Espora class frigate
Encyclopedia
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 frigate
s, the Espora class vessels have been classed in Argentina as corvette
s.
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.
Second Batch:
MEKO 140
The MEKO 140 is a frigate design by the German Blohm + Voss shipyard as part of the MEKO family of vessels.- Concept and development :MEKO is a concept in modern naval shipbuilding based on modularity of armament, electronics and other equipment, aiming at ease of maintenance and cost reduction...
type) corvettes were all commissioned between 1985 and 2004 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 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
Blohm + Voss
Blohm + Voss , is a German shipbuilding and engineering works. It is a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems; there were plans to sell 80% of Blohm + Voss to Abu Dhabi Mar Group, but talks collapsed in July 2011.-History:It was founded on April 5, 1877, by Hermann Blohm and Ernst Voss as a...
as a development of the Portuguese Navy
Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....
João Coutinho class
João Coutinho class corvette
The João Coutinho class corvettes were a series of corvettes built for the Portuguese Navy for service in Portugal's African colonies. The corvettes were designed in Portugal by naval engineer Rogério de Oliveira, but the urgent need of their services in the Portuguese Colonial War meant that the...
, 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"
Río 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...
shipyard, close to the city of La Plata
La Plata
La Plata is the capital city of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and of La Plata partido. According to the , the city proper has a population of 574,369 and its metropolitan area has 694,253 inhabitants....
in Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
. The contract was signed on 1 August 1979.
Although considered by its designers to be frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s, the Espora class vessels have been classed in Argentina as corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
s.
The ships currently serve in the High Seas Fleet ("Flota de Mar") of the Argentine Navy, based in 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, close to the city of Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca is a city located in the south-west of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, and seat of government of Bahía Blanca Partido. It has a population of 274,509 inhabitants according to the...
, Argentina.
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, 20400 shp tot.
- Max shaft horsepower: n/a shp max
- Speed: 27 knots (53 km/h)
- Range: 4000 nautical miles (7,408 km) at 18 knots (35 km/h)
- Armament
- 4 x AérospatialeAérospatialeAérospatiale was a French aerospace manufacturer that built both civilian and military aircraft, rockets and satellites. It was originally known as Société Nationale Industrielle Aérospatiale...
MM 38 ExocetExocetThe Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Hundreds were fired in combat during the 1980s.-Etymology:...
SSMSurface-to-surface missileA surface-to-surface missile is a guided projectile launched from a hand-held, vehicle mounted, trailer mounted or fixed installation or from a ship. They are often powered by a rocket motor or sometimes fired by an explosive charge, since the launching platform is typically stationary or moving... - 1 x 3/62 (76 mm) OTO MelaraOto MelaraOto Melara is an Italian defence company with factories in Brescia and La Spezia. It was founded in 1905 as a joint venture of Vickers and Terni. During World War I, Vickers Terni produced many weapons with calibre 40 mm and upwards. In 1929 the company was renamed Odero Terni Orlando with the...
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 torpedoTorpedoThe modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es, quantity n/a)
- 4 x Aérospatiale
- Aircraft: aft helicopter deck (and telescopic hangar in the second batch vessels); 1 SA-319B Alouette IIIAérospatiale Alouette IIIThe Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...
or 1 AS-555-SN FennecEurocopter Fennec|-See also:-References:* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.-External links:* * *...
helicopter - Complement:100
- Radar:
- Air/Surface Search & helicopter control: Signaal DA05 (equipped with IFFIdentification friend or foeIn telecommunications, identification, friend or foe is an identification system designed for command and control. It is a system that enables military and national interrogation systems to identify aircraft, vehicles, or forces as friendly and to determine their bearing and range from the...
). - Fire Control: Signaal WM2
- Navigation: DeccaDecca RadarThe Decca Company, a British gramophone manufacturer that, as Decca Records, released records under the Decca label, contributed to the British war effort during the Second World War...
TM 1226
- Air/Surface Search & helicopter control: Signaal DA05 (equipped with IFF
- 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.
Ships in the class
First Batch:- ARA EsporaARA Espora (P-41)ARA Espora is the lead ship of the MEKO 140A16 of six corvettes built for the Argentine Navy. The ship is the sixth ship to bear the name of Colonel Tomás Espora, who fought in the Argentine Navy during the Argentina-Brazil War.- Origin :...
- ARA RosalesARA Rosales (P-42)ARA Rosales is the second ship of the MEKO 140A16 Espora series of six corvettes built for the Argentine Navy. The ship is the fourth ship to bear the name of Colonel Leonardo Rosales, who fought in the Argentine Navy during Argentina's war of independence and the Argentina-Brazil...
- ARA SpiroARA Spiro (P-43)ARA Spiro 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...
Second Batch:
- ARA Parker ARA Parker (P-44)ARA Parker is the fourth 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 Captain Enrique Guillermo Parker, who fought in the Argentine Navy as its second-in-command during the Argentina-Brazil War.-Origin:Parker...
- ARA Robinson ARA Robinson (P-45)ARA Robinson is the fifth 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 Captain Carlos Robinson, who fought in the Argentine Navy during the Argentina-Brazil War and died commanding a squadron of gunboats during...
- ARA Gómez RocaARA Gómez Roca (P-46)ARA Gómez Roca is the sixth and last ship of the MEKO 140A16 Espora series of six corvettes built for the Argentine Navy. The ship is the first ship to bear the name of Lieutenant Commander Sergio Gómez Roca, who commanded the Argentine patrol ship ARA Alferez Sobral during the Falklands War and...
External links
- World Navies Today: Argentina 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)") 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