Storny (P 53) was delivered to the Argentine Navy during a ceremony held in Concarneau, France, on 14 October. (Naval Group, France)
The Argentine Navy's multimission offshore patrol vessel (OPV) programme marked another milestone on 14 October when French shipbuilder Naval Group handed over the third Bouchard (OPV 87)-class vessel, Storny (P 53), in Concarneau, Brittany.
The delivery is part of a EUR319 million (USD380 million) contract signed by Naval Group with Argentina in 2018 to deliver four multimission OPVs. The first vessel, ARA Bouchard (formerly L'Adroit ) (P 51), was handed over in December 2020, followed by delivery of the second, ARA Piedrabuena (P 52), on 13 April. The fourth and final vessel, Cordero (P 54), was launched on 13 September.
Storny was built by Kership, a joint venture between Naval Group and Piriou. The ship was partly built in Lanester by Kership Lorient and assembled in Concarneau by Piriou Shipyards. The vessel features the same capabilities as Piedrabuena and is better armed and equipped than Bouchard . It is ice-capable, fitted with a bow thruster and an active stabilisation system.
Other features included include Naval Group's Polaris combat management system and NiDL tactical data link system.
The OPVs have an overall length of 87 m, a displacement of 1,650 tonnes, a top speed of 20 kt, and are armed with a 30 mm Marlin-WS gun, as well as two 12.7 mm and two 7.62 mm machine guns. It can accommodate a crew of 59 and has an endurance of 7,000 n miles.
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