Espora class corvette
 ARA Espora (P-41) frigate (classified by the Argentine Navy as "corvette") |
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | AFNE "Río Santiago" |
| Operators: |  Argentine Navy |
| Subclasses: | Espora |
| In commission: | 1985 |
| Completed: | 6 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Multi-purpose frigate |
| Displacement: | 1,790 tons |
| Length: | 91.2 m |
| Beam: | 11.1 m |
| Draught: | 4.5 m |
| Propulsion: | 2 Diesel engines 20,400 shp (15,200 kW) 2 shafts/propellers |
| Speed: | 27 knots (50 km/h) |
| Range: | 4,000 nautical miles (7,000 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h) |
| Complement: | 100 |
| Armament: | 4 x Exocet anti-ship missiles 1 x 76 mm dual purpose gun 4 x 40 mm anti-aircraft guns 2 x .50cal machine guns 6 x 324 mm torpedo tubes |
| Aircraft carried: | 1 helicopter |
The Espora class (MEKO 140A16 type) corvettes were all commissioned between 1985 and 2004 for the Argentine Navy, the first four (P-41 to P-44) in 1985-1990 and the last two (P-45/46) in 2001-2004.
The ships were designed by the German shipyard Blohm + Voss as a development of the Portuguese Navy João Coutinho class, begun by the Portuguese naval engineer Rogério de Oliveira in the late 1960s. All the ships of the class were built in Argentina at the AFNE "Río Santiago" shipyard, close to the city of La Plata in Buenos Aires Province. The contract was signed on 1 August 1979.
Although considered by its designers to be frigates, the Espora class vessels have been classed in Argentina as corvettes.
The ships currently serve in the High Seas Fleet ("Flota de Mar") of the Argentine Navy, based in Puerto Belgrano Naval Base, close to the city of Bahía Blanca, Argentina.
Contents |
[edit] Specifications
- Displacement: n/a tons (empty); 1,790 tons (full load)
- Length: n/a ft (91.2 m)
- Beam: n/a ft (11.1 m)
- Draught: n/a ft (4.5 m)
- Propulsion:
- 2 shafts / propellers
- 2 Semt-Pielstick 16 PC2-5 V 400 diesel engines, 20,400 shp (15,200 kW) tot.
- Max shaft horsepower: n/a shp max
- Speed: 27 knots (50 km/h)
- Range: 4,000 nautical miles (7,000 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
- Armament
- 4 x Aérospatiale MM 38 Exocet SSM
- 1 x 3/62 (76 mm) OTO Melara DP compact gun
- 2 x twin 40 mm 70-cal. OTO Melara (Breda Bofors) AA guns
- 2 x 12.7 mm machine guns
- 2 x triple 324 mm ILAS-3 ASW torpedo tubes (Whitehead AS-244 torpedoes, quantity n/a)
- Aircraft: aft helicopter deck (and telescopic hangar in the second batch vessels); 1 SA-319B Alouette III or 1 AS-555-SN Fennec helicopter
- Complement:100
- Radar:
- Sonar: Atlas Elektronik ASO 4 (hull)
- Electronic Warfare
- Decoys: (no details available)
- Datalink: Signaal Sewaco
- Weapons Control System: Signaal WM22/41, Lirod director (radar/optronic)
- Concept/Program: German designed, Argentine built general purpose frigates (classified as "corvettes" by the Argentine navy).
- Builder: AFNE "Rio Santiago" shipyard, La Plata, Argentina.
- Designer: Blohm + Voss, Hamburg, Germany.
- Design: MEKO 140 modular design.
[edit] Ships in the class
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Espora class corvette |
First Batch:
Second Batch:
[edit] References
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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (June 2008) |
- Official website (Spanish)
[edit] Bibliography
- Guia de los buques de la Armada Argentina 2005-2006. Ignacio Amendolara Bourdette, ISBN 987-43-9400-5, Editor n/a. (Spanish/English text)
[edit] External links
- World Navies Today: Argentina
- (Spanish) Argentine Navy (ARA) official site – High Seas Fleet page, with class specifications & pictures for all the ships of ARA (This class is under the heading Corbetas Clase "ESPORA (MEKO 140)")
- (Spanish) Argentine Navy (ARA) official site – direct link to this class specifications & pictures
- ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems website – Surface vessels page (formerly Blohm+Voss shipyards), only lists “current” products
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