# ex Arg war ship taking water



## borderreiver (Oct 11, 2008)

EX arg warship heeling over.
http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/122296/malvinas-war-ship-sinking-at-navy-base


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## wigger (Sep 25, 2005)

Latest pictures show her completely on her side. I can't understand why this story's not been picked up much over here. For all the sabre rattling coming from Argentina, the military is in a pretty bad state!


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## Cisco (Jan 29, 2007)

Argentina effectively has a 'non-navy'.

The last time they sent ships overseas one , ARA Libertad, was arrested in Ghana for government debt while the other one, ARA Espora lay, broken down, in Simonstown for 73 days when the german engine manufacturers demanded cash up front for spare parts.

Meanwhile the flagship, ARA Hércules , is in a dubious condition..

from http://www.harpoondatabases.com/encyclopedia/entry1488.aspx

'Due to maintenance hardships, both ships stopped participating in regular exercises in 1989. Hercules was put into reserve around 1994, supplying spare parts for Santisima Trinidad which continued on in a reduced operational status as the Argentine flagship. In 2004 the converted (see below) Hercules re-entered service and Santisima Trinidad was placed into reserve. It was hoped to give her a similar conversion but funding has not been available and it is now likely she will be stricken and converted into a museum ship.

Hercules conversion: In 2000, Hercules was reactivated and transferred to the ASMAR Shipyard in Talcahuano, Chile for conversion to a “fast-attack transport“. This entailed replacing the superstructure aft of the mainmast with a large hangar for two Sea King helicopters, extending the flight deck, adding facilities for launching and recovering RHIBs, and deleting some items including the aft Type 909 radar, Exocet missiles, and ASW systems. The Sea Dart launcher was not removed but is inoperable. The ship is now back in operation out of Puerto Belgrano naval base.'


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## wigger (Sep 25, 2005)

Thanks Cisco, Interesting reading! Its a shame to see any ship finish up 
like that.
Kind regards
Craig


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## Cisco (Jan 29, 2007)

According to defence minister Puricelli and others this is all down to the evil 'english' no longer supplying spare parts after 1982. 
Naughty 'english'..why ever would they do such a thing... http://english.telam.com.ar/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17434


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## David Lorimer (Dec 9, 2005)

Ironic, isn't it. The flagship of the invading Argentine fleet thirty years ago, and a flagship designed by the very power being invaded. Sunk by its own rusted-out intakes, no different from an abandoned Chinese fishing boat. 

Argentina, or rather, the country's government, is a mess today. And, during the Falklands war, the Argentine Navy command were the most bloodthirsty and unethical of all their armed forces. 

But I cringe, I really do. I know or knew - some deceased - Argentine naval officers whose ethics and morals would dignify the bridges of any navy, and who had been deeply opposed to the Falklands campaign from the start. 

One just has to wonder about the humiliation the present navy must be feeling. After ARA Libertad in Ghana, ARA Espora in Cape Town, and now this. And with a defense minister who professes to know nothing about ships but who has already suggested sabotage as a reason for the capsize.


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