RFA Argus has been retasked to support the US military with relief efforts in Honduras.
We're on our way! #TeamArgus have been retasked, off to support US military with relief efforts in Honduras 🇭🇳 @Southcom @jtfbravo 🇺🇸 🇬🇧@RFAHeadquarters @RoyalNavy @ComdJHC @RoyalMarines https://t.co/j3RL8dvWcM
— RFA Argus (@RFAArgus) November 12, 2020
RFA Argus is in the Caribbean as part of the UK’s preparation for disaster relief planning.
The principal role of RFA Argus is to serve as a Primary Casualty Receiving Ship. She has a fully equipped 100-bed medical complex on board, which includes an emergency department, resuscitation and surgical facilities, and a radiology suite complete with a CT scanner.
The personnel of RFA Argus boast more than 40 different medical and surgical specialities and are drawn from the MOD Hospital Units and Royal Marines Band Service.
If there is ever a way that the U.K. is going to be seen as Global this is it. RN/RFA operating in emergency situations like this can only be applauded.Now imagine the support we could provide with two, or maybe even three Hospital/ emergency/aid ships. Call them what you will but paid for by the overseas aid budget they would be outstanding.
Let’s keep it real and hope Argus gets replaced!
Well I think some of that 0.7% of GDP we spend on aid could be redirected into the RFA to provide 2 or 3 emergency support ships that would still be there for ‘aid’ but could also be as hospital and / or logistic landing ships in war time. Surely it is a no brainer?
Hope that happens. Must be getting on for 50 years old now, as Contender Bezant previously. Would support UK shipbuilding too.
If ” keeping it real” means having no ambition nobody will ever get anywhere.
the O.A. budget is around £12 billion so we can’t afford 2/3 ships? Come on.
Aye if 2028 is soon then it must be soon ??????????
Oh dear, you get your limited knowledge from Wiki…..pardon me if I and most others on here laugh at that fact.
Provided that the Wiki page quoted its sources (which it did), it’s a perfectly reasonable reference.
Here’s the source https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/484506/2015-10463_FOI_Request.pdf
Nope sorry, if it cannot be used as a source of reference for further and higher education then it’s no good I’m afraid.
Look at the Wiki page. Find the stated OSD for RFA Argus. Click on the source. I’m not saying Wiki is 100% accurate 100% of the time, but in this specific instance it provides a reliable source which coincides with what the Wiki quoted (2024).
In principle I would agree with your general point but we also have to evaluate the date of the source, whether on Wiki or elsewhere. The source was reliable in 2015 when the FOI request was answered. However late in 2020 that may no longer be the case. For example that same FOI refers to RFA Diligence going OSD in 2020, whereas the decision was taken by the RN barely half a year later in 2016 to retire RFA Diligence early and she was out of service by 2017. Conversely, the RN may now, for example, plan to extend RFA… Read more »
Also, it’s handy this is the comments section of the UKDJ and not a paper for further and higher education.
Completely agree, however wiki isn’t reliable, and in a debate, especially a debate with a rather sad troll, called Harold, wiki is a weak reference for a subjective proof of an opinion. Cheers mate and stay safe.
Argus assisting in Honduras, soldiers going likewise in Belize, all whilst HMS Medway is patrolling ready to provide support to British and commonwealth territories in the region – what a great display of soft power at it’s finest!
Thought you would support this asset, as it’s got limited combat capabilities but able to help and assist other nations around the world….
??
Bit of research said Argus was bought for £18 mil and converted for £45 mil. That’s about £200 mil in today’s money. Foreign aid budget in 2019 was £15 billion, this year’s will probably be similar. Three replacements of a similar build should (hopefully) cost at most £750-800 million. 5-6% of one year’s aid budget for three excellent examples of soft power capable of delivering HA/DR and acting as a floating hospital anywhere it’s needed, proving Britain is fulfilling its role as a leading and global nation dedicated to aiding those affected by disasters both natural and man-made across the… Read more »
Agreed. However the caveat in your last sentence is fully justified. I agree with others that using our navy as soft power is real value for money as well as demonstrating the values our society stands for.
We need the foreign aid budget more than ever in the post brexit world. In less than 5 weeks all our trade deals go away (ok we have a handful but all really minor), and we are left trying to pick up the pieces of Boris and co’s useless preparation. Any goodwill we can get with other nations will come in very useful.
Lack of Preperation? A No-Deal crash out Brexit is what Boris has been wanting.