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Photo

Argus 1993

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Contender Bezant, 6.1988- Argus	A135		Breda, Venice, Italy		1981	2.1982	in service (2019)

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	22256
Displacement full, t	28480
Length, m	163.6 pp 173.0 oa
Breadth, m	30.6
Draught, m	8.20
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 Lindholmen-Pielstick 18PC2.5 V400 diesel-generators, 2 Lindholmen electric motors
Power, h. p.	23400
Max speed, kts	22
Fuel, t	diesel oil 5617
Endurance, nm(kts)	20000(19)
Armament	2 x 1 - 20/90 Oerlikon GAM-B01, 4 x 1 - 7.6/90, 12 attackers (Sea Harrier) or 6 helicopters (Sea King)
Electronic equipment	type 1006, type 1007, type 994 radars, UAN(1) ECM suite, 2x Shield decoy RL, type 182 torpedo decoy
Complement	108 + 137 training detachment

Air group

Year	VSTOL attackers	Helicopters
1988	12 Sea Harrier FRS.1 or helicopters	6 Sea King HAS.5 or attackers
1991	---	11 Sea King HC.4, several Lynx and Gazelle

Standard scale images

Graphics

Aircraft facilities

Hangar deck has space for 8 Sea Harriers and 3 helicopters. There is one lift. 113.5x28.0m flight deck. Aircraft fuel stowage was 3251t.

Project history

Although not strictly an aircraft carrier, being a replacement for RFA Engadine, this former roll-on/roll-off and containership functions as an auxiliary carrier, as the choice of an old carrier name signifies. She has a wartime role as a ferry carrier and has taken part in exercises as a 'spare deck'. In the Gulf conflict in 1991 she was hurriedly converted to a hospital ship but also operated HC.4 Commando troop-carrying helicopters. Her peacetime role is to take ASW helicopters out to their deepwater exercise areas (saving fuel and flying rime), and in wartime she can ferry up to twelve Sea Harrier STOVL aircraft. She has a naval-standard ops room and AIO, and full communications equipment to enable her to operate with the Fleet. She is civilian-manned by the RFA, with naval air group and command team embarked.

Modernizations

1990: + 100-bed emergency hospital (temporarily)

5/2001: + permanent medical facility for 110 beds (permanent)

Naval service

She was taken up from trade in 1982 and returned to her owners, but purchased outright in 1984. Converted to ATS by Harland & Wolff during April 1984  - March 1988, she was dedicated on 1 June 1988, relieving Engadine the following year. During conversion three watertight bulkheads were added and to compensate for weights and a 1.9m layer of concrete was also added above the hangar (serving incidentally as splinter-proof protection).