Mothballed ARA Trinidad Sinks in Harbour

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Pointblank

Senior Member
Jeff Head said:
Whoa...that's really, really sad to see.

...and all because of a busted water main inside the ship? Atrocious.


Sad to see a once fine fighting vessel so ignominously come to an end. But perhaps they will refloat and repair her if they have the funds.
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She's been cannibalized of parts to keep her sister ship operational for over 2 decades. That's generally not a good state to have a warship in, and generally after such a long time, it will cost a lot of money to bring her back to sailing condition. Add the damage from the accident, and she may be assessed and sent to the scrappers or sunk in a SINKEX, like how HMCS Huron was.
 
bd popeye

bd popeye

The Last Jedi
VIP Professional
She's been cannibalized of parts to keep her sister ship operational for over 2 decades.
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The USN has done the same with it's retired carriers and Ticonderoga class cruisers.

Sad to see a ship sunk at its berth...
 
Miragedriver

Miragedriver

Brigadier
Jeff Head said:
Whoa...that's really, really sad to see.

...and all because of a busted water main inside the ship? Atrocious.


Sad to see a once fine fighting vessel so ignominously come to an end. But perhaps they will refloat and repair her if they have the funds.
Click to expand...

That is true, very sad. As mentioned above she has been used for spare parts and was non-operational. She was going to be converted into a Malvinas war museum. Rather ironic that it would sink.
 
Miragedriver

Miragedriver

Brigadier
What little equipment the military has is meticulously kept (the fly Mirage museum pieces are a perfect example). However there are insufficient funds maintain the equipment which is not needed for everyday patrol and use. Let along any funds to purchase new equipment.
Below is a video produced in 2012 showing the Navy in operation:

[video=youtube;2Lr5DA54YlY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lr5DA54YlY[/video]

Thank God the Navy purchased to Meko Destroyers and Figates!
 
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Jeff Head

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Miragedriver said:
What little equipment the military has is meticulously kept (the fly Mirage museum pieces are a perfect example). However there are insufficient funds maintain the equipment which is needed for everyday patrol and use. Let along any funds to purchase new equipment.
Below is a video produced in 2012 showing the Navy in operation:

Thank God the Navy purchased to Meko Destroyers and Figates!
Click to expand...
Well, they do have the one remaining Type 42 Destroyer which, IMHO, is a true destroyer sized vessel, that still has decent capability if it is well maintained, and partocularly if its systems were upgraded.

The MEKO 360H2 vessels, four of them, were put in service in 1983 and 1984, so they are approaching 30 years now. They have some modern capabilities, particularly their Exocets and their helo capability. But, honestly, at 3,350 tons they would be called Frigates anywhere else. They have a strong Exocet anti-surface punch, but lack a very effective anti-air defense. The Aspide missiles are really out of date in a modern war at sea battle space.

And the six MEKO 140A16 vessels, commissioned from 1985 to 2004, at 1,760 tons are really corvettes by any other name. But they are more modern and they do have decent capabilities, though they too lack any real air defense.

Nonetheless, those eleven surface combatants, backed up by the three diesel electric subs, are a decent force and I am glad that the Argentines are trying to keep them maintained and well taken care of. I hope they are and will continue to do so.
 
Miragedriver

Miragedriver

Brigadier
Jeff Head said:
Well, they do have the one remaining Type 42 Destroyer which, IMHO, is a true destroyer sized vessel, that still has decent capability if it is well maintained, and partocularly if its systems were upgraded.

The MEKO 360H2 vessels, four of them, were put in service in 1983 and 1984, so they are approaching 30 years now. They have some modern capabilities, particularly their Exocets and their helo capability. But, honestly, at 3,350 tons they would be called Frigates anywhere else. They have a strong Exocet anti-surface punch, but lack a very effective anti-air defense. The Aspide missiles are really out of date in a modern war at sea battle space.

And the six MEKO 140A16 vessels, commissioned from 1985 to 2004, at 1,760 tons are really corvettes by any other name. But they are more modern and they do have decent capabilities, though they too lack any real air defense.

Nonetheless, those eleven surface combatants, backed up by the three diesel electric subs, are a decent force and I am glad that the Argentines are trying to keep them maintained and well taken care of. I hope they are and will continue to do so.
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Jeff you are absolutely correct in your assessment. Im happy that the Navy did modernize in the early eighties with the Meko Frigates and Corvettes, if not they would still have the WW2 Sumner and Gearing class vessels round in one form or another. The Meko’s and the two TR-1700’s are very well kept, like everything else in use here. There is just no money to replace broken items. The current Navy’s weapon systems are old and would not fare well in a modern combat environment. However, thirty years ago they where “state of the art.”
 
J

joshuatree

Captain
Miragedriver said:
Jeff you are absolutely correct in your assessment. Im happy that the Navy did modernize in the early eighties with the Meko Frigates and Corvettes, if not they would still have the WW2 Sumner and Gearing class vessels round in one form or another. The Meko’s and the two TR-1700’s are very well kept, like everything else in use here. There is just no money to replace broken items. The current Navy’s weapon systems are old and would not fare well in a modern combat environment. However, thirty years ago they where “state of the art.”
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Thanks for bringing up the Mekos, it piqued my curiosity and looking more into it, it appears the Meko frigates and corvettes form the core of Argentina's navy. Sadly, most of these are either up for a SLEP or replacement soon but the finances are in a sad state of affairs.

Wonder if this may or may not present an opportunity for the Chinese to sell them something from their product lines since they are usually cheaper than their Western counterparts? 056? 054A? Maybe pay via barter system? Could further relations between the two countries.
 
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P

Pointblank

Senior Member
joshuatree said:
Thanks for bringing up the Mekos, it piqued by curiosity and looking more into it, it appears the Meko frigates and corvettes form the core of Argentina's navy. Sadly, most of these are either up for a SLEP or replacement soon but the finances are in a sad state of affairs.

Wonder if this may or may not present an opportunity for the Chinese to sell them something from their product lines since they are usually cheaper than their Western counterparts? 056? 054A? Maybe pay via barter system? Could further relations between the two countries.
Click to expand...

Back to the same problems as before: no money for anything from crews, maintenance, and spare parts. The ships will probably languish tied up at pier due to lack of funds to keep them operating, and only make the rare trips out to sea when they can assemble a crew. That doesn't bode well for making sure ships are seaworthy, let alone battle ready.

Unless Argentina can get its finances in order (they are teetering on the edge of needing another IMF bailout), I would state that the Argentinian military will probably shrink significantly until their finances are back in order.
 
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