ARA Hércules (B-52)

ARA Hércules is a former Type 42 destroyer of the Argentine Navy (Spanish: Armada de la República Argentina), which was transformed into a multi-purpose transport ship with the pennant number B-52 (previously D-1) and assigned to the amphibious force in 1999.

Hércules (B52)
ARA Hércules after her conversion
History
Argentina
NameHércules
NamesakeAfter a frigate commanded by Admiral Guillermo Brown in 1814
Ordered18 May 1970
BuilderVickers Shipbuilding and Engineering
Laid down16 June 1971
Launched24 October 1972
Acquired10 May 1976
Commissioned12 July 1976
Reclassified1999
HomeportPuerto Belgrano Naval Base
IdentificationB-52
Statusin active service
General characteristics
Class and typeType 42 destroyer
Displacement4,100 tons (4,170 t)
Length125 m (410 ft)
Beam14.6 m (48 ft)
Draught5.2 m (17 ft)
Propulsion
  • COGAG - 2 × RM-1A gas turbines 8,200 shp (6,100 kW)
  • 2 × TM-3B gas turbines 54,400 shp (40,600 kW)
  • 2 shafts
Speed28 knots (52 km/h)
Complement
  • 270 as Destroyer
  • 166 (+238 troops) as Multipurpose Transport
Armament
  • As Destroyer
    • 1 × 4.5-inch (114 mm) DP gun
    • 1 × 2 Sea Dart anti-aircraft missiles
    • 4 × MM38 Exocet anti-ship missiles
    • 2 × 20mm anti-aircraft (AA) guns
    • 6 × 12.75-inch (324 mm) torpedo tubes
  • As Multipurpose Transport
    • 1 × 4.5-inch DP gun
    • 2 × 20 mm AA guns;
    • 6 × 12.75-inch torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried

History

The ship was ordered on 18 May 1970 and completed on 10 May 1976 at the Vickers Shipbuilding yard in Barrow-in-Furness, United Kingdom. During construction, an explosion on HMS Sheffield caused damage in the hull.[1] The hull of Hércules replaced a section of the ship, as both were identical in build.[2] She was delivered to Argentina and entered service on 19 September 1977. As built, Hércules was identical to the initial Type 42 units being commissioned by the Royal Navy. The Argentine Navy upgraded the warship by enhancing her offensive capabilities with MM-38 Exocet anti-ship missiles. The original boat decks by the funnel were modified in order to mount the launchers.[3][4]

Hércules in its original configuration

In 1982, along with her newly built sister ship, Santísima Trinidad, Hércules was part of the escort of the aircraft carrier Veinticinco de Mayo during the Falklands War.[5]

The ship had a major conversion at ASMAR in Talcahuano, Chile in 2000 that removed the anti-aircraft and anti-ship missile systems to allow the embarkment of a complement of 238 marine infantry troops, the flight deck and hangar were also enlarged to allow her to operate two Sea King helicopters. Each helicopter can also carry two AM-39 Exocet anti-ship missiles.[6]

As of 2020, Hércules was reported to be non-operational.[7]

References

Notes
  1. "Commons debate - Royal Navy". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Parliament of the United Kingdom. 4 May 1971. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  2. "A Rip in Time for Sheffield". Navy News. Royal Navy. April 2007. p. 7. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  3. "Differing little from their British sisters, they did however mount Exocet." Haws, Duncan:Elders & Fyffes and Geest. TCL Publications, 1997. Item notes: v.32 1997. ISBN 0-946378-31-2
  4. Tecnología militar, Volume 26. Grupo Editorial Mönch, 2004, page 103 (in Spanish)
  5. Smith, Gordon (2006). Battle Atlas of the Falklands War 1982 by Land, Sea and Air. Lulu.com. p. 56. ISBN 1-84753-950-5.
  6. Transporte Multiproposito B52 ARA Hercules official site (in Spanish) Archived October 13, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  7. "El retroceso operacional de la Armada Argentina en la últimas décadas". 3 August 2021.

Bibliography

See also
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