The second of the four Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPVs) ordered by Argentina has been launched at Piriou’s Shipyards in Concarneau (Britany). This launching comes ahead of schedule – 2 months before the contractual deadline – despite the adverse sanitary context. The two upcoming ships are also built by Kership (joint venture between Naval Group and Piriou) in Lanester. After the arrival of the A.R.A. Bouchard in Argentina on February 2020, the second OPV has been launched this Thursday 1st of October, 2020, in Piriou’s shipyards in Concarneau.
Signed on June 22nd, 2018 in Buenos Aires, the contract for the delivery of four multi-mission ocean patrol vessels for the Argentinian Navy came into force on February 13th, 2019. This contract covers the delivery of L’Adroit – a vessel commissioned at the end of 2011 and operated by the French Navy before being modernized to become the A.R.A. Bouchard – as well as the construction of three new units with an enhanced design (known as OPV 87). The three new vessels are specially adapted to navigation in iced waters of the Southern Ocean, through a reinforcement of their structure.
Naval Group is the prime contractor, in charge of the Program Management with the Argentinian customer and integration of the Polaris combat system. Involved in several military operations but also fisheries policy and maritime security missions, the Naval Group OPV’s design demonstrated its efficiency and the relevance of the innovations developed by Naval Group to serve navies and special forces. The Argentinian Offshore Patrol Vessels benefit from the innovations proposed by Naval Group and the sea-proven design operated by the French Navy.
The Argentinian Offshore Patrol Vessels benefit from the innovations proposed by Naval Group and the sea-proven design operated by the French Navy: long endurance and an excellent sea-worthiness; A 360° visibility from the bridge and a unique mast for a panoramic radar coverage; The discrete and safe implementation in less than five minutes of fast crafts for Special Forces thanks to an ingenious ramp system at the rear of the patroller. The Naval Group OPV’s design demonstrated its efficiency and the relevance of the innovations developed by Naval Group to serve navies and special forces.
Naval Group is the European leader in naval defence. Naval Group uses its extraordinary know-how, unique industrial resources and capacity to arrange innovative strategic partnerships to meet its customers’ requirements. As a system-integrator and prime contractor, the group designs, produces and supports submarines and surface ships. It also supplies services to shipyards and naval bases. The group reports revenues of 3.7 billion euros and has a workforce of 15,168.
