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
-
![US turns to allies to tackle navy shipbuilding backlog]()
US turns to allies to tackle navy shipbuilding backlog
A White House memorandum acknowledges US Navy shipbuilding backlogs and a weakened industrial base, opening a formal path for South Korean and Japanese yards to help rebuild capacity.
-
![US Navy’s $275 billion BBGN plan hinges on shipyard transformation]()
US Navy’s $275 billion BBGN plan hinges on shipyard transformation
The US Navy’s planned nuclear-powered warship carries a US$275 billion price tag, but the greater story lies in the industrial overhaul needed to build it, from AI-enabled design to digital twins and modular construction.
-
![Industry sees opportunity in Australia’s shift to networked undersea warfare]()
Industry sees opportunity in Australia’s shift to networked undersea warfare
Australia’s new defence innovation strategy indicates a shift from platform-centric to network-centric undersea warfare, with Ocius and Anduril Industries pointing to fast-growing opportunities for local industry.
