MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean Navy renews RN units with Dutch frigates

After four decades of service the Chilean Navy is decommissioning a destroyer and a frigate originally built for the Royal Navy.

Destroyer "Prat" and frigate "Zenteno", the former HMS Norfolk and HMS Achilles, are to be replaced next Friday with two refurbished Dutch frigates, as part of a renewal program of the Chilean Navy which involved the acquisition of eight units for the surface fleet and two brand new conventional submarines built in Spanish and French shipyards.

"Prat" was built in Swan Hunter yards and launched in 1966. In April 1982 the former HMS Norfolk was incorporated to the Chilean Navy with which she had leading roles in naval exercises with French, Brazilian, United States and South Korean units.

HMS Achilles was built in Scotland, and launched 1970, and finally sold to the Chileans in 1991.

Both units while under Chilean flag underwent several refurbishing and upgrading.