Royal Navy vessel visiting Grand Cayman

| 10/08/2012

rfa argus.jpg(CNS): RFA ARGUS is currently on a routine visit to Grand Cayman and will be leaving Monday 13 August. The Commanding Officer and senior personnel will meet local dignitaries and familiarise themselves with local hurricane preparedness arrangements, the Governor’s Office said. RFA Argus has been deployed to the Caribbean on the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Patrol Tasking (North), the UK’s year round commitment to the region, since early August 2012.  Her main duties are to provide reassurance and supportto the UK’s Overseas Territories, particularly in response to natural disasters, and to maintain a presence in the area championing UK government objectives and conducting counter narcotics trafficking patrols in conjunction with US and other international forces.

Tasked with providing Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR), the crew of RFA ARGUS is augmented by a small team from the RN with niche technical training in HADR operations. In May, members of the ships command team attended the 5th Annual Disaster Management Seminar in Miami, an opportunity to discuss all elements of the upcoming hurricane season with officials from the Cayman Islands and other UK Overseas Territories.

In addition to remaining on high readiness to assist following any natural disaster in the region, RFA ARGUS will also be supporting the US coast guard in counter narcotic operations within the Caribbean, embarking a USCG Law Enforcement Detachment, detecting, distracting and disrupting illegal narcotics trafficking throughout the region. She has recently completed a maintenance period in Freeport Grand Bahama and refreshed her core skills with a short, staff covered training period to maintain her high state of operational readiness.

In May and June RFA ARGUS visited several US ports in support of the War of 1812 Bicentenary celebrations. Following this, she has visited Bermuda where she relieved RFA Fort Rosalie and conducted the first installment of discussions and training with local Disaster Management organization, and completed a three week maintenance period in Grand Bahama prior to sailing for Jamaica.

The ship remains poised to assist with Disaster Management, Command and Control with extensive Emergency Relief Stores held on board. The ship can send ashore specialist manpower teams trained in Engineering, Medical and Fire Fighting with the primary aim of saving and preserving life.

Teams also have the capability to provide Shelter, Sanitation, Food and Water. For the provision of logistic support ashore the ship has a flight deck capable of operating multiple helicopters, with a Lynx helicopter flight already embarked. The deployment of RFA ARGUS to the Caribbean is part of the United Kingdom’s continued commitment to the region and the UK Overseas Territories in particular.

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  1. St Peter says:

    Stay in the area guys.

    The way things are going we will soon need you to assist with installing some silver bangles and a straight jacket or two…

  2. Anonymous says:

    CNS Can you ask them to take the UDP bunch withthem when they are leaving?

  3. Anonymous says:

    Have they come to clap our "Honourable" Premier in irons?

  4. Truth Hurts says:

    Welcome boys.

     

    Erm….you guys any good at putting together a budget? We sure do have our own disaster unfolding right here and could use your help.