this section should actually not be here past operational deployments directed by comukmarfor commodore cunningham the previous comukcsg flew his flag throughout the january to may orion ' deployment as commander task group which included exercises with the indian navy aboard hms illustrious the naval task group for operation vela a three month deployment to west africa in was under the command of commander uk amphibious group commodore phil jones the vela deployment involved a significant number of royal navy and royal fleet auxiliary ships the royal marine commandos and helicopters the task group included hms albion hms ocean hms southampton hms argyll rfa wave knight rfa mounts bay rfa sir bedivere rfa fort austin hms enterprise rfa diligence rfa oakleaf mine counter measure squadron and a fleet submarine together with the fleet lead commando group consisting of commando royal marines commando independent engineering squadron commando royal artillery and assault squadron royal marines also involved were elements of fleet diving unit and b flight from rnas culdrose embarked in hms ocean for the deployment a tailored air group tag was formed consisting of sea king helicopters of naval air squadron naval air squadron merlin mk aircraft from naval air squadron and lynx helicopters of naval air squadron the vela task group conducted an amphibious exercise exercise green eagle in sierra leone task groups despatched to the far east since have included deployments in and in naval task group had been intended to take part in fpda exercises in the asia pacific region but was diverted for involvement in the iraq war eventually part of the naval task group including liverpool marlborough and rfa grey rover departed gulf waters after the intervention phase of the iraq war en route for exercise flying fish with commonwealth partners and members of the five power defence arrangements which are the united kingdom malaysia singapore australia and new zealand in exeter echo rfa diligence and rfa grey rover visited the asia pacific region in liverpool with rfa grey rover made such a deployment if no one objects after a week i'll edit or remove it