The third of the four Offshore Patrol Vessel 87 (OPV 87) ordered to Naval Group by Argentina has been launched at Concarneau shipyard (Brittany). This delivery is part of the contract signed by Naval Group with Argentina in 2018 to provide four multi-mission offshore patrol vessels. A.R.A. Bouchard (ex-L’Adroit) had been delivered in December 2019, two months ahead of schedule, and A.R.A. Piedrabuena, the first of the three newly-built patrol vessels, was delivered on April 13, 2021.
After the recent delivery of A.R.A. Piedrabuena, the third OPV A.R.A. Storni was launched on Monday May 10th. The ship, which was partly built in Lanester by Kership Lorient and assembled in Concarneau by Piriou Shipyards, was launched yesterday. The third vessel of the series will offer the same assets and characteristics as the A.R.A. Piedrabuena. Better armed than the A.R.A. Bouchard, more motorized, equipped with an active stabilization system and a bow thruster, it is also “Ice proven”, i.e. adapted to navigation in the cold waters of Antarctica.
Jean-Claude Flandrin, Program Director, said: “The program continues to progress at a very steady pace, with the delivery on time of a vessel every six months, despite the global sanitary situation. The delivery of the A.R.A. Storni should take place in October this year, in line with the contract schedule.”
We are proud of the trust that the Argentine Navy has placed in Naval Group for the supply of these latest-generation multipurpose vessels that will enable the country to carry out its sovereign missions. Their timely delivery despite the sanitary context demonstrates the Group’s commitment to its Client”, added Olivier Michel, Sales Director for Latin America.
The Offshore Patrol Vessel is able to stay on deep seas during more than three weeks, to reach a speed of 20 knots and to accommodate a helicopter. Implemented by a reduced crew of 40 members, it is also able to accommodate about twenty extra passengers.
- Length: 87 meters
- Beam: 14 meters
- Displacement: 1,650 tons
- Max. speed: over 20 knots
- Accommodation: 59 (crew and passengers)
- Endurance: > 7,000 nautical miles
- Boarding capacity: two light crafts of 9 meters and one 10-ton class helicopter
The Argentinean Offshore Patrol Vessels benefit from innovations developed by Naval Group and sea proven by the French Navy, which has operated L’Adroit in several oceans for six years for multiple maritime security operations, either alone or in cooperation with other Navies:
- Very high endurance and 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 bow of the patroller;
This range of ships also benefits from Naval Group’s expertise in information and command systems, allowing for extensive surveillance of the maritime space and the detection of suspicious behaviours. The A.R.A. Storni is equipped with the Polaris® system and NiDL® tactical data link system, specifically developed by Naval Group for state missions at sea and sea-proven by the French Navy.
