Atlantic Patrol (North) In a New Form – With destroyers and frigates at something of a premium (a polite way of saying we do not have enough) the Aviation Training Ship RFA ARGUS has deployed and is currently en route to North America to get ready for the hurricane season.  Embarked are a team from the Maritime Aviation Support Force from Culdrose and a Royal Marine contingent is also onboard.   The ship’s company has been further enhanced with the addition of a recently formed Humanitarian and Disaster Relief team  and has a single (?) LYNX helicopter is embarked, and also a large amount of disaster relief stores are onboard.

The concept of the 250 strong Maritime Aviation Support Force is to provide a simple “one stop shop” to meet personnel requirements and provide the aviation specialists essential to support naval aviation operations from ships and land bases anywhere in the world.     The RFA ARGUS is one of the ship’s that usually has a Maritime Aviation Support team embarked. The Maritime Aviation Support Force covers Flight Deck activities, Logistic and Catering Support, Operations, Engineering Support, even medical assistance, are all part of the specialist services provided and tailored teams, from two to over fifty personnel, of flight deck crews, fire fighters, meteorologists, physical trainers, military policemen, survival specialists, aircraft controllers, logisticians, engineers, medics and many other specialists to allow the continued operation of naval aircraft worldwide.    Future plans will include Intelligence Officers, dentists, chaplains and others as required.

The RFA ARGUS is presumably being deployed to relieve the Stores Ship RFA FORT ROSALIE.   Apart from being in the right place for the Caribbean hurricane season the RFA ARGUS will also take part in multinational exercises and celebrations commemorating the 1812 War of Independence in the USA en route to the Caribbean.