MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine shipyard Tandanor to handle maintenance of French-built OPVs

Taiana will discuss ordering French-built submarines next month

Argentina's Navy top brass have met with executives from France's Naval Group and the local shipyard Tandanor to move on with the training of technicians for the maintenance of the four ocean patrol vessels (OPVs) purchased in the last year.

Tandanor's President Miguel Angel Tudino told Infodefensa.com that Olivier Michel, Naval Grou's commercial manager, had sent a note proposing that the local shipyard handled the maintenance of the OPVs, which was accepted. It was also agreed upon by the Navy, it was reported.

The new meeting took place the same week Argentine Navy authorities expressed their interest in purchasing up to four Scorpène class submarines, manufactured by Naval Group.

Further talks are expected to take place when Defense Minister Jorge Taiana travels in April to France to take delivery of the newest OPV, the ARA Cordero.
The Piriou shipyard recently reported that the ARA Cordero has completed a new stage of sea trials. This is the fourth and last vessel acquired by the Argentine Navy from Naval Group and is expected to be delivered in mid-April. After the sinking of the ARA San Juan, the Argentine Navy has no active submarines.

The ARA Cordero, launched on September 21, 2021, belongs to the new generation of OPVs designed by the French naval defense company. It is a monohull vessel of 87 meters in length, 13.6 meters in beam, and 3.8 meters in draft. This type of ship is propelled by two V16 diesel engines that give it a range of 7,500 nautical miles (13,890 kilometers) sailing at 12 knots and can reach a maximum speed of 21 knots (approximately 38 kilometers per hour), with a specially refurbished hull for navigation in waters close to Antarctica.

It is armed with a Leonardo 30 mm cannon and two M2 12.7 mm machine guns. It also has a series of sensors, radars, and electronic warfare systems. The ship has two Zodiac Hurricane semi-rigid boats, one 9 meters and the other 7.5 meters long; and an extra rescue boat, in addition to its capacity to transport a helicopter of up to ten tons.

(Source: Infodefensa.com)