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ARA Robinson (P-45)
Encyclopedia
ARA Robinson (P-45) is the fifth ship of the MEKO 140A16 Espora
series of six corvettes built for the Argentine Navy
. The ship is the second ship to bear the name of Captain Carlos Robinson, who fought in the Argentine Navy during the Argentina-Brazil War
and died commanding a squadron of gunboats during the Battle of La Colonia.
-vintage ships with more advanced warships. The original plan called for six MEKO 360H2
destroyers, four of them to be built in Argentina, but the plan was later modified to include four MEKO destroyers and six corvettes for anti-surface warfare and patrol operations.
of the Astilleros y Fábricas Navales del Estado (State Shipyards and Naval Factories) state corporation. Her keel
was laid down on 1 March 1983 and was launched on 25 November 1984.
Budgetary concerns effectively suspended the construction of the ship for almost a decade, until it was decided to finish her and her sister ship Gómez Roca
. Following the resumption of construction, the ship was delivered to the Navy in 2000 and commissioned in 2001.
As part of the second batch of the class, Robinson is fitted with a telescopic hangar.
. She also accompanied the Irish Naval Service
flagship LÉ Eithne during her 2006 visit to Argentina
.
She is homeported at Puerto Belgrano
Naval Base and is part of the Navy's 2nd Corvette Division with her five sister ships.
Espora class frigate
The Espora class corvettes were all commissioned between 1985 and 2004 for the Argentine Navy, the first four in 1985-1990 and the last two in 2001-2004....
series of six corvettes built for the Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
. The ship is the second ship to bear the name of Captain Carlos Robinson, who fought in the Argentine Navy during the Argentina-Brazil War
Argentina-Brazil War
The Cisplatine War or the Argentine–Brazilian War was an armed conflict over an area known as Banda Oriental or "Eastern Shore" in the 1820s between the United Provinces of River Plate and the Empire of Brazil in the aftermath of the United Provinces' emancipation from Spain.-Background:Led by...
and died commanding a squadron of gunboats during the Battle of La Colonia.
Origin
Robinson and her sister ships were part of the 1974 Naval Constructions National Plan, an initiative by the Argentine Navy to replace old World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-vintage ships with more advanced warships. The original plan called for six MEKO 360H2
Almirante Brown class destroyer
The Almirante Brown is a class of destroyers commissioned between 1983 and 1984 for the Argentine Navy. As of 2005, ARA Sarandí is the Argentinian fleet flagship.-Specifications:...
destroyers, four of them to be built in Argentina, but the plan was later modified to include four MEKO destroyers and six corvettes for anti-surface warfare and patrol operations.
Construction
Robinson was constructed at the Río Santiago ShipyardRío Santiago Shipyard
The Rio Santiago Shipyard is a shipyard situated in the city of Ensenada, province of Buenos Aires, at the shores of the Santiago River. It has been one of the major active and important shipyards in Latin America. Founded in 1953, it has realized diverse functions in the naval, industrial and...
of the Astilleros y Fábricas Navales del Estado (State Shipyards and Naval Factories) state corporation. Her keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
was laid down on 1 March 1983 and was launched on 25 November 1984.
Budgetary concerns effectively suspended the construction of the ship for almost a decade, until it was decided to finish her and her sister ship Gómez Roca
ARA Gómez Roca (P-46)
ARA Gómez Roca is the sixth and last ship of the MEKO 140A16 Espora series of six corvettes built for the Argentine Navy. The ship is the first ship to bear the name of Lieutenant Commander Sergio Gómez Roca, who commanded the Argentine patrol ship ARA Alferez Sobral during the Falklands War and...
. Following the resumption of construction, the ship was delivered to the Navy in 2000 and commissioned in 2001.
As part of the second batch of the class, Robinson is fitted with a telescopic hangar.
Service history
Following her commissioning Robinson participated in several naval exercises and conducted fishery patrol duties in the Argentine Exclusive Economic ZoneExclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
. She also accompanied the Irish Naval Service
Irish Naval Service
The Naval Service is the navy of Ireland and is one of the three standing branches of the Irish Defence Forces. Its main base is in Haulbowline, County Cork....
flagship LÉ Eithne during her 2006 visit to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
She is homeported at Puerto Belgrano
Puerto Belgrano
Base Naval Puerto Belgrano is the largest naval base of the Argentine Navy, situated next to Punta Alta, near Bahía Blanca, about south of Buenos Aires...
Naval Base and is part of the Navy's 2nd Corvette Division with her five sister ships.