Naval Group delivers second OPV to Argentine Navy

French shipbuilder Naval Group formally handed over a second Bouchard (OPV 87)-class multimission offshore patrol vessel (OPV) to the Argentine Navy on 13 April.

The Argentine Navy received its second OPV, Piedrabuena (P 52), from Naval Group on 13 April. (Naval Group)

Piedrabuena (P 52) is the second of four Gowind OPVs ordered by Argentina under a EUR319 million (USD380 million) contract signed with Naval Group in 2018. The contract included the refurbishment of OPV L’Adroit, which was built by Naval Group as a private venture and operated by the French Navy from 2011, as well as three new-build ships. The new-build OPVs are being built in France by Kership: a joint venture between Naval Group and Piriou.

L’Adroit completed its refit and was delivered to Argentina as ARA Bouchard (P 51) in December 2019 and commissioned in February 2020. Modifications included increased stores and a new 30 mm Leonardo Marlin-WS remote weapon station, which was fitted in Argentina in December 2020.

Construction of the three new-build ships, featuring hull reinforcement for operation in ice, commenced at the shipyards of Piriou and Kership in Concarneau and Lanester, respectively, in April 2019, and Piedrabuena was launched in October 2020.

According to Naval Group, the delivery of third ship Almirante Storni (P 53) and fourth ship Bartolomé Cordero (P 54) will follow at six monthly intervals, completing in 2022.