Almirante Brown-class destroyer

ARA Sarandí (D-13) in 1990
Class overview
Builders:	Blohm + Voss
Operators:	Argentine Navy
In service:	1983
Completed:	4
Active:	ARA Almirante Brown ARA La Argentina ARA Heroína ARA Sarandi
General characteristics
Displacement:	3,360 tons
Length:	126 m (413 ft)
Beam:	14 m (46 ft)
Draught:	5.8 m (19 ft)
Propulsion:	COGAG (4 turbines) 36,000 shp (27,000 kW)
Speed:	30.5 knots (56.5 km/h)
Range:	4,500 mi (7,200 km)
Complement:	224
Armament:	8 Exocet anti-ship missiles 24 Aspide surface-to-air missiles 1 5 inch Oto Melara Otobreda 127/54 Compact dual purpose gun 8 anti-aircraft guns 6 torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried:	1 helicopter
Aviation facilities:	helicopter deck and hangar

The Almirante Brown class is a class (MEKO 360H2 type) of warships built in Germany for the Argentine Navy. They were commissioned between 1983 and 1984, after the Falklands War. Argentina classifies them as destroyers, reflecting that they are the main warships of the Argentine fleet, but they are similar to general-purpose frigates of other nations.

The Argentine Navy struggles to meet maintenance and training requirements because of financial problems and import restrictions. The Almirante Brown class were reported to be short of spares and suffering engine problems. In addition it has been reported that the ordinance for the ships is past its expiration date.

Specifications

• Displacement: 2,900 tons (empty); 3,360 tons (full load)
• Length: 413 ft (125.9 m)
• Beam: 49 ft(15 m)
• Draught: 19 ft(5.8 m)
• Propulsion:
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 Rolls-Royce Tyne RM-1C cruise gas turbines, 10,200 shp (7,600 kW) tot.
  • 2 Rolls-Royce Olympus TM-3B boost gas turbines, 25,800 shp (19,200 kW) tot.
  • Max shaft horsepower: 51,600 shp (38,500 kW) max
• Speed: 30.5 knots (56.5 km/h)
• Range: 4,500 nautical miles (8,330 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
• Armament
  • 8 × MM40 Exocet SSM
  • 1 × 8-cell Albatros SAM (24 Aspide missiles)
  • 1 × OTO Melara Otobreda 127/54 Compact
  • 4 × twin 40 mm 70-cal. OTO Melara AA
  • 12.7 mm machine guns
  • 2 × triple 324 mm Whitehead Sistemi Subacquei ILAS-3 ASW torpedo tubes (18 torpedoes tot.)'
  • 1 × depth charge rack (9 depth charges)
• Aircraft: aft helicopter deck and hangar; 1 Alouette III or 1 AS-555-SN Fennec
• Complement:224
• Radar: DA-08A air/surface search
• Sonar: Krupp-Atlas 80 hull
• Fire Control: WM-25 gun control, STIR SAM control
• Electronic Warfare
  • Racal Scimitar jammer; 2 20-round OTO Melara SCLAR decoy launching system
  • 1 Graseby G1738 towed torpedo decoy
• Concept/Program: German-built general purpose frigates; they are the main surface asset of the Argentine navy.
• Builders: Blohm + Voss, Hamburg, Germany.
• Design: MEKO 360 modular design.

Ships in the class

• ARA Almirante Brown (D-10)
• ARA La Argentina (D-11)
• ARA Heroína (D-12)
• ARA Sarandí (D-13)

References

• Guia de los buques de la Armada Argentina 2005-2006. Ignacio Amendolara Bourdette, ISBN 987-43-9400-5, Editor n/a. (Spanish/English text)

External links

• World Navies Today: Argentina