The Almirante Brown class was commissioned from 1983 to 1984, after the Falklands War.
The Almirante Brown class represents the main warships of the Argentine Navy, built on the MEKO 360 design. Currently the Argentine Navy is operating 4 destroyers, although it was originally planned to build 6 ships, but due to financial problems 2 ships were eventually cancelled.
The Almirante Brown class was commissioned from 1983 to 1984, after the Falklands War. The MEKO 360 type warships are based on modular designs which allow quick changes to the vessel’s armaments depending on mission requirements. The modular nature of the construction also allows the ships to be modernized or refitted with greater ease.
The destroyers have a full load displacement of 3,360 tons, a length of 125.9 m, a beam of 15 m, and a draft of 5.8 m. The vessels are powered by a Combined gas and gas system, driving two shafts, composed of two Olympus TM 3B gas turbines rated at 51,800 shaft horsepower and two Tyne RM-IC gas turbines rated at 10,200 shaft horsepower. The ships have a top speed of 30.5 knots, and a range of 4,500 nmi at 18 knots.
MEKO 360 warships are classified as either frigates or destroyers by different publications. Argentina clasifies these ships as destroyers. The vessels are armed with eight Exocet surface-to-surface missiles in two quad launchers mounted centrally and one octuple launcher for Aspide surface-to-air missiles mounted aft of the superstructure. The ships are also equipped with one OTO Melara 127 mm naval gun forward of the superstructure, eight Bofors 40 mm guns, and two triple-mounted 324 mm torpedo tubes.
All of the Almirante Brown class are equipped with a helicopter deck and hangar. They all deploy with AS 555 Fennec helicopters, while only La Argentina and Sarandà can employ SH-3D Sea King helicopters. The ships have a complement of 200, including 26 officers.
The ships are equipped with a Graseby G1738 towed decoy countermeasure system, two Breda 105 mm SCLAR chaff rocket launchers with each launcher sporting 20 tubes. For electronic support measures, the vessels are armed with the Sphinx system and the Scimitar system.
