing HMS Fearless (after her boiler fire off Sicily).
2001-aug-24Port VisitPort Visit HMNB Portsmouth IFOS 2001 International Festival of Sea 2001 Present at IFOS Portsmouth.
2002-nov-13AircraftAircraft Accident While operating in Lyme Bay, the rotors of 848 NAS Sea King ZF123/ZQ struck the ship and crashed.
2003-jan-15DeploymentDeployment 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-octRefitRefit A and P Falmouth Refit weapons systems upgrade at A&P Falmouth Docks, completed mid Jan 2007
2009-jan-21RefitRefit Major refit of casualty receiving facilities at A&P Falmouth (pic 1), until Nov 2009
2010-jun-13 FR Rade d Hyeres Participated with 100 years AERONAVALE with R91 Charles de Gaulle at Rade d hyeres.
2011-nov-07TrialsTrials Lyme Bay Hosted first deck landing for Lynx Wildcat by 700W Squadron for c 1 month of type handling trials
2012-aprAircraftAircraft 815 NAS 228 Flt Lynx HMA.8 /322 assigned as Argus Flt
2012-may-12DeploymentDeployment 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-10Port VisitPort Visit KY George Town HSB 3 day visit to Cayman Islands during APT(N) deployment
2012-sep-05Port VisitPort Visit 3 day visit to Montserrat for disaster planning and coordination exercise
2012-novDeploymentDeployment operating in Caribbean on counter-narcotics mission with Dutch Navy frigate ZrMs Van Amstel.
2013-jan-21RefitRefit refit at A&P Falmouth, principally addressing main machinery and engine control systems plus improvements to medical facilities, completing 10 Jul.
2013-oct-18TrialsTrials sea trials with AW139 Wildcat until Nov 7
2014-mar-31DeploymentDeployment North Western Approaches Exercise Joint Warrior 14-1 JW 14-1
2014-oct-11Port VisitPort Visit A and P Falmouth Storing 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-17DeploymentDeployment SL 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.
2014-oct-17AircraftAircraft embarked Merlin HM.2 ZH850, ZH856, ZH864 of 820 NAS. Disembarked to RNAS Culdrose on return to UK, from Mounts Bay, 6 Apr 2015
2014-nov-26NEWSSLFreetown Port Royal Navy Merlin Deliver Aid in Fight Against Ebola
2015-apr-11DeploymentDeployment North Western Approaches Exercise Joint Warrior 15-1 participated in JW 15-1, off NW Scotland
2015-mayRefitRefit entered Falmouth for 11 month refit, completed 24 Mar 2016
2017-jun-24Port VisitPort Visit Greenwich Reach Arrived at Greenwich for Armed Forces Day and Seafarers Day celebrations. Departed 28 Jun.
2019-jun-06Port VisitPort Visit DE Tirpitzhafen BALTOPS 19 visited Kiel, in company with other NATO warships, in preparation for Baltic exercise 9-21 Jun.
2019-oct-05DeploymentDeployment North Western Approaches JW19-2 Exercise Joint Warrior 19-2 Participated in JW19-2
2020-apr-02DeploymentDeployment Caribbean 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-03Port VisitPort Visit KY George Town HSB 3 day visit to Cayman Islands for Hurricane season preparedness.
2020-may-13NEWSCaribbean Sea Merlin Lands on River Batch 2 OPV
2020-junDeploymentDeployment 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.
2020-jun-23NEWS RFA Argus Merlin Rescues Kayakers in the Caribbean
2023-oct-09DeploymentDeployment GI 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.



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  Specifications


Argus class
28480full load (tn)
175.10length (m)
30.65beam (m)
8.19draught (m)
20000range (nm)
18max speed (knots)
23400power (shp)

2Naval Engine diesel - SEMT Pielstick

2Naval Gun single 20 mm

1Naval Radar navigation radar Type 1006
1Naval Radar surface and low level air search radar Type 994

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