Evacuation from Lebanon
The UK has begun evacuating British nationals from Lebanon in what one minister predicted could become the largest such operation since Dunkirk.
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THE LOGISTICS
The government says it is in contact with all of the estimated 12,000 British nationals and 10,000 dual nationals in Lebanon
It believes most dual nationals may opt to stay, while many expats now living in Lebanon may also want to remain
People have registered after phoning or e-mailing Foreign Office officials and giving contact details
They have been told to stand by for short-notice evacuation
And they are being advised to listen to English-speaking radio and television and to check the Foreign Office website for updates
THE OPERATION
The government is not revealing many details for security reasons, but it has confirmed that two warships - HMS York and HMS Gloucester - are in the area, and three more - HMS Illustrious, HMS Bulwark and HMS St Albans - plus RFA support vessel Fort Victoria are on their way.
Ministry of Defence Chinook helicopters were used to take the first "high-priority" Britons out of Lebanon on Monday. They will continue to operate where conditions allow, and more Chinooks, Sea Kings and other RAF helicopters are on their way to the area.
The helicopters are ferrying people to the ships off the Lebanese coast, from where they will be taken to Cypriot ports.
The government is not prepared to say whether ferries will also be chartered, as some other governments have done, or give details of where Britons will leave from.
Beirut's airport and main roads are closed and ports blockaded, and sea evacuation is considered the best option at the moment - although only with co-operation from Lebanon and Israel.
The British ships will ferry evacuees to Cyprus, some 150 miles away, via the ports of Larnaca and Limassol - journeys of five to eight hours.
A rapid deployment team from the Foreign Office will meet them and supervise onward travel, either back to the UK or in some cases to temporary shelter at RAF bases.
HMS GLOUCESTER
Type 42 destroyer
Launched 1982
5,200 tonnes
141m
Max speed: 30 knots
Twin Sea Dart missile launcher; 114mm Mk 8 gun; two 20mm close-range guns; two Vulcan Phalanx close-in weapons system; two triple anti-submarine torpedo tubes. Lynx MK 8 helicopters.
Complement: 312 (max). Can carry 500-750 evacuees in addition to its crew
HMS YORK
Type 42 destroyer
Launched 1982
5,200 tonnes
141m
Max speed: 30 knots
Twin Sea Dart missile launcher; 114mm Mk 8 gun; two 20mm close-range guns; two Vulcan Phalanx close-in weapons system; two triple anti-submarine torpedo tubes. Lynx MK 8 helicopters.
Complement: 312 (max). Can carry 500-750 evacuees in addition to its crew
HMS ST ALBANS
Type 23 frigate
Launched 2000
4,900 tonnes
133m long
Speed: 28 knots
Two Quad Harpoon missile launchers; vertical-launch Sea Wolf anti-missile system; 114mm MK 8 gun; two 30mm close-range guns, and two anti-submarine torpedo tubes. MK 8 Lynx helicopters
Complement: 185
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
Aircraft carrier. UK's most powerful warship.
Launched 1977
22,000 tonnes
210m long
Max speed: 30 knots
Three Goalkeeper anti-aircraft/anti-missile systems and two 20mm close-range guns. Can carry Harrier jets and Sea King, Chinook and Merlin helicopters
Full complement: 1,100 staff - 726 ship's company and 384 air personnel. Could hold large number of evacuees
HMS BULWARK
Amphibious assault ship
Launched 2001
18,500 tonnes
176m
Speed: 18 knots
Two Goalkeeper anti-missile systems; two 20mm close-range guns; four machine-gun positions; electronic warfare system. Up to six tanks or 30 armoured carriers; floodable well dock which can take four landing craft; flight deck for up to two medium-sized helicopters.
Complement: 325 plus up to 700 troops
RFA FORT VICTORIA
Fleet-replenishment ship, providing stores and tanker facilities for Royal Navy vessels.
Launched 1990
31,565 tonnes
204m
Max speed: 22 knots
Four MSI defence systems; 30mm guns; two 20mm close-in weapon systems. Can take up to five Sea King or Merlin helicopters, and flight deck can be used as emergency landing facility for Harrier VTOL aircraft
Complement: 288 (max)
CHINOOK HELICOPTER
Military transport helicopter
23 tonnes
16m
Max speed: 185mph (300km/h)
Can take two M-134 six-barrelled guns and M-60 machine gun
Can carry 54 troops or 11 tonnes of equipment, including two Land Rovers
Taken fromBBC news
The UK has begun evacuating British nationals from Lebanon in what one minister predicted could become the largest such operation since Dunkirk.
#THE LOGISTICS
The government says it is in contact with all of the estimated 12,000 British nationals and 10,000 dual nationals in Lebanon
It believes most dual nationals may opt to stay, while many expats now living in Lebanon may also want to remain
People have registered after phoning or e-mailing Foreign Office officials and giving contact details
They have been told to stand by for short-notice evacuation
And they are being advised to listen to English-speaking radio and television and to check the Foreign Office website for updates
THE OPERATION
The government is not revealing many details for security reasons, but it has confirmed that two warships - HMS York and HMS Gloucester - are in the area, and three more - HMS Illustrious, HMS Bulwark and HMS St Albans - plus RFA support vessel Fort Victoria are on their way.
Ministry of Defence Chinook helicopters were used to take the first "high-priority" Britons out of Lebanon on Monday. They will continue to operate where conditions allow, and more Chinooks, Sea Kings and other RAF helicopters are on their way to the area.
The helicopters are ferrying people to the ships off the Lebanese coast, from where they will be taken to Cypriot ports.
The government is not prepared to say whether ferries will also be chartered, as some other governments have done, or give details of where Britons will leave from.
Beirut's airport and main roads are closed and ports blockaded, and sea evacuation is considered the best option at the moment - although only with co-operation from Lebanon and Israel.
The British ships will ferry evacuees to Cyprus, some 150 miles away, via the ports of Larnaca and Limassol - journeys of five to eight hours.
A rapid deployment team from the Foreign Office will meet them and supervise onward travel, either back to the UK or in some cases to temporary shelter at RAF bases.
HMS GLOUCESTER
Type 42 destroyer
Launched 1982
5,200 tonnes
141m
Max speed: 30 knots
Twin Sea Dart missile launcher; 114mm Mk 8 gun; two 20mm close-range guns; two Vulcan Phalanx close-in weapons system; two triple anti-submarine torpedo tubes. Lynx MK 8 helicopters.
Complement: 312 (max). Can carry 500-750 evacuees in addition to its crew
HMS YORK
Type 42 destroyer
Launched 1982
5,200 tonnes
141m
Max speed: 30 knots
Twin Sea Dart missile launcher; 114mm Mk 8 gun; two 20mm close-range guns; two Vulcan Phalanx close-in weapons system; two triple anti-submarine torpedo tubes. Lynx MK 8 helicopters.
Complement: 312 (max). Can carry 500-750 evacuees in addition to its crew
HMS ST ALBANS
Type 23 frigate
Launched 2000
4,900 tonnes
133m long
Speed: 28 knots
Two Quad Harpoon missile launchers; vertical-launch Sea Wolf anti-missile system; 114mm MK 8 gun; two 30mm close-range guns, and two anti-submarine torpedo tubes. MK 8 Lynx helicopters
Complement: 185
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
Aircraft carrier. UK's most powerful warship.
Launched 1977
22,000 tonnes
210m long
Max speed: 30 knots
Three Goalkeeper anti-aircraft/anti-missile systems and two 20mm close-range guns. Can carry Harrier jets and Sea King, Chinook and Merlin helicopters
Full complement: 1,100 staff - 726 ship's company and 384 air personnel. Could hold large number of evacuees
HMS BULWARK
Amphibious assault ship
Launched 2001
18,500 tonnes
176m
Speed: 18 knots
Two Goalkeeper anti-missile systems; two 20mm close-range guns; four machine-gun positions; electronic warfare system. Up to six tanks or 30 armoured carriers; floodable well dock which can take four landing craft; flight deck for up to two medium-sized helicopters.
Complement: 325 plus up to 700 troops
RFA FORT VICTORIA
Fleet-replenishment ship, providing stores and tanker facilities for Royal Navy vessels.
Launched 1990
31,565 tonnes
204m
Max speed: 22 knots
Four MSI defence systems; 30mm guns; two 20mm close-in weapon systems. Can take up to five Sea King or Merlin helicopters, and flight deck can be used as emergency landing facility for Harrier VTOL aircraft
Complement: 288 (max)
CHINOOK HELICOPTER
Military transport helicopter
23 tonnes
16m
Max speed: 185mph (300km/h)
Can take two M-134 six-barrelled guns and M-60 machine gun
Can carry 54 troops or 11 tonnes of equipment, including two Land Rovers
Taken fromBBC news