Almirante Brown-class destroyer
ARA Sarandí in 1990
| |
Class overview | |
---|---|
Name | Almirante Brown class |
Builders | Blohm+Voss |
Operators | Argentine Navy |
Preceded by | Hércules class |
Built | 1980–1984 |
In service | 1983–present |
Planned | 6 |
Completed | 4 |
Cancelled | 2 |
Active | 3 |
Retired | 1 |
General characteristics | |
Type | MEKO 360H2 destroyer |
Displacement |
|
Length | |
Beam | 15 m (49 ft 3 in) |
Draught | 5.8 m (19 ft 0 in) |
Propulsion | |
Speed | 30.5 knots (56.5 km/h; 35.1 mph) |
Range | 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
Complement | 200 |
Armament |
|
Aircraft carried | 1 helicopter |
Aviation facilities | Helicopter deck and hangar |
The Almirante Brown class is a class (MEKO 360H2 type) of warships built for the Argentine Navy. They were commissioned between 1983 and 1984, after the Falklands War. The class comprised four ships; Almirante Brown, La Argentina, Heroína and Sarandí. Heronia was retired in 2024 after a period of prolonged inactivity.[2]
The ships are classified as either frigates or destroyers by different publications. The MEKO 360 type warships are based on modular designs which allow quick changes to the vessel's armaments depending on mission requirements. The modular nature of the construction also allows the ships to be modernized or refitted with greater ease. Six vessels were initially ordered, however two ships were cancelled and replaced with orders for MEKO 140 type hulls.
Ordered in 1979, construction of the ships was delayed as the British turbines were embargoed after the Falklands War. Furthermore, the acquisition of
Design and description
Six vessels were ordered and four vessels of a second variant, MEKO 360H2, were constructed for Argentina. They were locally named the Almirante Brown class. They are considered frigates[3] and destroyers[4] by different publications. The design is based on the concept of modular systems and is capable of changing the armament of the ship swiftly and can be modernized/refitted with more ease.[3] Each ship is capable of being used as a flagship.[4]
The ships have a
The Argentinian vessels are armed with eight Exocet MM-40 surface-to-surface missiles in two quad launchers mounted centrally and one octuple launcher for Aspide surface-to-air missiles mounted aft of the superstructure. The MEKO 360H2 are also equipped with one OTO Melara 5-inch (127 mm)/54 calibre naval gun forward of the superstructure, eight Bofors 40 mm/70 calibre guns, and two triple-mounted 324 mm (13 in) ILAS torpedo tubes.[4]
The ships are equipped with a Graseby G1738 towed decoy countermeasure system, two Breda 105 mm (4 in) SCLAR chaff rocket launchers with each launcher sporting 20 tubes. For
All of the Almirante Brown class are equipped with a helicopter deck and hangar. They all deploy with AS 555 Fennec helicopters, while only La Argentina and Sarandí can employ SH-3D Sea King helicopters. The ships have a complement of 200, including 26 officers.[4]
Ships
Almirante Brown class construction data[4] | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Number | Shipyard | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Status | |
Almirante Brown | D-10 | Blohm+Voss, Hamburg, Germany | 8 September 1980 | 28 March 1981 | 26 January 1983 | In service | |
La Argentina | D-11 | 30 March 1981 | 25 September 1981 | 4 May 1983 | In service | ||
Heroína | D-12 | 24 August 1981 | 17 February 1982 | 31 October 1983 | Decommissioned 2024 | ||
Sarandí | D-13 | 9 March 1982 | 31 August 1982 | 16 April 1984 | In service | ||
Rivadavia | D-14 | Cancelled | |||||
Moreno | D-15 |
Construction and career
Initially, six vessels were ordered, but this was later reduced to four after an order for six
In 2006, La Argentina completed a two-year refit which included extensions to the flight deck to accommodate the Sea King helicopters. Sarandí underwent a similar refit in 2008–2010. The four vessels form the 2nd Destroyer Squadron, based at
See also
Notes
- ^ "Almirante Brown class". military-today.com. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
- ^ Piñeiro, Luis (26 March 2024). "El destructor Clase MEKO 360 ARA "Heroína" de la Armada Argentina al desguace tras una historia rocambolesca". defensa.com. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 8.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Saunders 2009, p. 12.
- ^ "Argentine navy short on spares and resources for training and maintenance". MercoPress. 22 November 2012. Archived from the original on 28 December 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ "Proyectos de Investigación y Desarrollo en la Armada Argentina". Zona-Militar.com (in Spanish). 13 October 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-10-27. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
Bibliography
- Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
- Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009–2010 (112 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 978-0-7106-2888-6.
Further reading
- Bourdette, Ignacio Amendolara. Guia de los buques de la Armada Argentina 2005-2006. ISBN 987-43-9400-5. (Spanish/English text)
External links