ARA La Argentina (D-11)
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 ARA Almirante Brown |
|
| Germany |  |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Blohm und Voss |
| Operators: |  Argentine Navy |
| In service: | 1983 |
| Ships in Class | |
| Ships in class: | 4 |
| Ships in active service: | ARA Almirante Brown ARA La Argentina ARA Heroina ARA Sarandi |
| General Characteristics | |
| Class type: | Multi-purpose frigate |
| Displacement: | 3,360 tons |
| Length: | 126 m |
| Beam: | 14 m |
| Draught: | 5.8 m |
| Propulsion and power: | COGAG (4 turbines) 36,000 shp |
| Speed: | 30.5 knots |
| Range: | 4,500 miles |
| Complement: | 224 |
| Armament: | 8 anti-ship missiles 24 surface-to-air missiles 1 dual purpose gun 8 anti-aircraft guns 6 torpedo tubes |
| Aircraft complement: | 1 helicopter |
For the training cruiser operated by the Argentine Navy between 1939 and 1974 see ARA La Argentina
ARA La Argentina (pennant number D-11) is the second ship of the MEKO 360H2 series of four destroyers built for the Argentine Navy. The ship is the eighth ship in the history of the Argentine Navy to bear the name of the corsair frigate La Argentina which conducted a privateer raid around the world against Spanish trade on 1817.
[edit] Origin
La Argentina and her sister ships were authorized under the Naval Construction National Plan of 1974, an initiative by the Argentine Navy to replace old World War II-vintage warships which were nearing the end of their operational lives. A contract was signed with the Blohm + Voss Shipyards in Hamburg, West Germany for the construction of four MEKO 360H2 destroyers.
[edit] Construction
La Argentina was launched on September 25th, 1981. The ship was delivered to the Argentine Navy on May 11th, 1983 for her sea trials, following which the ship departed for Argentina, arriving at Puerto Belgrano Naval Base on July 18th and being formally commissioned into the Navy on August 4th of that same year.
[edit] Service History
The ship emerged in 2006 from an overhaul which included the extension of her flight deck to allow for the operation of Sea King helicopters.
She is currently homeported at Puerto Belgrano as part of the Navy's 2nd Destroyer Division, along with her three sister ships.
