P-3C Orion flies reconnaissance off the coast of Argentina

With the arrival of the second of four formerly Norwegian and previously American P3-C/P3-N maritime patrol vessels that have been refurbished in the USA, Argentina's important ability to monitor large areas of its Exclusive Economic Zone in the South Atlantic is slowly being regenerated. Every year, mainly Chinese fishing fleets move along the continental shelf there, sucking up whatever stocks the sea has to offer - often within Argentinian waters. The next two machines are due to arrive every six months. The positive experiences made with the Norwegians have now prompted the Argentinians to make preliminary enquiries in Oslo as to whether the Fritjof Nansen-class ships could also be purchased if they are to be replaced by the British Type 26-class frigates in the future. That would be a huge generational leap and an enormous gain for the Armada Argentina. The four MEKO 360 destroyers of the Almirante Brown class and the six MEKO 140 corvettes will have to hold out that long, even though they can already look back on 40 years of service.