MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean Navy receives first of two state of the art submarines

The Chilean Navy brand new submarine “O'Higgins” built by a French-Spanish consortium is scheduled to arrive in Valparaíso Friday.

The country's top officials and military commanders will be present when the vessel arrives from Cherbourg, France after 50 days navigation.

"O'Higgins" is the first of two conventional submarines Scorpone Class which the Chilean Navy ordered from the French-Spanish DCN shipyards and can alternatively be diesel or electrically powered

Alter months of intense and successful trials "O'Higgins" finally left last October and called in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, and Colon before crossing the Panama Canal.

The new state of the art conventional submarine is 66,4 metres long and 6,2 wide with a surface displacement of 1.525 tons and 1.668 tons when submerged. Apparently she can travel at 20 knots submerged and as deep as 300 metres. She has a crew of 38 and 50 days sea autonomy.

A second similar Scorporne unit, "Carrera" is scheduled to be delivered in Chile next year.

The two submarines cost 450 million US dollars and will be replacing two former British built submersibles decommissioned from the Chilean Navy after thirty years service.