Argentinian Navy gets first new OPV
The first of four OPV 87 offshore patrol vessels has been delivered by Naval Group to the Argentinian Navy.
The vessel has undergone a ten-month upgrade and modernisation programme to prepare it for delivery to Argentina. Modifications have been carried out to the combat system to meet customer requirements, and to the propulsion system and freshwater production capacity. The vessel has also been fitted with a 30mm gun.
The Argentinian Navy’s future crew have received specific navigation training from Naval Group’s team.
Prior to the refit, the vessel was in service as L’Adroit with the French Navy from 2011 to 2018.
Alain Guillou, senior executive vice president, Naval Group, said: ‘We are very proud to deliver the first ship to the Argentinian Navy ahead of schedule. This is another demonstration of Naval Group’s commitment towards its customers and of its capability to respond to their operational needs.’
The 87m OPV is able to stay on mission for more than three weeks, and can travel at speeds of 20 knots and embark a helicopter. Manned by a reduced crew of forty personnel, it is also able to accommodate about twenty extra passengers.
The three remaining OPVs will be delivered from April 2021 at the pace of one unit every six months.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Canada’s selection of TKMS for its new patrol submarines reflects rising Arctic competition]()
Canada’s selection of TKMS for its new patrol submarines reflects rising Arctic competition
The decision points to deepening NATO cooperation and mounting competition in the Arctic and North Atlantic, as Canada opts for a European-designed solution despite interest from South Korea.
-
![US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies]()
US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies
The programme’s structure as a marketplace will allow multiple companies to compete for ongoing procurements; an approach which could be replicated across the Atlantic.
-
![UK Defence Investment Plan: What does it mean for the country’s naval forces?]()
UK Defence Investment Plan: What does it mean for the country’s naval forces?
Investment in nuclear submarines, autonomous systems and stronger defensive capabilities for existing vessels show a clear strategic shift in Royal Navy priorities.
-
![UK Royal Navy shifts focus from warships to system-led warfare]()
UK Royal Navy shifts focus from warships to system-led warfare
With a revised Defence Investment Plan on the way ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit on 7-8 July, the UK government has begun to reveal more details of how its future naval fleet could look.
