About This File
IKL-209 ARA-SAN LUIS BY BANIDOS TEAM
Facts, history, weapons, photographs and drawings by: PATO POLI
Skin:TORNO
3D model: SUICIDAL
Tested by: ALEJANDRO
Class Submarines: IKL-209
After having held various transformations variants Guppy, the USN Navy addresses to build nuclear submarines, with the exception of Class "Barbel, conventional submarines which were built a few units. Therefore, and for the limitations that were received second-hand ships North America, the Argentine Navy undertook to acquire new submarines and modern technology. Among the possibilities were British class "Oberon" and the German IKL-209. Not without achieving many internal discussions were imposed and that the German model was a success. The British Oberon was only a development of German submarines of World War II type XXI. While the 209 was a revolutionary design in an embryonic state, as when acquired, only two 209 were under construction for the Greek navy. The commercial success of these German ships is unparalleled.
Within the requirements of the Argentine Navy was required to navigate the submarine could dive in at least 50 days. Thus the 209 largest Argentine would be enough to hand it to the Greek Navy. The difference in tonnage involved a problem for Germany because of clauses of the Second World War were not allowed to build submarines for more than 900 tons.
We found a practical solution, where the submarines would be created in sections in Germany before being sent to Argentina to be assembled.
Submarines assembled Argentine shipyards were:
ARA SALTA (1974 -)
SAN LUIS ARA (1974-1995)
Active Since
it is assigned to the Command of the Submarine Force (COFS), the Susler part of the various stages of training, called "Stage Sea" with the rest of the vessels of the Sea Fleet of the Navy Argentina and planes and helicopters Command Naval Aviation (COAN).
On October 9, 1975, the S-32, full of food and fuel, left the naval base in Mar del Plata, in order to fill a shipping 50 days, which should develop different areas of the patrol South Atlantic, which included the area of the Falkland Islands. The tasks included photographic survey of the costs Falklanders, conduct computer-simulated exercises on ships sailing in the area and traffic patrol and other checks to verify the performances of the new submarine.
In late 1978 the product of disagreement over the sovereignty on the three islands Picton, Lennox and Nueva in the Beagle Channel tense relations between Argentina and Chile. On December 22, 1978 Argentina started Operation Sovereignty to militarily occupy the islands. The Argentine Navy orders of the executive branch has an important shipping fleet to the south.
The submarine ARA San Luis (S-32) leaving the conflict zone, with the rest of the ships Command Submarine Force, and emphasized in the assigned patrol zone. When the confrontation seemed inevitable, the timely intervention of Pope John Paul II to avoid the outbreak of hostilities, so that the ship is Apostadero retreated to his usual, the Naval Base Mar del Plata.
During 1990, the ship remained at sea 59 days, 799 hours of which he did in 6253 and sailed immersion miles. During the basic training conducted, participated in the testing of receipt of the class missile corvette Espora (MEKO 140) ARA Parker (P-44) (CBPA) and antisubmarine exercises with units of the Sea Fleet
By 1994, completed the modernization of its half-life sister, the ARA Salta (S-31), which assisted in these tasks as a model to develop the S-32 entered the shipyard Minister Manuel Garcia Domecq for amendment half-life, which would have complete its hull, cut it to allow the change of engines and the 480 elements of their batteries. Unfortunately, for budgetary reasons, these tasks are not met, leaving the historic submarine, placed inside the shipyard. By order of the Chief of the Navy No. 69/95 "C", the condition was Susler reservation by decree No. 364 of 23 April 1997 it was declared obsolete, while the Argentine Navy sale or, as it was one of the most important units in combat operations in the Falklands War, dealing through private initiative, which is used as the submarine museum, to highlight their situation in that war.
Performance of the ship in the Malvinas War ARA-SanLuis , under the command of Captain Fernando Fragata Azcueta, BNMP departed for the 11 April 1982 for sea trials prior to their deployment, which ended for two days. Upon his return, he receives the order to "wear a British expeditionary force incursora focal area in the Malvinas / Georgia to help maintain and consolidate the conquest of the Malvinas."
Do a campaign of 40 days, over which carried out three attacks on the enemy, but have operated with only three of its four diesel engines and have the computer systems of the weapons out of service, thus maintaining their capacity launch torpedoes limited to emergency conditions. After some contacts with surface ships hidrofónicos not possible and their response of attack of the enemy without, the May 1 launched a torpedo at a target at a distance (classified as a destroyer / frigate) unable to assess their effect, being then harassed by 22 h by a force of ships and helicopters, so it should settle on the seabed to avoid victimization by this attack. On May 8 made a new attack on a prized target as submarine, with a strong explosion in the azimuth of the launch, without being able to determine the effects.
May 10 finally made a third attack on a white, also classified as a destroyer / frigate, without also assessing its impact, but without a subsequent counterattack. On May 11 was ordered back to their base of operations, who met safely. On May 19 he joined the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base, after 39 days of patrol and 864 hours of immersion (equivalent to 36 days).