Driven and supported by the progress made in the program to incorporate F-16AM/BM fighters into the Argentine Air Force, defense cooperation between Argentina and Denmark could expand into new areas—more specifically, the naval domain, where the Argentine Navy—like the rest of the Armed Forces—has significant needs for renewal and reequipment.
According to high-ranking and prominent officials from the Ministry of Defense, a Danish offer has reportedly emerged involving Iver Huitfeldt-class air defense frigates, which could potentially fill the gap left years ago by the loss of the capabilities once provided by the Type 42 destroyers.
With the decommissioning of the ARA Hércules (B-52) Multi-purpose Rapid Transport confirmed for 2024, the Argentine Navy officially closed the chapter on the Type 42 class, which had once provided the fleet with unparalleled regional air defense capabilities. This class, of British origin and equipped with modern Sea Dart surface-to-air missiles, represented a milestone for the Navy, which at the time aimed to project itself as a blue-water force with a presence in the South Atlantic.
The Falklands War and the subsequent British arms embargo dashed those aspirations, with the Type 42 class—based on the destroyers ARA Santísima Trinidad and ARA Hércules—standing as one of the most telling examples of the Argentine Navy’s decline and its diminished capacity to maintain a sustained maritime presence.
Nevertheless, as stated by the Chief of the Argentine Navy, Admiral Carlos Allievi, in an interview with Zona Militar, the institution has been evaluating various options and plans to replace the Type 42 destroyers.
In this regard, and referring to the studies for the acquisition of two multi-purpose frigates, he explained: “…As Fleet Commander, I signed the project, the DDP (Project Descriptive Document), where you define how many units are requested, what characteristics they must have, what the cost is. It’s a very specific process, but it has already been completed and is part of what is known as BAPIN, the Public Investment Bank.” He also mentioned that frigate models such as the Italian FREMM and even the Spanish Alfa 3000 were being considered.
Along those lines, and based on recent statements from the Secretary for International Defense Affairs, Juan Batallame, the official revealed an offer—presumably under evaluation—for the Argentine Navy to be equipped with Iver Huitfeldt-class air defense frigates, which could be made available by Denmark in the future.
As with the acquisition of F-16AM/BM fighters from the Royal Danish Air Force, Denmark’s Navy will undergo a modernization process, which could include the replacement of several surface combatants.
The Iver Huitfeldt class consists of three air defense frigates built by the local Odense Steel Shipyard. Their design is based on experience gained with the Absalon class—a hybrid between a frigate and a multi-role ship—but with a focus on short-, medium-, and long-range air defense.
In terms of capabilities, the Iver Huitfeldt frigates are specifically designed for anti-air warfare as a development of the Absalon class. They are equipped with MK 41 and MK 56 vertical launch systems, enabling them to fire ESSM and SM-2 IIIA missiles.
However, despite their capabilities, the vessels came under scrutiny last year after the lead ship of the class, HDMS Iver Huitfeldt, was forced to end its deployment to the Red Sea early during Operation Prosperity Guardian.
According to reports, the ship experienced several failures in its air defense systems and had to return to port for repairs. As noted at the time: “…during an engagement with a group of 14 Houthi drones on March 9, the frigate’s radar and missile launch systems were non-operational for half an hour. After a system reboot, using three missiles and firing its 76 mm Oto Melara gun, the Iver Huitfeldt managed to shoot down four drones, but required support from other vessels in the area to effectively counter the threat.”
The issues reportedly stemmed from the Thales Nederland APAR radar system, responsible for missile guidance and target tracking, which has also shown faults on other vessels, such as the German Navy’s Sachsen F124 frigates—evidenced by the accidental firing of two SM-2 missiles at a U.S. Navy MQ-9B drone in the Red Sea.
This situation is significant for Denmark’s Ministry of Defense, which is weighing whether to proceed with a mid-life upgrade program for the frigates, a move that, according to local media, could prove too costly. Other options under consideration include building or acquiring a new class of air defense frigates, reassigning the Iver Huitfeldt class to other roles, or even selling them to third countries.
Lastly, regarding the Argentine Navy, it should be noted that, despite ongoing evaluations and offers to renew the fleet, the current leadership’s top priority remains the acquisition of new submarines—a process that has seen little progress since the signing of a Letter of Intent with France for Scorpène-class submarines. Meanwhile, a German proposal involving Type 209NG submarines is also under review.
However, given the current financial situation of both the Argentine Navy and the Armed Forces more broadly, the acquisition of new submarines or air defense frigates remains a distant prospect. Naval platform acquisitions—whether surface or subsurface—require investments ranging from hundreds of millions to several billion dollars, amounts that Budget Jurisdiction 45 is not in a position to cover.
*Original article in Spanish by Juan José Roldán
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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