ARA Hércules (B-52)

ARA Hércules is a Type 42 destroyer of the Argentine Navy or Armada de la República Argentina. She was transformed into a multi-purpose transport ship with Pennant Number B-52 and commissioned to the amphibious force in 1999.

History
The ship was ordered on May 18, 1970 and completed on May 10, 1976 at the Vickers Shipbuilding yard in Barrow-in-Furness, United Kingdom. During construction, an explosion on HMS Sheffield (D80) caused damage in the hull. The hull of the Hércules replaced a section of the ship, as both were identical in build. She was delivered to Argentina and entered service on September 19, 1977. As built, she was identical to the initial Type 42 units being commissioned by the Royal Navy. The Argentine Navy upgraded the warship by enhancing her offensive capabilities with MM-38 Exocet missiles. The original boat decks by the funnel were modified in order to mount the launchers.

In 1982, along with her newly built sister ship, ARA Santisima Trinidad , she was part of the escort of the aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo during the Falklands War.

The ship had a major conversion at astilleros ASMAR in Talcahuano, Chile in 2000 to allow the embarkment of a complement of 238 marine infantry troops, the flight deck and hangar were also enlarged to allow her to operate two Sea King helicopters. Each helicopter can also carry two AM-39 Exocet anti-ship missiles.