§ Dr. Julian LewisTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the deployment of HMS Argus on frontline duties. [137909]
§ Mr. HoonThe Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel Argus has been re-deployed from helicopter training duties off the Iberian Peninsular to join the Amphibious Task Group which is providing a presence off Sierra Leone in support of UN and UK forces there this month. The decision to re-deploy RFA Argus, and her three embarked Sea King helicopters, with the Task Group, was taken after the flagship HMS Fearless experienced a fire in her aft engine room which necessitated her withdrawal from the deployment. Her training task will not be affected. Commander Amphibious Task Group continues to lead the Task Group embarked on HMS Ocean.
The integration of RFA Argus into the Task Group will give increased operational flexibility to operations of the Amphibious Ready Group by providing a second helicopter platform from which Chinook and Sea King helicopters can operate to replace the capability lost by the withdrawal of HMS Fearless. The re-deployment of Argus at short notice serves only to reinforce the flexibility of our maritime forces and of our rapid reaction capability.