Furure of the Argentinian Navy

A lack of financial means always crying...

Cartography:
Of the entire Argentinian land aera, 1% (30,200 km2 (11,700 sq mi)) were of water (lakes/rivers).
Coastlines: 4,665 km (2,899 mi) in Atlantic coast; Argentine Sea has a surface of 386,102 sq. mi. (1,000,000 km²).

Personnal Strenght:
+/- 15000 sailors, (+/- 2000 naval aviation included), some conscripts + 2500 naval marines .

1 Command Ship (LCC)
1 Hecules
(Hércules), formerly a Type 42 AAW destroyer (commissioned by 1976), reconverted to fast Marine transport and command vessel by 1999/2000. Very likely to be retired during 2010’s without direct replacement.

4 Frigates
4 Almirante Brown
(Almirante Brown, La Argentina, Heroína, Sarandí), 3300 tons, 126 meters, highly modular warships in their time (1980’s). Commissioned by 1983/1984, now progressively ageing units (with probable +/- 30 years of life). Probably obsolete by late 2010’s and replaced by ???

3 Submarine
2 TR-1700
(Santa Cruz, San Juan), 1700/2100+ tons, 66 meters, highly effective SSK subs during the 1980’s. Commissioned by 1984/1985, now ageing units. Likely to be retired (and replaced ?) by late 2010’s ?.
2 furthers units were laid-up unfinished (Santa-Fe at 52/70 % and Santiago Del Estero at 30%). The Argentine Navy is perhaps planning to complete the “Santa-Fe” (the most advanced of the two hull), or even modify and convert it into nuclear submarine!. But the cost of such work, its (relative) small size and more especially the age of the uncompleted hull are, in all cases, this project seems doubtful. It would be better to scrap both hulls…

1 Type 209
(Salta), 1100/1800 tons, 64 meters, commissioned by 1974. Maybe to be retired without direct replacement during the 2010’s ?

+/- 9 Corvettes
Up to 5 PAM
Derived from the Chilean OPV design (built by ASMAR). First two ships currently ordered, others planned (all expected to be commissioned by 2016...)

6 Espora (Meko 140A)
(Espora, Rosales, Spiro, Parker, Robinson, Gómez Roca), 1500/1800 tons, 91 meters. First batch of four commissioned by 1985/1990, second batch of two suffered from MAJOR delays and commissioned by 2001/2005. Highly effective corvettes during the 1980’s. Now ageing units, likely to be retired by late 2010’s/late 2020’s.

3 Drummond
(Drummond, Guerrico, Granville), 1100 tons, 70 meters ASW coastal corvette (derived from the French A69 design). Commissioned by 1978, now relatively worn out…

+/- 6 Patrol Vessels
2 Murature
(Murature, King), 900 tons, riverine patrol-ships, so ageing (1945 era) that these ships could be considered as a museum ship.

4 Baradero class
(Baradero, Barranqueras, Clorinda, Concepción del Uruguay), unreliable data ?

2 Fast Attack Craft
2 Intrépida
(Intrépida, Indómita), 260 tons, 53 meters TNC 45 FAC design. Commissioned by 1974…now ageing units...

1 Large Amphibious ship
1 Bahía San Blas
(Bahía San Blas), 10 000+ tons, 119 meters. Commissioned by 1978, likely to be retired by late 2010’s.

+/- 8 Small Amphibious crafts:
8 LCVP
(EDVP 30/37), 13 tons, 10+ meters US LCVP style crafts.

4 Supply/Transport ships
1 Durance class
(Patagonia), 17 000 tons, 157 meters, ex-french Durance class AOE ship. French built by 1976, transferred by 2000.

1 Ingeniero Julio Krause
(Ingeniero Julio Krause), 8000+ tons oiler, 111 meters. Ex-civilian ship (built 1981), transferred by 1993.

2 Costa Sur class
(Canal de Beagle, Cabo de Hornos), 7000/10000 tons, 119 meters, mix cargos/amphibious transports, built by 1978/1979.

+/- 14 Auxiliary Ships
1 Teniente Olivieri
(Teniente Olivieri), fleet tugs, 1600 tons, 56 meters, built by 1981.

2 "Ex-Abnaki" class
(Francisco de Gurruchaga, Suboficial Castillo), fleet tug, 1200/1700+ tons, 62 meters. Nearly a museum ship class (EX US “Abnaki” tugs class built by 1944/1945 !!!), transferred to argentinia by 1975/1993. Likely to be retired in a near future.

2 "Ex-USCG" ships
(Ciudad de Zárate, Ciudad de Rosario), 500+ tons, 47 meters, multi-purpose auxiliary ship. Ex-USCG ships built by 1964/1970, transferred to Argentina by 1999.

1 Alférez Sobral
(Alférez Sobral), coastal tug, 800+ tons, 43 meters. Nearly a museum ship (Ex US coastal tug built by 1944…), transferred to Argentina by 1975. Likely to be retired in a near future.

1 Punta Alta
(Punta Alta) , unreliable data ?

1 training (sail) Ship
(Libertad), 3700 tons, 103 meters, built by 1962.

1 Icebreaker
(Almirante Irizar), 14800 tons, 121 meters, commissioned by late 1978. Likely to remain in service until late 2010’s.

1 Oceanographic Ship
(Puerto Deseado), 2400 tons, 76 meters. Commissioned by late 1978. Likely to remain in service until late 2010’s.

2 Hydrographic Vessels
(Comodoro Rivadavia, Cormoran), 800+ tons, 52 meters. Commissioned by late 1974.

2 ocean fleet tugs
(Querandi, Tehuelche), 370 tons, 33 meters, built by 1978. Naval Infantry (

6 Patrol-Crafts:
4 Dabur class
(P-61/P-64), 31 tons, 19 meters, Israeli “Dabur” type crafts. Commissioned by 1978/1979.

2 82ft Point class
(P-65/66), 64 tons,25 meters, EX-US “Point class”, built by 1970 and transferred by 1980

Naval Aviation
Naval-Aircrafts :
- 3 Super-Etendard Maritime
- 7 Beechcraft Super-King:
- 5 S-2 Tracker;
- 6 P-3C Orion (2 or 3 airworthy)
- 10 T-34C-1 Mentor
- 2 Fokker F-28
- 1 Pilatus PC-6

Naval-Helicopters :
- 6 UH-1H (to be transferred to argentine land army)
- 4 AS-555 Fennec
- 2 S-61R ASW
- Up to 6 S-61 Sea-King

Argentine Coast-Guards:

5 Off-Shore Patrol Vessels
5 Halcon II
(Doctor Manuel Mantilla, Azopardo, Thompson, Prefecto-Fique, Prefecto-Derbes). 1000 tons, 67 meters, commissioned by 1982/1983.

2 Mid-Shore Patrol Vessels
2 Lynch class
(GC-21/22), 100 tons,27 meters, built by 1964/1967.

+/- 122 Inshore Patrol Vessels
1 Bazan 39 class
(GC-142), 14 tons, 11+ meters, built 1997.

18 Z-28
(GC-64 to GC-81), 81 tons.

8 Stan-Tender 2200
(GC-122,123,124,125,129,130,150,151), 55 tons, 23+ meters, built by 1979/1980.

3 Stan Tender 1750
(GC-118,119,133), 60 tons, 16 meters.

10 Damen Alucat 1050
(GC-137,138,139,143,144,145,146,147,148,149), 10 tons, 11+ meters, built by 1994/2000.

33 Damen Alucat 850
(GC-152 through CG-184), 9 tons, 9+ meters, built by 1995/2000

34 GC-48
(GC-48/61; GC-88/95; GC-102/114), 13 tons, 12+ meters, built by 1978/1986.

6 Cat 1100
(GC 120, 126, 131, 132, 141, SP 25).

3 Cat 1100
(GC-135, 136, 140)

6 RHIB
(SR-2901 through SR-2906; 21 ft), built by 2004/2005

Maybe a handful of very old crafts (1930’s/1950’s vintage) still in service + few others various harbors crafts.

Argentine Coast-Guard Naval-Aviation
Aircrafts:
- 5 C-212-300 Casa
- 2 PA-28 Piper Cherockee

Helicopters:
- 1 SA-330L Puma
- 4 AS-365N2 Dauphin 2
- 4 Scheizer 300

Argentine Marines (+/- 2500 troops)
Armored vehicles/AIFV: 12+ ERC-90F Sagaie
Armored vehicles: Some M1114 HMMWV, 6 Grenadier, 36 M-3 Panhard
Amphibious Armored Vehicles: 15 LARC-5, 10 LVTP-7
Artillery (towed, all 105mm): 6 M-101, 12 Model 56 Pack Howitzer
Recoiless Rifles: 30 M-1974 FMK-1 (105mm), 60 M-20 (89mm)
SAM: Few RBS-70 missiles, some 30 and 35mm AA guns

The Argentinean Navy is (partially) haunted by the "Falklands syndrome". After the audacious acquisition programs of the 1970-1979’s era, the Argentine navy known (following the 1982 defeat), twenty years of tight-budgets. Budget unfortunately further reduced by the severe 2001 crisis…But despite limited resources, it becomes likely that the 2010's decade should see the arrival of new acquisition programs (frigates/OPV/SSK). And this simply because some Argentinian ships reaches the age of retirement.

Next fleet review/editorial: Future of the Australian Navy.

As usual, It may be that in my opinion, I forgot programs ? (or made few mistakes ?, especially for the auxiliary and smaller ships), then said it ! Feel free to comment and give your opinion !