Argentine Navy
The
Navy of the Argentine Republic (
Armada de la República Argentina, ARA) is the
navy of
Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the
Argentine Armed Forces, together with the
Army and the
Air Force.
Introduction
|
Argentine Navy Service Emblem |
The Argentine Navy born as a result of the
May 25,
1810 revolution, it was not until
1814, under the leadership of Lt. Colonel (Navy)
William Brown when it became a decisive player in the
fight for independence from
Spain.
In the late
19th century, the Argentine Army began modernizing itself. Although
Argentina remained
neutral in both world wars, the Argentine Navy was a force to be reckoned with. In the postwar period, Naval Aviation and Marine Corps units were created and developed. Along with
Brazil, Argentina is one of the two
South American countries that have operated two
aircraft carriers effectively.
Falklands/Malvinas War
During the war, the fleet consist of old
WWII era destroyers and submarines with the new German design
MEKO class destroyers, corvettes and
Thyssen-Nordseewerke TR1700 submarines still under construction.
Despite leading the invasion of the
Falkland Islands, in both political and military aspects the Argentine fleet played a small part in the subsequent conflict with the
Royal Navy. After
HMS Conqueror sank the
ARA General Belgrano, the navy's fleet dared not venture from a 12 mile (22.2 km) coastal limit imposed by the British lest they too were attacked by the Royal Navy's fleet of nuclear powered submarines.
The Naval success of the war were the naval aviation with its
Super Etendards armed with
Exocet missiles, sinking
HMS Sheffield and the
Atlantic Conveyor; the A-4Q
Skyhawks destroying
HMS Ardent (F184); and the Marines, with the
5th Marine Corps Battalion role at
Mount Tumbledown.
The
ARA San Luis submarine also played a strategic role.
Aftermath
The core of the fleet was reformed with the retirement of all the
WWII era
Fletcher and
Gearing class destroyers and replaced with the
MEKO 360 and 140 classes designed by the German shipyard
Blohm + Voss.
Also, the submarine force greatly reinforce their assets with the introduction of the
Thyssen Nordseewerke TR1700 class. Althougth the original program calls for six units with the last four build in Argentina, only two built in
Germany were delivered. The type 209 ARA San Luis was intended to be equipped with a small
nuclear reactor but the program was abandoned and the ship retired.
The amphibious force was drastically affected with the retirement of their only landing ship
LST Q-42
ARA Cabo San Antonio and replacement by modified commercial cargo ships.This situation will be improved during
2006 with the delivery made by
France of the first of the
LPD Ouragans.
France also transferred the
Durance, now B-1
ARA Patagonia, multi-product replenishment ship (
AOR) enhancing the capabilities of the fleet.
In
1988 the A-4Q Skyhawks were withdrawn remaining the Super Etendards as the only fighter jets in the navy inventory. The already paid A-4Hs bought in
Israel as their replacement could not been delivered due the embargo imposed by the
United States after the War. Instead
IAI used the money to refurbish the
S-2E Trackers to the S-2T Turbo Tracker current variant.
In the 1990s, the embargo was lifted and the
Lockheed L-188 Electras (civilian aircraft converted for
maritime patrol) were finally retired and replaced with
P-3B Orions and civilians
Beechcraft King Air Model 200 were locally converted to the MP variant.
In
2000 the aircraft carrier
ARA Veinticinco de Mayo was removed without replacement althougth the navy maintains the air group of
Super Etendards jets and
S-2 Tracker that routinely operates from
Brazilian Navy aircraft carrier
NAeL São Paulo or
United States Navy carriers when they were in transit in the south atlantic.
Present day
Argentina was the only
Latin American country to participate in the
1991 Gulf War sending a destroyer and a corvette in first term and a supply ship and another corvette later to participate on the
United Nations blockade and sea control effort of the gulf. The success of
Operación Alfil (
English: Operation Bishop) as is was known, with more than 700 interceptions and 25.000 miles sailed on the operations theatre helped to overcome the
Malvinas syndrome.
Also, on
2003, as the first time, the Argentine Navy (classified as
major non-NATO ally) interoperated with an
United States Navy battlegroup when destroyer ARA
Sarandi (D-13) joined the
USS Enterprise (CVN-65) Carrier Strike Group and Destroyer Squadron 18 as a part of Exercise
Solid Step during their tour in the
Mediterranean Sea.
Today, the Argentine Navy participates in joint exercises with other friendly navies like
Brazil,
United States,
Spain,
France,
Canada,
South Africa,
Italy,
Uruguay, and since the
1990s Chile. Examples of such annually maneuvers are
UNITAS,
ARAEX,
TEMPEREX,
FRATERNO and
ATLASUR.
Every year in conjuntion with the
Chilean Navy they join in the
Patrulla Antártica Naval Combinada (
English: Joint Antarctic Naval Patrol) to guarantee safety to all touristic and scientific ships that are in transit within the
Antarctic Peninsula.
The surface fleet of the Argentine Navy is under the command of the
Sea Fleet Command (
Comando de la Flota de Mar in Spanish), known as COFM after its Spanish military acronym.
Destroyers (DDG)Almirante Brown-class (
MEKO 360)
*
ARA Almirante Brown (D-10)*
ARA La Argentina (D-11)*
ARA Heroína (D-12)*
ARA Sarandí (D-13)Hércules-class (
Type 42 destroyers)
*
ARA Santísima Trinidad (D-2) - in reserve
Frigates (FFG) (classified by the Argentine Navy as "
corvettes")
Espora-class (
MEKO 140)
*
ARA Espora (P-41)*
ARA Rosales (P-42)*
ARA Spiro (P-43)*
ARA Parker (P-44)*
ARA Robinson (P-45)*
ARA Gómez Roca (P-46)Drummond-class (
D'Estienne d'Orves class)
*
ARA Drummond (P-31)*
ARA Guerrico (P-32)*
ARA Granville (P-33)Large Patrol VesselsMurature-class
*
ARA Murature (P-20)*
ARA King (P-21)Supply ship (AOR)*
ARA Patagonia (B-1)Amphibious Command Ship (LCC)*
ARA Hércules (B-52) - formerly a
Type 42 destroyer, reconverted to fast Marine transport and command vessel.
Amphibious Assault Vessel (LKA)*
ARA Bahía San Blas (B-4)Icebreaker (AGOS)*
ARA Almirante Irizar (Q-5)Auxiliary Ships
The
COAN (
Spanish:
Comando de Aviación Naval) and not
CANA as is commonly wrong shortened by some foreign bibliography, has 4 main airbases: Comandante Espora, Trelew, Punta Indio and Almirante Quijada at
Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego.
Naval Aviation Force 2
The
Fuerza Aeronaval Numero 2 is based at navy airbase Comandante Espora, near
Bahía Blanca and concentrate all the embarked aircraft.
*
2da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque (2nd naval Fighter/Attack Sqd) : Dassault-Breguet
Super Etendard*
Escuadrilla Aeronaval Antisubmarina (Antisubmarine naval Sqd) : Grumman/IAI
S-2T Turbo Tracker and Pilatus PC-6B2/H2
Turbo Porter*
1ra Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Helicópteros (1st naval Helicopters Sqd) : Aerospatiale SA-316B
Alouette III and Eurocopter AS-555SN Fennec
*
2da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Helicópteros (2nd naval Helicopters Sqd) : Sikorsky S-61 D4
H-3 Sea King and
Agusta AS-61 Sea King
*
3ra Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Helicópteros (3rd naval Helicopters Sqd) : Bell
UH-1 Iroquois, assigned to the marines
Naval Aviation Force 3
The
Fuerza Aeronaval Numero 3 is based at navy airbase Almirante Zar, near
Trelew to perform sea control and
Search and rescue duties along the Argentine coast from the
Uruguayan border to the
Antarctic Peninsula.
*
Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Exploración (Exploration naval Sqd) : Lockheed
P-3B Orion*
Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Vigilancia Marítima (Maritime Survey Naval Sqd) :
Beechcraft B200 Cormorán, locally converted for the
maritime patrol role
*
2da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Sostén Logístico Móvil (2nd naval Transport Sqd) : Based at
Ezeiza international Airport in Buenos Aires, they use
Fokker F28 Mk.3000C Fellowship for support all navy units.
Naval Instruction Command
The
Comando de Instruccion Naval is based at navy airbase Punta Indio, near
La Plata, Buenos Aires.
*
Escuela de Aviación Naval (Naval Air School) : Beechraft
T-34 C.1 Turbo Mentor
*
1ra Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Ataque (1st Naval Attack Sqd) :
Embraer EMB-326GB Xavante
*
Agrupación Aeronaval Aerofotográfica (Naval Air photograph Sqd) : Beechcraft B200 Super King Air in the recognition, training and transport roles.
The
IMARA (
Spanish: Infanteria de Marina Armada Republica Argentina) consists of :
Fleet Marine Force*
2nd Marine Corps Battalion* 1st Amphibious Vehicles Battalion
* Amphibious Engineers Battalion
* Command and Logistical Support Battalion
* 1st Communications Battalion
* 1st Field Artillery Battalion
*
Anti-aircraft Artillery Battalion
*
Amphibious Commandos Group (APCA)
Southern Marine Force*
4th Marine Corps Battalion*
5th Marine Corps Battalion* Naval Detachment Río Grande
River Operations Unit*
3rd Marine Corps BattalionMarine Security Forces* Navy General Staff Security Battalion
*
Puerto Belgrano Naval Base Security Battalion
Auxiliary UnitsThe Marine Corps also makes up for most of the Security Companies at Naval and Naval Air Bases.
Current DeploymentIMARA has two Inf. Coys deployed in Haiti and Cyprus under the auspices of UNMISTAH and UNFICYP, respectively. A small platton is also deployed in Kosovo. Several Marine Officers and NCO's are routinely deployed as military observers for the UN.
Weapons and Equipment-Weapons and Vehicles
*LVTP-7 Amphibious APC
*LARC-5 Amphibious Truck
*ERC-90F1 "Lynx" Recon. Vehicle
*VCR-TT 4x4 Wheeled APC
*VCR-AA 4x4 Wheeled AAA
*M-1025 HMMWV
*M-997 HMMWV
*M-997 HMMWV
*M-101 105mm Howitzer
*M-56 105mm Pack Howitzer
*M-114A1 155 Howitzer
*SOLTAM 81mm Mortar
*Mk.19 AGL
*FN MAG GPMG
*M-249 LMG
*M-16A2 AR
3rd Naval Helicopter Sqn. is usually attached to the Fleet Marine Force.
|
APBT soldiers in training |
SubmarinesSanta Cruz-class (TR-1700)
* ARA Santa Cruz (S-41)
* ARA San Juan (S-42)Salta-class (
Type 209)
* ARA Salta (S-31)
*1
Tactical Divers Group (APBT)
*1 Rescue Ship
*1 Patrol Boat
OfficersRank insignia consists of a variable number of gold-braid stripes worn on the sleeve cuffs or on shoulderboards. Officers may be distinguished by the characteristic loop of the top stripe (in the manner of British Royal Navy officers). Combat uniforms may include metal pin-on or embroidered collar rank insignia. Rank insignia is worn on the chest when in shipboard or flying coveralls.
Officers are commissioned in either the Command (line) Corps (those who attend the Escuela Naval Militar- Naval College) or the Staff Corps (Profesional Officers who only attend a short course in the Naval Academy after getting a civilian degree, except for the Paymasters who indeed attend the Naval College). The Line Corps is divided into three branches: the Naval branch (including Surface Warfare, Submarine Warfare and Naval Aviation sub-branches), the Marine Corps branch, and Executive -Engineering- branch. ll line officers were distinctive branch/sub-branch insignia on the right breast.The rank insignia of Professional Corps' officers is placed over a background color denoting the wearer's field, such as purple (Chaplains), blue (Engineers), red (Health Corps), white (Paymasters), green (Judge Advocate Officers), brown (Technical Officers, promoted from the ranks) and gray (special branch). The background color for Command Corps officers is navy blue/black.
| NATO Rank Code | Insignia | Argentinian Rank | Transliteration | US Navy equivalent | | OF-9 | | Almirante | Admiral | Admiral |
| OF-8 | | Vicealmirante | Vice Admiral | Vice Admiral |
| OF-7 | | Contraalmirante | Rear Admiral | Rear Admiral (Upper Half) |
| OF-6 | | Comodoro de Marina | Navy Commodore | Rear Admiral (Lower Half) |
| OF-5 | | Capitán de Navío | Warship Captain | Captain |
| OF-4 | | Capitán de Fragata | Frigate Captain | Commander |
| OF-3 | | Capitán de Corbeta | Corvette Captain | Lieutenant Commander |
| OF-2 | | Teniente de Navío | Warship Lieutenant | Lieutenant |
| OF-1 | | Teniente de Fragata | Frigate Lieutenant | Lieutenant (Junior Grade) |
| OF-1 | | Teniente de Corbeta | Corvette Lieutenant | Ensign |
| OF-D | | Guardiamarina | Midshipman | no equivalent |
Enlisted men and Non-Commissioned OfficersOther ranks' insignia (not including Seamen) is worn on either shoulderboards or breast or sleeve patches. First and Second Seamen wear their insignia on their sleeves. The shoulderboards denote the wearer's specialty.
| Insignia | Argentinian Rank | Transliteration | | Suboficial Mayor | Senior Sub-officer |
| Suboficial Principal | Master Sub-officer |
| Suboficial Primero | First Sub-officer |
| Suboficial Segundo | Second Sub-officer |
| Cabo Principal | Master Corporal |
| Cabo Primero | First Corporal |
| Cabo Segundo | Second Corporal |
| Marinero Primero | First Seaman |
| Marinero Segundo | Second Seaman |
*
Tactical Divers Group*
Amphibious Commandos Group*
Official website*
Unofficial website*
Organization and equipment
