The last of the four Argentinian offshore patrol vessels (OPV), OPV 87 A.R.A. Contraalmirante Cordero, was delivered today to the Argentine Navy. The delivery and commandment handover ceremony of the last vessel of the series marks the completion of a successful program. A.R.A. Contraalmirante Cordero has been delivered to the Argentine Navy today in Concarneau in the presence of Francisco Cafiero, Secretary for International Defence Affairs at the Argentine Ministry of Defence, Vice Admiral Enrique Antonio Traina, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Argentine Navy, and Alain Guillou, EVP International Development at Naval Group. It is part of the contract signed by Naval Group with Argentina in 2019 for the supply of four Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV – “Patrulleros Oceánicos Multipropósito” in Spanish).
The A.R.A. Contraalmirante Cordero is the last vessel of the series and its delivery marks the success of a program that has met all its deadlines: the A.R.A. Bouchard (ex-L’Adroit) was delivered in December 2019 two months ahead of schedule, and the second and third offshore patrol vessels A.R.A Piedrabuena and A.R.A Storni were delivered in April and October 2021, in line with the original schedule. This success was made possible thanks to the close collaboration between Naval Group, Kership, and Piriou, who worked side by side with the Argentinean Navy. The excellent overall customer satisfaction rate, measured at 97%, confirms the excellent conduct of this program.
Stéphanie Giroud, director of the program at Naval Group added: “It is with great pride and emotion that we are delivering the last vessel of the series to Argentina on the exact date stipulated in the contract and are witnessing the raising of the Argentinean flag in Brittany for the fourth time. The success of this project is a collective one and is due to the excellence of the relationship established with the Argentinean Armada, whose high standards and confidence have motivated our teams to meet the client’s expectations to the maximum. It is also the result of a constructive and innovative industrial partnership between the teams of Naval Group, Kership, and Piriou.”
Captain Santiago Villemur, representative of the Argentinian Navy in France said: “We are conscious that delivering 4 ships in 3 years, training the crews, and providing the associated logistics services was a real challenge. Our thanks and gratitude go to all the men and women of Naval Group and its industrial partners who have worked tirelessly to achieve this feat. These ships are already contributing to the defense of Argentina’s sovereign interests by enabling the Argentine Armada to carry out its missions at sea.”
The Argentine offshore patrol vessels benefit from innovations developed by the Naval Group and proven by the French Navy, which has operated L’Adroit in several oceans for six years for multiple maritime security operations, alone or in cooperation. The three patrol vessels of the series constructed in Concarneau offer the same assets and features as those of the A.R.A. Bouchard. Several developments have been incorporated to meet the needs of the Argentine Navy as closely as possible. Better armed and motorized than the Bouchard, 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.
This range of ships also benefits from the Naval Group’s expertise in information and command systems, allowing for extensive surveillance of the maritime space and the detection of suspicious behaviors. The A.R.A Contraalmirante Cordero is equipped with the POLARIS® system and NiDL® tactical data link system, specifically developed by the Naval Group for state action missions at sea and sea-proven by the French Navy. The Offshore Patrol Vessel can stay on high seas for more than three weeks, to reach a speed of 20 knots and accommodate a helicopter. Implemented by a reduced crew of 40 members, it is also able to accommodate about twenty extra passengers.
