ARA La Argentina (D-11)

ARA "La Argentina" (pennant number D-11) is the second ship of the MEKO 360H2 series of four destroyers built for the Argentine Navy. The ship is the eighth ship in the history of the Argentine Navy to bear the name of the corsair frigate "La Argentina" which conducted a privateer raid around the world against Spanish trade on 1817.

Origin

"La Argentina" and her sister ships were authorized under the Naval Construction National Plan of 1974, an initiative by the Argentine Navy to replace old World War II-vintage warships which were nearing the end of their operational lives. A contract was signed with the Blohm + Voss Shipyards in Hamburg, West Germany for the construction of four MEKO 360H2 destroyers.

Construction

"La Argentina " was launched on 25 September 1981. The ship was delivered to the Argentine Navy on 11 May 1983 for her sea trials, following which the ship departed for Argentina, arriving at Puerto Belgrano Naval Base on 18 July and being formally commissioned into the Navy on 4 August of that same year.

ervice history

The ship emerged in 2006 from an overhaul which included the extension of her flight deck to allow for the operation of Sea King helicopters.

She is currently homeported at Puerto Belgrano as part of the Navy's 2nd Destroyer Division, along with her three sister ships.