Here’s something you don’t see every day… a horror flick set in 1943.
The museum ship USS Silversides (SS-236) was used for external shots of the fictitious USS Tiger Fish and Lake Michigan doubled as the Atlantic Ocean. I suppose you have to make do with what you have available. The interiors are *ridiculously* spacious with oodles of headroom and plenty of room to swing a dozen cats. Hurray for Hollywood!
China’s Type 920 hospital ship, known as Daishandao when deployed on military operations, but known as Peace Ark when deployed on humanitatian missions, has 300 hospital beds, 20 ICU beds, 8 operating theatres, and carries a Z-8JH medevac helicopter.
“Peace Ark” provides medical treatment for foreign soldiers
Medical personals on Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy hospital ship “Peace Ark” wave to soldiers from Netherlands’ Van Speijk vessel in Gulf od Aden, July 14, 2013. It was the first time PLA Navy hospital ship “Peace Ark” provided medical treatment for foreign soldiers during its 10-day mission to Gulf of Aden. (Xinhua/Ju Zhenhua)
BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhuanet) — A Chinese naval hospital ship has begun providing medical services to foreign escort fleets in the Gulf of Aden.
This is the first time the “Peace Ark” has begun providing medical services for foreign ships in the pirates-plagued waters.
CRI’s Lucy Du has the details.
On a misty morning, 8 Dutchmen got aboard the “Peace Ark” after minutes of voyage on a small speed vessel in a rough sea.
They came from the nearby HNLMS Van Speijk frigate, a Dutch anti-piracy warship operating in the Gulf of Aden.
This is their first time to get aboard the Chinese hospital ship, which is currently in the Gulf of Aden on a medical service mission.
The 8 Dutchmen are also the first group of foreign naval staff the “Peace Ark” receives in its current stay in the Gulf of Aden.
Hans Guldie, a sailor from the Dutch team, has been suffering from toothache for over a week. He could not get any effective treatment as the Dutch warship has no dentists or dental facilities.
After getting aboard the “Peace Ark”, the Dutch sailor came straight to Zhang He, a dentist on the Chinese hospital ship.
Soldiers from Netherlands’ Van Speijk vessel observe acupuncture treatment on Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy hospital ship “Peace Ark” in Gulf od Aden, July 14, 2013. It was the first time PLA Navy hospital ship “Peace Ark” provided medical treatment for foreign soldiers during its 10-day mission to Gulf of Aden. (Xinhua/Ju Zhenhua)
After a brief discussion with the sailor in English, the Chinese dentist discovered the problem and gave him treatment.
“One of his teeth had apical infection. He felt the pain to such an extent that he couldn’t fall asleep at night. Today I gave him a root canal treatment and extirpated the pulp of the problematic tooth to address the root cause of his toothache.”
Guildie says he’s happy to have his toothache treated on the “Peace Ark”.
“I’m very happy! I want to thank you everybody for the help. My tooth now is OK. I got treated. I feel no pain at all. I hope it will be OK after (later). This is a much bigger experience than I expected. I will never forget it!”
Meanwhile, the 8-member Dutch team has had a tour around the Chinese hospital ship and conducted a symposium with Chinese medical personnel sharing each side’s medical expertise and experiences.
Colonel Christiaan Hoff, a general surgeon onboard the Dutch warship, says the arrival of the Chinese navy hospital ship is very helpful for meeting the medical needs of the multinational naval staff in the Gulf of Aden.
A sailor from Netherlands’ Van Speijk vessel receives dental operation on Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy hospital ship “Peace Ark” in Gulf od Aden, July 14, 2013. It was the first time PLA Navy hospital ship “Peace Ark” provided medical treatment for foreign soldiers during its 10-day mission to Gulf of Aden. (Xinhua/Ju Zhenhua)
“Not one country can solve the problem around here with the piracy and the unsafety at sea by itself. We all have to work together. In the medical field in our operation we bring a warship to fight piracy. I myself am a doctor. So I bring some medical treatments to my ship. But my possibilities on the warship are very limited. And then it’s really good to know that there is a real hospital like this at sea. So I think collaboration is everything in the medical field and in the military field as well. It’s very important.”
Currently thousands of foreign naval personnel aboard about 20 warships are operating in the Gulf of Aden to ensure the safety of marine transportation in the pirates-plagued waters.
The “Peace Ark” hospital ship is expected to provide any necessary medical services to them at their request.
The “Peace Ark” has over 100 medical staff members onboard.
It carries more than 24-hundred sets of medical equipment with 300 hospital beds and 8 operating rooms.
Leaving its home port in China early June, the ships is scheduled to stay in the Gulf of Aden until the end of July.
After that, it will leave for Pakistan to continue its four-month overseas voyage to provide medical services for local residents.
For CRI, I’m Lucy Du.
(Source:crienglish)
“Peace Ark” provides medical treatment for foreign soldiers. It was the first time PLA Navy hospital ship “Peace Ark” provided medical treatment for foreign soldiers during its 10-day mission to Gulf of Aden. (Xinhua/Ju Zhenhua)
RFA Argus is the Royal Navy’s primary casualty receiving facility (PCRF). She is not a hospital ship (as defined by the Geneva Conventions) and carries weapons systems for self-defence and counter-piracy/counter-narcotics operations.
A&P completes Five Month refit of RFA Argus
A&P Falmouth has just completed a multi-million pound refit of Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Argus as part of the company’s through life support “cluster” contract with the Ministry of Defence.
Work started on January 21 this year and was completed in late June 13, involving an average of 200 A&P staff during the six month contract.
The work included upgrading lifeboats and davits, overhaul of the main engines, installation of an incinerator and shredder, new engine control systems, refurbishment of the ship’s hospital and a five-year paint and preservation package.
A&P Falmouth’s contract with the MOD for the long term maintenance of RFA ships was originally signed in 2008 and earlier this year was extended by five years, taking it to 2018 following a value for money review.
‘Grey’ ships now account for 50% of A&P Falmouth’s business.
Gerald Pitts, A&P’s Cluster Director, said: “It’s been a real team effort between A&P and the Ministry of Defence. This was an intricate job but thanks to meticulous planning, design development and equipment procurement that the cluster contract affords us, together with the excellent project management and hard work from the workforce, we’re delighted to have completed this complex refit. Value for money and quality of service are what this contract is all about.”
Kevin Murray, RFA Argus Cluster team Leader for the MOD, said: “The co-operation and close ties forged between A&P and the Ministry of Defence ensures that complex projects like the Argus refit are completed to a high standard which in turn delivers high levels of platform availability for Navy Command’.
RFA Argus is a Primary Casualty Receiving Facility, able to treat up to 100 casualties at a time ensuring wounded service personnel of any nationality can receive rapid medical care on operations. She also provides specialist aviation training facilities.
The Italian-built ship was originally a container ship and was requisitioned in 1982 for service in the Falklands War. This summer RFA Argus can be seen playing a starring role in the Brad Pitt zombie blockbuster World War Z, parts of which were filmed aboard in Falmouth in 2011.
In addition to RFA Argus under the cluster contract, A&P Falmouth also provides Through Life Support including refit and maintenance periods to RFA Mounts Bay, Cardigan Bay and Lyme Bay.
Lyme Bay is in Falmouth now undergoing routine maintenance and is due to leave in mid July 13. RFA Mounts Bay is due in Falmouth in late July 13 for further equipment upgrades before deployment and Argus will be back in August for final checks before deployment.
http://www.dca-pr.co.uk/Latest-News/A—P/A-P-completes-Five-Month-refit-of-RFA-Argus-123.aspx
Naval Matters 