ARA Heroína (D-12)

ARA Heroína (pennant number D-12) is the third ship of the MEKO 360H2 series of four destroyers built for the Argentine Navy. The ship is the third ship in the history of the Argentine Navy to bear the name of the corsair frigate Heroína, which claimed the Falkland Islands for the United Provinces of the River Plate on 6 November 1820.

The Argentine Navy struggles to meet maintenance and training requirements because of financial problems and import restrictions. The Almirante Brown class are reported to be short of spares and suffering engine problems, plus all their ordnance is past its expiry date.

Origin
Heroína and her sister ships were authorized under the Naval Construction National Plan of 1974, an initiative by the Argentine Navy to replace old World War II-vintage warships which were nearing the end of their operational lives. A contract was signed with the Blohm + Voss Shipyards in Hamburg, West Germany for the construction of four MEKO 360H2 destroyers.

Construction
Heroína was launched on February 17, 1982. The ship was delivered to the Argentine Navy on November 7, 1983 for her sea trials, following which the ship departed for Argentina, arriving at Puerto Belgrano Naval Base on December 21.

Service history
Heroina is to enter a major engine and structural overhaul in 2006, following her sister ship La Argentina.

She is currently homeported at Puerto Belgrano as part of the Navy's 2nd Destroyer Division, along with her three sister ships.