ARA Spiro (P-43)
Encyclopedia
ARA Spiro (P-43) is the third ship of the MEKO 140A16 Espora
series of six corvettes built for the Argentine Navy
. The ship is the second ship to bear the name of the Greek-born Captain Samuel Spiro
, who fought during the Argentine War of Independence
and blew himself up with his ship rather than surrendering to the Spanish forces following the battle of Arroyo de la China, in 1814.
-vintage ships with more advanced warships. The original plan called for six MEKO 360H2
destroyers, four of them to be built in Argentina, but the plan was later modified to include four MEKO destroyers and six corvettes for anti-surface warfare and patrol operations.
of the Astilleros y Fábricas Navales del Estado (State Shipyards and Naval Factories) state corporation. Her keel
was laid down on 2 October 1982, and was launched on 24 June 1983. The ship was officially delivered to the Navy on 26 November 1987, and formally commissioned on 9 May 1988.
participated as part of a multinational task force in the United Nations
-mandated blockade of Iraq
following its invasion of Kuwait
. She participated in patrol and escort missions as part of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, returning to Argentina
on May 30, 1991.
Spiro also participated in several naval exercises and conducted fishery patrol duties in the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone
, capturing three illegal fishing ships between 1991 and 1994.
She is homeported at Puerto Belgrano
Naval Base and is part of the Navy's 2nd Corvette Division with her five sister ships.
Espora class frigate
The Espora class corvettes were all commissioned between 1985 and 2004 for the Argentine Navy, the first four in 1985-1990 and the last two in 2001-2004....
series of six corvettes built for the Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
. The ship is the second ship to bear the name of the Greek-born Captain Samuel Spiro
Samuel Spiro
Miguel Samuel Spiro was born in Hydra Island, Greece. He emigrated to Buenos Aires with his two brothers in 1810, and was an early supporter of the May Revolution that year....
, who fought during the Argentine War of Independence
Argentine War of Independence
The Argentine War of Independence was fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown...
and blew himself up with his ship rather than surrendering to the Spanish forces following the battle of Arroyo de la China, in 1814.
Origin
Spiro and her sister ships were part of the 1974 Naval Constructions National Plan, an initiative by the Argentine Navy to replace old World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-vintage ships with more advanced warships. The original plan called for six MEKO 360H2
Almirante Brown class destroyer
The Almirante Brown is a class of destroyers commissioned between 1983 and 1984 for the Argentine Navy. As of 2005, ARA Sarandí is the Argentinian fleet flagship.-Specifications:...
destroyers, four of them to be built in Argentina, but the plan was later modified to include four MEKO destroyers and six corvettes for anti-surface warfare and patrol operations.
Construction
Spiro was constructed at the Río Santiago ShipyardRío Santiago Shipyard
The Rio Santiago Shipyard is a shipyard situated in the city of Ensenada, province of Buenos Aires, at the shores of the Santiago River. It has been one of the major active and important shipyards in Latin America. Founded in 1953, it has realized diverse functions in the naval, industrial and...
of the Astilleros y Fábricas Navales del Estado (State Shipyards and Naval Factories) state corporation. Her keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
was laid down on 2 October 1982, and was launched on 24 June 1983. The ship was officially delivered to the Navy on 26 November 1987, and formally commissioned on 9 May 1988.
Service history
On September 25, 1990, Spiro and the destroyer Almirante BrownARA Almirante Brown (D-10)
ARA Almirante Brown is the lead ship of the MEKO 360H2 series of four destroyers built for the Argentine Navy. The ship is the ninth ship in the history of the Argentine Navy to be named for Admiral William Brown, the founder and commander of the Argentine Navy during Argentina's war of...
participated as part of a multinational task force in the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
-mandated blockade of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
following its invasion of Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. She participated in patrol and escort missions as part of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, returning to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
on May 30, 1991.
Spiro also participated in several naval exercises and conducted fishery patrol duties in the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
, capturing three illegal fishing ships between 1991 and 1994.
She is homeported at Puerto Belgrano
Puerto Belgrano
Base Naval Puerto Belgrano is the largest naval base of the Argentine Navy, situated next to Punta Alta, near Bahía Blanca, about south of Buenos Aires...
Naval Base and is part of the Navy's 2nd Corvette Division with her five sister ships.