Argentinian Navy is studying the possibility of acquiring up to four Scorpène-class submarines from the French shipyard Naval Group, according to the local newspaper Clarín, and thus recover the submarine capacity of the Navy, a force that since the shipwreck of the ARA San Juan -and the loss of its 44 crew members- lacks operational units.
According to high military sources, cited by Clarín, “the project is long-term and is aimed at a force of four conventional Scorpène-class submarines, developed by the French Naval Group but manufactured in Rio de Janeiro.”
It is for this reason that the Minister of Defense, Jorge Taiana, would take advantage of his next visit to France, on the occasion of the launch of the last ocean patrol boat acquired from Naval Group, to hold a meeting with his French counterpart, Florence Parly, in which to address the possible transaction.