ARA Veinticinco de Mayo V-2 Overview and Performance

The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo V-2 is a significant warship in Argentina's fleet. It was commissioned in 1980 and has been a vital part of the country's naval defense ever since.

The ship's primary role is to serve as a guided missile cruiser, equipped with a range of advanced systems for air defense and anti-submarine warfare. Its capabilities make it a formidable opponent on the high seas.

One of the V-2's most notable features is its length, measuring 180 meters from bow to stern. This size allows for a significant amount of firepower and crew accommodations.

The ship's crew is highly trained and consists of over 400 personnel, who work together to operate and maintain the vessel's complex systems.

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The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo was built by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, England during the Second World War.

She was originally named HMS Venerable and served in the British Pacific Fleet for three years before being sold to the Netherlands as HNLMS Karel Doorman.

A boiler room fire led to the carrier being rebuilt, and she was later sold to Argentina and renamed Veinticinco de Mayo.

The Argentine Navy already operated a carrier, ARA Independencia, but Veinticinco de Mayo had a more powerful catapult than Independencia.

Veinticinco de Mayo could carry up to 24 aircraft, and her air group started with F9F Panthers and F9F Cougar jets.

Later, these were replaced with A-4Q Skyhawks supported by S-2 Tracker anti-submarine warfare aircraft and Sikorsky Sea King helicopters.

In September 1969, Hawker Siddeley demonstrated their Harrier GR.1 on board the carrier for a possible sale to the Argentine Navy.

The ship was refitted and updated several times in the 1970s, with each repair period lasting no more than 3-5 months.

Her last pre-Falklands refit occurred in 1981, when she received an update to her radar, arresting gear, and steam catapult.

The Falklands War was a pivotal moment in the history of ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2), a light fleet carrier that played a significant role in the conflict.

During the war, Veinticinco de Mayo was used in support of the initial Argentine landings on the Falklands, with 1500 army soldiers waiting outside Stanley harbour as the first submarine and boat-landed commandos secured landing areas.

Her aircraft were not used during the initial invasion, but later in defence of the occupation, she was deployed in a task force north of the Falkland Islands, with the cruiser ARA General Belgrano to the south.

The British had assigned HMS Splendid, a nuclear-powered submarine, to track down Veinticinco de Mayo and sink her if necessary, with Rear Admiral Sandy Woodward stating that he would have recommended taking both the carrier and the General Belgrano out that night if HMS Splendid had located the carrier.

Veinticinco de Mayo's S-2 Trackers detected the British fleet late on 1 May 1982, and a strike by all eight A-4Q Skyhawk jets was prepared, but the attack did not take place due to poor winds preventing the jets from being launched.

After the British nuclear-powered submarine HMS Conqueror sank General Belgrano, Veinticinco de Mayo returned to port for safety.

Here are the different classes of aircraft carriers that were related to Veinticinco de Mayo's design:

Veinticinco de Mayo was modified in 1983 to carry the new Dassault Super Étendard jets, but problems with her engines confined her to port and she was deemed more or less unseaworthy.

The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo was a 3,500-ton protected cruiser built in the UK under President Miguel Juárez Celman for £260,000.

She was a brand new ship, named ARA Necochea at first, then 25 of May, reflecting Argentina's national holiday and revolution.

The Veinticinco de Mayo was roughly a repeat of the well-balanced Piemonte made for the Regia Marina, showcasing her impressive design.

Here's a brief overview of her armament:

She was fast and well-armed, making her a versatile and hard-hitting ship in her time.

The 25 de Mayo's main battery was centered around two Vickers Armstrong 210 millimeters guns forward and aft, and four rapid-fire sponsoned 124 mm guns per side.

The secondary battery consisted of twelve 47 mm Hotchkiss guns and twelve 37mm Hotchkiss guns, which were located in various positions around the ship.

She also had two military masts with fighting tops, where eight Maxim machine guns were located, providing additional firepower.

Here's a breakdown of the ship's armament:

The 25 de Mayo was also equipped with two fast steam cutters, which could be used as impromptu torpedo boats in anchorage and bays.

The armour protection layout of this ship was quite limited. It had a 120 mm armour belt.

The armoured deck was also a part of the armour protection, shaped like a turtledeck as was common for its time. Side slopes on the sloped section measured between 25 and 27 mm.

The Gun shields and Conning Tower forward were protected by 25 mm armour. This provided some level of protection for the crew.

There was a compartimentation for ASW protection, with 13 separate compartments underwater protected by bulkheads. Unfortunately, there was no double bottom.

The armament of a ship is its most crucial feature. It's what sets it apart from other vessels and determines its effectiveness in battle.

The main battery of the 25 de Mayo was centered around two Vickers Armstrong 210 millimetres (8.2 in) guns, one forward and one aft. These guns were the ship's primary defense against enemy ships.

The secondary battery comprised no less than twelve 47 mm (6-pdr) Hotchkiss guns and twelve 37mm (3-pdr) also quick-fire (QF) Hotchkiss guns. These guns were used to target enemy ships at closer range.

The 47 mm Hotchkiss guns were located on deck on either side, then four more in hull recesses, casemates fore and aft, and the remainder four on deck. This placement allowed for maximum coverage of the ship's surroundings.

The 37mm Hotchkiss guns were located on deck and on the fore and aft bridges wings. Their placement allowed for quick deployment against enemy ships.

The 25 de Mayo had two military masts with fighting tops in which eight Maxim machine guns were located. These machine guns provided additional firepower against enemy ships.

The ship initially had three torpedo tubes, but this was later increased to six. This increase in firepower made the 25 de Mayo a formidable opponent in battle.

The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2) is equipped with a range of sensors that have undergone several upgrades over the years. Two early warning radars, LW-01 and LW-02, were among the first electronic upgrades.

A radar for target acquisition and tracking, DA-02, was also installed. This radar plays a crucial role in identifying and tracking potential targets.

The ship is also equipped with a radar for navigation and surface detection, ZW-01. This radar helps the crew navigate through unfamiliar waters and detect surface vessels.

An altimetric radar, SGR-109, is another key component of the ship's sensor suite. This radar provides critical information about the ship's surroundings, including the height of obstacles.

The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2) also features various electronic countermeasures (ECM) systems to counter electronic threats. These systems help protect the ship from electronic attacks.

A sensitive antenna, URN-20, is protected by a unique liquid hydrogen tube. This antenna is crucial for receiving sensitive information.

The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2) had a long list of commanders throughout its operational career.

The first commander was Capitán de navío Tirso Ranulfo Brizuela, who took command on October 10, 1968. He served until March 5, 1970.

Capitán de navío Marcos Oliva Dey took command on March 5, 1970, and served until March 3, 1971.

Capitán de navío Félix Federico Fritte served as commander from March 3, 1971, to December 17, 1971.

Here is a list of the ship's commanders in chronological order:

The ship's commanders after its desafectación del servicio activo were:

Capitán de fragata Carlos A. Nesprias served as second commander from March 27, 1990, to March 23, 1993.

Capitán de fragata José Luis Sciotti took command on March 23, 1993, and served until December 29, 1993.

The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2) was part of the Veinticinco de Mayo class cruisers built in the UK in 1930. This class of cruisers was a result of the Chilean-Argentinian Naval Arms race.

The Veinticinco de Mayo class cruisers were fast and well-armed, featuring two 210 mm (8-in) guns, four 120 mm (4.7 in) QF guns per side, 24 smaller guns, six torpedo tubes, and even two steam boats with spar torpedoes. This made them versatile and hard-hitting ships.

Here's a comparison of the ships in the Veinticinco de Mayo class with some other notable ships:

The Veinticinco de Mayo class cruisers were built under President Miguel Juárez Celman for £260,000 at the Armstrong yards.

The hull and design of a ship are crucial aspects of its overall structure. The 25 de Mayo's steel hull had a ram in the bow and was protected with an armored deck.

Its design was typical of the time, with a symmetrical layout, forecastle, and poop deck. The ship had two military masts and two funnels, with air intakes and service boats under davits.

The 25 de Mayo was slightly larger than the Piemonte, measuring 107.90 m long and 13.41 m in beam. It had a draft of 7.92 m, with an average draft of 5.95 m.

The ship's displacement was 3,180 tonnes standard and 3,500 tonnes fully loaded. Its size and displacement made it a notable vessel of its time.

The 25 de Mayo's design was similar to the ARA 9 de Julio, built by the same yard, with roughly the same design but different armaments and size.

The Veinticinco de Mayo class cruisers were a series of ships built for the Armada de Argentina and Armada de Chile. They were a key part of the naval arms race between the two countries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The first Veinticinco de Mayo class cruiser was built in the UK under President Miguel Juárez Celman for £260,000 at the Armstrong yards. It was named ARA Necochea at first, then 25 of May, and was roughly a repeat of the well-balanced Piemonte made for the Regia Marina.

The Veinticinco de Mayo class cruisers were fast and well-armed, with two 210 mm (8-in) guns, four 120 mm (4.7 in) QF guns per side, 24 smaller guns, six torpedo tubes, and even two steam boats with spar torpedoes.

Here's a list of some of the notable Veinticinco de Mayo class cruisers built for the Armada de Argentina:

The Veinticinco de Mayo class cruisers played a significant role in the naval history of both Argentina and Chile, and their legacy continues to be felt today.

The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2) had a tumultuous post-war period.

In 1988, a plan was set in motion to modernize the ship at the Río Santiago shipyard, which would have included replacing its propulsion system and all its electronics.

However, the economic crisis of 1989 put a halt to these plans, and the ship was left to sit idle.

The ship's components began to be dismantled and sold to the Brazilian Navy, which used them to upgrade its own ship, the NAeL Minas Gerais.

One of the notable items sold to the Brazilian Navy was the ship's powerful catapult, which was installed on the NAeL and allowed it to operate with Douglas A-4KW aircraft acquired from Kuwait in 1998.

By 1997, the ARA Veinticinco de Mayo had been decommissioned and was being prepared for sale, with a resolution from the head of the Navy's General Staff, Carlos Marrón, approving its transfer to a temporary unit for modification or modernization.

The ship was eventually sent to the Indian port of Alang in 2000, where it was scrapped.

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