Saludos amigos:
Tal como se venía hablando desde hacía días, parecería no más que la ARA adquirió a la Royale, el segundo LSD de la clase Ouragan.-
El primero de ellos, el Orage, llegaría a fines de este año, mientras que el segundo lo haría un año después.-
La noticia la tomé de otro foro, pero puede consultarse en el Janes.
"Date Posted: 17-Aug-2005
Argentina to acquire second landing ship dock
José Higuera JDW Correspondent
Santiago
Argentina has decided to purchase a second used landing ship dock (LSD) from France, sources in Buenos Aires have told JDW. The deal would involve Argentina exercising an option to buy a second Ouragan-class LSD following an initial deal completed between the countries for the first vessel in July 2004.
The option would be for Ouragan (L9021), following the acquisition of its sister ship, Orage (L9022). According to the sources, Orage is set to be transferred to Argentina by the end of 2005 and Ouragan will follow at the beginning of 2007. No figures have been provided about the value of either transaction, although Argentine officials have said the price is "outstandingly convenient".
When Argentina takes delivery of the two LSDs, Buenos Aires will have substantially rebuilt the amphibious assault capabilities of the Argentine Navy: one of its top priorities. The new vessels also improve Argentina's abilities to support its forces on overseas peacekeeping operations and other deployments.
Argentina's amphibious capabilities had been in decline since the early 1980s, when several vessels were retired without replacement. The LSD Candido de Lasala (ex USS Hashland) was paid off in 1981 and sold for scrap and then the amphibious cargo ship (LKA) Bahia Buen Suceso was damaged and then captured in 1982 during the Falklands War. Other amphibious assets, like smaller landing ship tank (LST) vessels and medium landing ships of US origin were also retired in the 1980s.
The LST Cabo San Antonio, built locally to a modified US De Soto County-class design, was retired in 1997.
In the late 1990s Argentina was in negotiations to acquire a Newport-class LST from the US Navy and the USS La Moure County was finally targeted for transfer in 2001, but that ship ran aground in 2000 during exercises in Chile and was pronounced damaged beyond repair.
The only vessel currently operating in an amphibious assault ship role with the Argentine Navy is the Costa Sur-class transport auxiliary ARA Bahía San Blas. That vessel, however, lacks facilities to operate helicopters in support of the training and deployment of Argentine marine forces.".-
Realmente me pone muy contento
, vamos a recuperar una capacidad casi perdida desde la baja del ARA Cabo San Antonio. No serán los mejores LSD, pero es un paso muy importante. Para lo que es nuestro presupuesto y para lo que se puede conseguir hoy día en el mundo de segunda mano... es más que conveniente.-
Fuego rasante, que el pueblo nos contempla. Almirante Guillermo Brown.-