The Ministry of Defence has declined to provide an updated assessment on the operational future or readiness status of RFA Argus and RFA Fort Victoria, referring instead to previously published readiness submissions to Parliament.
In a written answer published on 5 February, Defence Minister Luke Pollard responded to Labour MP John McDonnell, who asked what recent assessment had been made of the operational future of the two Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels and what their current status was. Pollard replied that he referred the MP to an earlier response given on 26 January to Conservative MP Dame Caroline Dinenage.
In that earlier written answer, Pollard said that Royal Navy Surface Fleet readiness data is provided on a six-monthly basis, in agreement with the House of Commons Defence Committee, and that the latest information is published via the committee’s submissions.
He added: “To protect the operational security of the Fleet, I am unable to provide further granularity.”
Pollard also stated that the Royal Navy does not hold individual personnel at a readiness state but instead records readiness by force elements or units, and said further information was being withheld on the basis that disclosure could prejudice the effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
There is continued uncertainty surrounding the future of RFA Argus, which has been widely reported as facing safety concerns due to its age. The aviation training and primary casualty receiving ship had previously been expected to remain in service beyond 2030, but reporting in 2025 suggested the vessel had been deemed unsafe to sail without further work.
Neither ship has been operational for some time. Both ships require significant levels of maintenance before they can become operational. This is in the public domain. In what way does discussing the long-term intentions of the government compomise operational secrecy?
You know what actually compromises operations? Announcing that you don’t have the budget to maintain or operate ships and that you are therefore decommissioning them. Like the laundry list of 20 ships that have fallen by the wayside in the last five years. Although not HMS Bangor, for no readily apparent reason. The ship with a hole in the side that can be measured in bus lengths, the last of its class, previously scheduled for decommissioning was the ship that John Healey chose to extend in service last year.
I don’t know if there’s any method in the madness, but there’s madness all right. I’m positively fuming for a start.
I think you are confusing the public domain with the internet rumour mill. If it was in the public domain then the minister would simply point to the information.
It’s entirely reasonable that the minister does not comment on the readiness and availability of major warships. Readiness is also subjective, while these ships are not in good condition it doesn’t mean they can’t put to sea in a war time scenario and complete their mission.
Hermes was off to the breakers yard before being sent to the Falklands in 1982. Invincible was missing half her turbines.
Would you have had the minister produce statements on the material readiness of those vessels?
“Hermes was off to the breakers yard before being sent to the Falklands in 1982. Invincible was missing half her turbines”
Hermes was never stripped ready for the breakers yard but she did have a stated 1982 OSD when the second of the Invincible class, illustrious, was commissioned. That was a sensible phased change of carriers without ‘gapping’.
Invincible did have a major gearbox failure hearing down south that was rectified off Ascension Island.
Jim you are trying and failing to defend the incompetence of the MoD. The deletion of the LPDs was at least in part justified in numerous statements including Argus as one of 4 Amphibious ships to be retained by the fleet. Several of those statements within the last 12 months so what’s changed?
It is therefore entirely reasonable to ask the Minister what’s going on. That they hide behind statements regarding secrecy is entirely disingenuous when we can all see in plain sight what is going on in Portsmouth.
Let’s be honest even is she was refitted could the RFA even crew her ? I doubt it.
There is an element to which this is all just surreal.
The issue is that everyone knows that Argus was superannuated and that it is inevitable that corrosion is going be be a big issue with a hull that old. However well built and maintained she was. Nobody saw her being extended on to 2030+ so maintenance will have been predicated round her original OSD. You don’t bother replacing plating and other bits that will be fine as OSD + a reasonable margin.
The problem is that the goal posts have been moved a few times for Argus – each time the goal posts are moved it is a game of catch up to the new trajectory. In this case with the usual penny pinching mentality of doing the absolute bare minimum.
If they just leave her tied up at Portsmouth until 2030, It would solve a lot of problems and embarrasing questions.
Why would you have them do anything other than sit along side until 2030.
Given the threat in the North Atlantic region and our release of any obligations in the pacific thanks to the Orange one, I would have the entire fleet sitting along side in readiness.
No need for us to be anywhere outside the Euro Atlantic at present.
I guess you missed my meaning completely Jim.