The small coastal state between Brazil and Argentina only has very limited resources to equip its navy. After German reunification, the country was a major buyer of surplus platforms ranging from various tugs and condors to supply vessels and other auxiliary ships. As these units are once again reaching the limits of their maintainability in their second life, Uruguay's navy is urgently hoping for external support.
Three guard boats for Christmas
This now comes - albeit small, but still - from the USA in the form of three Coast Guard Cutters of the MARINE PROTECTOR class. The guard boats are only twelve to twenty years old and come from the bases on the east coast of the United States, but would still be worth a good 8 million euros on the second-hand market today. In accordance with a bilateral agreement, these costs will not be charged to the South American state, provided it assumes the costs of the necessary refurbishment for the deployment and training of the new crews, totalling around 4 million euros. The boats should be completed by April and reach their new base at Fray Bentos on the Rio Uruguay after a long march southwards.
The PROTECTOR class of the US Coast Guard
The 73 patrol boats of the PROTECTOR class were built to a STAN 2600 design by the Dutch Damen shipyard in the USA, are 27 metres long, have a range of 900 nautical miles and can reach a maximum of 25 knots. Six units have already been delivered to friendly nations. With a RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) on the stern ramp, these patrol boats can fulfil a wide range of coastal tasks very effectively. Small gifts keep the friendship alive!
Support also from Germany
Of course, it is also only a "second-hand use of material" and they are completely unarmed, but it has almost traditional features: two more identical sea rescue cruisers from Germany are to supplement the two 24 and 28-metre cruisers Glogner and Helms, which were acquired in 2018. Although the MTU engine technology on these boats in Montevideo, which is now getting on in years, is not entirely problem-free, the boats are available at a symbolic price. Perhaps it helps that the American PROTECTOR boats have the same propulsion system. You just have to be able to tinker to a high standard - if necessary, spare parts from Germany will do!
Tempting offers
No sooner had this news been processed than another report came around the corner with customised new-build offers from the Russian defence and shipyard industry. Because what Uruguay urgently needs for the extended coastal apron are, of course, two somewhat more robust OPVs. In this segment of somewhat "slimmed-down" models, the state-owned Rosoboronexport has a lot in its repertoire and can offer everything from coastal corvettes to river patrol boats.
Coastal corvette "Vasily Bykov" as a purchase solution for Uruguay. Photo: Michael Nitz
The catalogue
It starts with the patrol corvette BYKOV (project 22160) with a length of 94 metres, 1,300 tonnes, a crew of 80, helicopter landing capacity for 12-tonne models and light gun armament. The RUBIN class (project 22460E) is one size smaller and used by the coastguard, with a length of 62 metres, 700 tonnes and a helicopter capability of up to 5 tonnes. In the same context, there is the SVETLYAK-class guard boat (project 10412) with a length of 50 metres and a crew of 30, and the small and manoeuvrable (100 tonnes) project 12130E OGONEK including a reconnaissance drone for the inshore/river area with 17 people on board. A lid for every pot!
Russian river patrol boat project 12130E (OGONEK class). Photo: rosoboronexport
The small print
Uruguay now only needs to choose - two BYKOVs, or three smaller ones - and all problems can be solved. And Russia will of course also offer problem-free financing solutions in the short term as a matter of negotiation. But even if all platforms in the export variant (E) are powered by MAN and MTU diesel engines, strategically speaking, these offers all have a catch!
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