ARA Hércules (B-52)

ARA Hércules was a former Type 42 destroyer of the Argentine Navy (Spanish: Armada de la República Argentina), which was transformed into a multi-purpose transport ship with the pennant number B-52 (previously D-1) and assigned to the amphibious force in 1999. She was formally decommissioned in 2024 after having been non-operational for several years.

History
The ship was ordered on 18 May 1970 and completed on 10 May 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 Hércules replaced a section of the ship, as both were identical in build. She was delivered to Argentina and entered service on 19 September 1977. As built, Hércules 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 anti-ship 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 Santísima Trinidad, Hércules was part of the escort of the aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo during the Falklands War.

The ship had a major conversion at ASMAR in Talcahuano, Chile in 2000 that removed the anti-aircraft and anti-ship missile systems 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.

As of 2020, Hércules was reported to be non-operational. She was formally decommissioned in 2024.