ARA Punta Alta

ARA Punta Alta (Q-63) is a multipurpose auxiliary ship of the Argentine Navy, built in the Curtis Bay Shipyard, United States, in 1964; transferred to Argentina in 2000, she is based at Puerto Belgrano. The vessel is named after the Argentine city of Punta Alta, which is close to Puerto Belgrano, and is the second Argentine naval ship with this name.[2][1]

History
United States
NameRed Birch
BuilderUnited States Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay
Launched1964
Commissioned1964
Decommissioned2000
Fatetransferred to Argentine Navy
History
Argentina
NamePunta Alta (Q63)
Namesakecity of Punta Alta, Argentina
Commissioned2000
HomeportPuerto Belgrano Naval Base
StatusActive
NotesInitially in service with the US Coast Guard
General characteristics
TypeMultipurpose ship
Displacement525 tons
Length49.05 m (160.9 ft)
Beam10 m (32.8 ft)
Draft2 m (6.6 ft)
Propulsion2-shaft, 2 × diesel engines
Speed12.6 knots (14.5 mph; 23.3 km/h)
Complement31 (6 officers)
Armamentnone
NotesCareer and characteristics data from “Histarmar” [1] and “Argentine Navy” [2] websites.

Design

Punta Alta is a multipurpose ship specialized in buoy maintenance, built at the US Coast Guard shipyard, Curtis Bay, United States. Her hull is specially designed for these tasks, being highly manoeuvrable thanks to its two variable-pitch propellers, twin rudders, and bow thruster. She has a metal hull and superstructure, and a single mast and funnel.[1]

It is powered by two 16-cylinder V, 900 HP, “Caterpillar” D398 marine diesel engines [3] driving two propellers; and two bow thrusters. It also carries two 100 kW GM diesel generators, and two cranes with 10 ton and 5 ton lifting capacity.[2][1]

It carries an aluminium hull launch powered by a 130 HP engine and equipped with communications and sounding equipment.[2][1]

History

The buoy tender Red Birch was commissioned by the US Coast Guard in 1964, and served with that service until decommissioned in 2000; and transferred to Argentina. She was commissioned in the same year by the Argentine Navy as Punta Alta with pennant number Q-63; and was assigned to the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base, which is still its homeport.[1][2]

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

Other sources

Further reading

  • Rodríguez, Horacio; Arguindeguy, Pablo. Buques de la Armada Argentina: Sus comandos y operaciones. Vol. III (in Spanish). Buenos Aires, Argentina: Presidencia de la Nación, Secretaría de Cultura.
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