Azopardo-class frigate

The Azopardo-class frigates were a class of two post-World War II warships, designed and built in Argentina in 1940-1959, originally as part of a class of four large minelayers (see Murature-class ships). They were in service with the Argentine Navy from the mid-1950s to 1972. The class was named after Juan Bautista Azopardo, an Argentine naval officer in the Independence and Cisplatine wars.

ARA Azopardo, date unknown
Class overview
Name Azopardo class frigate
BuildersAFNE Rio Santiago, Argentina
Operators Argentine Navy
Built1950-1958
In service1956-1972
In commission1956–1972
Planned2
Completed2
Retired2
General characteristics
TypeAzopardo class frigate
Displacement1220 (standard) to 1400 (full load) tons
Length92.72 m (304.2 ft)
Beam9.6 m (31.5 ft)
Draft4 m (13 ft)
Propulsion2-shaft, 2 × Parsons Steam turbines, 2 x Water-tube boilers, 5,000 ihp (3,700 kW), 340 tons oil
Speed20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h)
Range2300 nautical miles @ ?kn
Complement170
Armament
Armournone
NotesSpecifications from “Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995” and “Histarmar” website.

Design
ARA Piedra Buena underway, date unknown.

The class was as part of a program to build four mine warfare ships during the Second World War, of which two (Murature and King) were completed as patrol ships in the 1940s and the others (Piedrabuena and Azopardo) as antisubmarine frigates in the 1950s.[1]

The Azopardo class frigates had a metal hull with a single mast and funnel. They were powered by two Parsons steam turbines fed by two water-tube boilers, driving two propellers.[2][1]

The main battery was composed of four 105-millimetre (4 in) Bofors DP guns, with a secondary battery of four 40-millimetre (2 in) Bofors Anti-Aircraft guns in single mountings. It also carried four anti-submarine mortars.[2][1]

Service history

The Azopardo class was designed in the early 1940s; however due to shortages during World War II the ships were laid down in the early 1950s and completed in 1956-58. They were commissioned by the Argentine Navy in 1956-59 and remained in service until the early 1970s.[2][1]

Azopardo and Piedra Buena were incorporated in the High Seas Fleet ((in Spanish) Flota de Mar), and frequently used to patrol the Argentine Sea and in training exercises, including the multinational “UNITAS”.[2][1]

Both ships were sold for scrap after being decommissioned in 1972,[2][1] and were broken up in the 1970s..

Ships in class
Ship Name Pennant Number Other names Builder Laid down Launched Service entry Decommissioning
ARA Azopardo P-35 none AFNE Rio Santiago 1940 1953 1956 1972[n 1]
ARA Piedra Buena P-36 none AFNE Rio Santiago 1954 1958 1972[n 2]

See also

Footnotes
  1. Sold for scrapping to AYASA in December 1972.
  2. Sold for scrapping to AYASA in December 1972.

References

Notes
  1. "Fragata "Piedra Buena" (36)" [Frigate “Piedra Buena”]. Histarmar - Historia y Arqueología Marítima (in Spanish). Argentina: Fundación Histarmar. Retrieved 2016-12-25.
  2. "Fragata "Azopardo" P-35" [Frigate “Azopardo”]. Histarmar - Historia y Arqueología Marítima (in Spanish). Argentina: Fundación Histarmar. Retrieved 2016-12-25.

Bibliography
  • Gardiner, Robert (1996). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. p. 675. ISBN 978-155-75013-25.
  • Arguindeguy, Pablo (1972). Apuntes sobre los buques de la Armada Argentina (1810-1970) (in Spanish). Buenos Aires, Argentina: Comando en Jefe de la Armada.

Further reading
  • Burzio, Humberto (1960). Armada Nacional (in Spanish). Secretaria de Estado de Marina.
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