RFA Argus was built as the container ship Contender Bezant by Cantiere Navale in Breda, Italy. She was acquired for the RFA during the Falklands conflict and converted by Harland and Wolff, of Belfast, before being accepted into service in 1988.
RFA argus is unusual in having two primary roles. Firstly, she can deploy to warzones as a Primary Casualty Receiving Facility (PCRF) providing facilities including two operating theatres and 100 beds. This ensures that wounded service personnel of all nationalities can receive swift care equal to that of most UK hospitals and was used to great effect during both Gulf Wars. However, because she does not comply with the Geneva Convention and International Red Cross requirements – she may be fitted with self-defence guns or have operational units embarked for example – RFA Argus is not classified as a hospital ship and does not display a Red Cross.
Secondly she provides specialist aviation training facilities – which is why more than two thirds of her length is given over to a flight deck to accommodate any of the Royal Navy’s helicopters. RFA Argus’ flexible design means she is able to fulfil additional roles. As a logistic ship she can be adapted to transport large amounts of equipment very quickly – which was exploited during the deployment of Britain’s contribution to the UN Protection Force in the former Yugoslavia. In 2000 she stood in for the LPD HMS Fearless to support Royal Marine operations in Sierra Leone.