RFA ARGUS replacement - what and when?

[alfred_the_great]

Surely the Nightingale equivalents are the Javits Centre in New York and similar that have been built across the States.

Comfort’s deployment to New York was to provide a clean facility to release capacity in the city’s hospitals. A role for which she is not designed to do. Comfort and Mercy are basically giant floating trauma surgery facilities.

Yup.

And the USN were asking for proof that the casualties coming in were covid free. Which pretty much meant they took no casualties.

Comfort and Mercy are designed for Iwo Jima mk2 - opppsed amphibious landings in the Pacific. Like many of the US Military's random capabilities it's a lesson learned in blood, and they're loathe to give them up cf.USAF Combat Controllers - Tier 1/2 SF designed to stop DESERT ONE mk2.

 

[Lifeboat21]

cf.USAF Combat Controllers - Tier 1/2 SF designed to stop DESERT ONE mk2.

I always wondered what they were for.

Do you know why there's tier 1/2 SF weathermen?

 

[History_Man]

I always wondered what they were for.

Do you know why there's tier 1/2 SF weathermen?

Their role has changed somewhat:

United States Air Force Special Reconnaissance - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[alfred_the_great]

I always wondered what they were for.

Do you know why there's tier 1/2 SF weathermen?

Exactly the same reason. The weather at Desert One wasn’t as forecast from back in teh US (this was the v early 80s, no widespread satellite cover), so CCTs and SOWT were designed to be “First There”, set up the airstrip ready for follow on forces.
They had a similar job during Vietnam.

 

[Lifeboat21]

Their role has changed somewhat:

United States Air Force Special Reconnaissance - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Indeed. Didn't know about the name but they've been going technical surveillance for a while. They often deploy drones too.

 

[instinct]

No one's back pedaling, special.

It's pretty simple.

Argus will, no doubt, do great work in the Caribbean. I know I did, as did my lads. One of the perks of being in a VHR unit. But it's a bit over the horizon and out of sight of the British people.

So if you want to replace Argus use her in UK, like US hospital ships in American cities. Ie London or up and down the country to alleviate issues elsewhere. Odds on that the SNPHS will go for a Burton.

And yes, I am aware both Mercy and Comfort have been used in similar relief missions as Argus is on now.

Full disclosure, I wasn't aware she was heading West. It was a little tongue in cheek but not by much. And yes I know that the boats go where they're told to go, rather than where someone in the MoD might want to send them.

The Naval services relief operations in the Caribbean is the one that features most heavily in the RN Media cycle. Mounts bay in the Caribbean was constantly being pushed forward for awards, news stories and so on. Ships on actual operations didn't get a look in despite in high tension areas doing heavy duty taskings. (Yes I am bitter.) Argus was the only ship able to do it with out ruining our current amphib capabilities by using Largs Bay, who is probably getting ready to cover Cardigan in the gulf next year aswell.

Plus one of the foundation principles of modern MACA is that a military asset should only be used if no other (preferably commercial) solutions exist. And the nightingale hospitals cover it much better.

There is no other cost effective solution to support disaster relief in the Caribbean.

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[Lifeboat21]

The Naval services relief operations in the Caribbean is the one that features most heavily in the RN Media cycle.

Nobody cares mate. I can talk from experience. Civvies think it's sitting on a beach with a can of Lilt and doing the odd bit of repairs.

Plus one of the foundation principles of modern MACA is that a military asset should only be used if no other (preferably commercial) solutions exist. And the nightingale hospitals cover it much better.

As I said. It was a semi-serious suggestion for getting civvie approval of a new ship...

 

[Seadog]

The Naval services relief operations in the Caribbean is the one that features most heavily in the RN Media cycle. Mounts bay in the Caribbean was constantly being pushed forward for awards, news stories and so on. Ships on actual operations didn't get a look in despite in high tension areas doing heavy duty taskings. (Yes I am bitter.) Argus was the only ship able to do it with out ruining our current amphib capabilities by using Largs Bay, who is probably getting ready to cover Cardigan in the gulf next year aswell.

Plus one of the foundation principles of modern MACA is that a military asset should only be used if no other (preferably commercial) solutions exist. And the nightingale hospitals cover it much better.

There is no other cost effective solution to support disaster relief in the Caribbean.

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Largs Bay? Like the RFA Largs Bay sold to the Aussie Navy in 2011, now HMAS Choules

 

[instinct]

Largs Bay? Like the RFA Largs Bay sold to the Aussie Navy in 2011, now HMAS Choules

I always get Lyme and Largs mixed up. My bad only ever done cardigan with the Bays.

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[instinct]

Nobody cares mate. I can talk from experience. Civvies think it's sitting on a beach with a can of Lilt and doing the odd bit of repairs.



As I said. It was a semi-serious suggestion for getting civvie approval of a new ship...

Well maybe that's true in alot of places but I saw enough headlines about it and it's the only thing that people recognise with the RFA when I'm trying to describe my job.

That A doesn't change the way MACA is requested and tasked. B change the fact that Argus was going to the Carribbean for this tasking for over a year. C doesn't change the fact that people I have talked to who have actually operated Argus operationaly has said it would be a waste of resources and put people in more danger.

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