The Royal Navy is preparing RFA Lyme Bay to sail from Gibraltar if required. In the event of the Middle East crisis expanding, she has the capability to evacuate civilians and has modest medical facilities.
Although retaining some of her crew, Lyme Bay has been inactive alongside in Gibraltar since completing a 3-week maintenance period at GibDock in December. She had not been expected to return to operations until the start of the new financial year in April. This measure, to achieve very small savings, demonstrates how desperately tight the MoD’s RDEL (daily running expenses) budget has become.
Instead, she was reactivated last week, and medical personnel and supplies are being flown into Gibraltar to embark on the ship, along with a contingent of Royal Marines and a helicopter (most likely a Merlin Mk 4).
Below the vehicle deck, Lyme Bay has accommodation for around 350 troops, which could be used for transport civilians for short periods. Camp beds on the vehicle deck and other compartments could increase numbers to up to about 500 if really needed. The Bay-class do not have a permanent hangar but have a fabric Rubb deck shelter which can house either a helicopter, small boats or possibly a casualty reception area. They are equipped with a Role 2 medical facility comprising a ward with 12 beds, an operating theatre, dental surgery, X-ray facilities, and a medical laboratory.
With the recent decommissioning of RFA Argus and the LPDs, Lyme Bay is the next best option for this kind of mission, and the only naval vessel the UK currently has in the Mediterranean.
RFA Lyme Bay alongside at the South Mole, Gibraltar, 9th March. Although not a warship, she is armed with 2 Phalanx CIWS and 2 30mm cannons, maintained and operated by an RN detachment, providing a measure of self-defence capability. (Photos: Med Ship Spotter) .
Preparations are described as ‘precautionary’. The precise scenario in which Lyme Bay might be utilised has not been specifically defined, but she provides a range of options. The most likely evacuation task would be the rescue of British nationals from Lebanon if the conflict expands. Whether employed in Non-combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO), as a refuelling base for helicopters, or to deploy special forces, Lyme Bay is a flexible platform.
With France having deployed almost its entire active fleet, there is also a political dimension that demands a more visible British naval presence on scene as soon as possible. HMS Dragon is heading for Cyprus and is likely to sail from Portsmouth on Wednesday.