The RFA's carry a large amount of equipment, but the most important cargo any nation could take out there is .... Expertise\manpower.
The Royal Marines will obviously help in reconstruction but in my experience they will also take over the role of security and helping to maintain law and order. Lusty has embarked military personnel to help and these folks have a great wealth of expertise regarding all things mechanical but I will tactfully point out that jolly jack trains for these exact situations. I have absolutely no idea what type of training other services offer before their units forward deploy.
It is possible that Illustrious might relieve the destroyer as sadly one ship can only be in one place and does the Navy have the luxury of fulfilling all their commitments whilst that ship is not where it should be?
We talk about where an RFA is best suited but the very sad reality is that these amazing ships and their civilian crews are already carry out roles that historically have been the domain of a warship! I am thinking of the anti-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia and the West Indies Guard ship. These are commitments for warships and not one for an RFA even though they embark a number of sailors and Royal Marines.
Can I suggest the Royal Navy has not just been slimmed down to the bone... and this skeleton might now be having bones removed!! No good saying enough is enough as it looks like our government is determined to inflict even more cutbacks.
Hopefully the RAF will ensure the aid they take out, will get to those most deserving??
Three cheers for all our personnel involved in helping out with this disaster and apologies for the rant
Oh and I heard the commanding officer of Illustrious talk about using seven helicopters??
She would usually carry Sea King Mk4, Merlin HM1 and Lynx Mk7