Espora-class Corvette

The Espora-class corvettes are six warships of the Argentine Navy built in Argentina to the German MEKO 140A16 design, this in turn being based on the Portuguese João Coutinho-class project. The first entered service in 1985 but accidents and lack of funds meant the last was not completed until 2004. The ships currently form the 2nd Corvette Division of the Argentine Navy and their home port is the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base. Although considered by its designers to be frigates, the Espora-class vessels have been classed in Argentina as corvettes.

The Argentine Navy struggles to meet maintenance and training requirements because of financial problems and import restrictions. The Espora-class has not been immune – Espora herself spent 73 days in South Africa in late 2012 in a dispute about payment for repairs to its generators. The operational status of Parker and Rosales is not clear, as of November 2012 they were waiting for spares, whilst Spiro lost her sonar in a grounding accident in August 2012.

Unit Run

 * ARA Espora (P-41)
 * ARA Rosales (P-42)
 * ARA Spiro (P-43)
 * ARA Parker (P-44)
 * ARA Robinson (P-45)
 * ARA Gómez Roca (P-46)