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]
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Red Birch |
| Builder | United States Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay |
| Launched | 1964 |
| Commissioned | 1964 |
| Decommissioned | 2000 |
| Fate | transferred to Argentine Navy |
| History | |
 Argentina | |
| Name | Punta Alta (Q63) |
| Namesake | city of Punta Alta, Argentina |
| Commissioned | 2000 |
| Homeport | Puerto Belgrano Naval Base |
| Status | Active |
| Notes | Initially in service with the US Coast Guard |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Multipurpose ship |
| Displacement | 525 tons |
| Length | 49.05 m (160.9 ft) |
| Beam | 10 m (32.8 ft) |
| Draft | 2 m (6.6 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2-shaft, 2 × diesel engines |
| Speed | 12.6 knots (14.5 mph; 23.3 km/h) |
| Complement | 31 (6 officers) |
| Armament | none |
| Notes | Career 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
- "Buque Multipropósito Clase A.R.A. "Ciudad de Zarate" (Armada Hoy – Histarmar)" (in Spanish). Fundación Histarmar. Retrieved 2017-04-08.
- "Buques Multipropósito (Armada Argentina - Poder Naval - Flota de Mar - Unidades)" (in Spanish). Argentine Navy. Retrieved 2017-04-08.
- "Caterpillar D398 (Description & Specifications)". Worldwide Power Products. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
Bibliography
- Amendolara Bourdette, Ignacio (2005). Guia de los buques de la Armada Argentina 2005-2006 (in Spanish). Buenos Aires, Argentina. ISBN 987-43-9400-5. Archived from the original on 2014-09-13. Retrieved 2014-09-13.
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Other sources
- "Buque Multipropósito Clase A.R.A. "Ciudad de Zarate"". Histarmar - Historia y Arqueología Marítima (in Spanish). Argentina: Fundación Histarmar. Retrieved 2017-02-04.
- "Buques Multipropósito (Armada Argentina - Poder Naval - Flota de Mar - Unidades)". Argentine Navy official website (in Spanish). Argentina: Argentine Navy. Archived from the original on 2011-06-21. Retrieved 2017-02-04.
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.
Red-class coastal buoy tenders | |
|---|---|
| United States Coast Guard | |
| Argentine Navy Zárate class |
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| Major surface combatants |  | |
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| Patrol/Fast attack ships |
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| Amphibious Force | ||
| Submarine Force |
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| Avisos | ||
| Multi-purpose auxiliary ships | ||
| Support ships | ||
| Training ships | ||
| Oceanographic/Survey ships | ||