Guaiquerí-class patrol boat

The Guaiquerí-class patrol vessels (Avante 2200 Combatant) are a class of ocean patrol vessels or POVZEE (Spanish: Patrullero Oceánico de Vigilancia de la Zona Económica Exclusiva) in Venezuelan Navy service. The lead ship were originally intended to have the pennant F-31 and name of Guaicaipuro but has since been renumbered.

PC-21 Guaiquerí
Class overview
Builders: Navantia, Cadiz, Puerto Real Yard
Operators:  Bolivarian Armada of Venezuela
Planned: 4
Completed: 4
Active: 3
Lost: 1
General characteristics
Type: Patrol boat
Displacement: 2,419 tons
Length: 99 m (325 ft)
Beam: 13.6 m (45 ft)
Draught: 7.2 m (24 ft)
Draft: 3.8 m (12 ft)
Propulsion:
  • CODAD, 4 × MTU 12V-1163-TB93 rated at 4,440 kW (5,950 hp) each
  • 2 × shaft with Wärtsilä 5C11 CP propeller[1]
Speed:
  • Maximum: 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph)
  • Cruising: 22 knots
  • Economy: 18 knots
Range: 3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement: 60 + 32
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Thales SMART-S Mk-2 multifunction radar
  • Thales Mirador EOTS
  • Thales Vigile 100 ESM
  • Thales Scout Mk2 LPI
  • Thales Sting 1.2
  • Thales TACTICOS CMS
Armament:
  • 1 × Oto Melara 76 mm ('A' position)
  • 1 × Oerlikon Millennium 35 mm Naval Revolver Gun System
  • 2 × 12.7 mm machine guns
Aviation facilities: Flight deck, hangar

Design

The POVZEE vessels feature stealth technology with reduced radar and infrared signatures as well as special design to minimize the propulsion system's noise emissions and vibrations. An aft hangar and flight deck enables operation of a single rotary-wing aircraft. The ship carries two small semi-rigid boats RHIB for rescue and transport purposes.

The first ship, Guaiquerí was launched by Navantia, Cadiz on 24 June 2009.[2]

On 3 August 2012, Warao grounded on a reef off Fortaleza, Brazil when arriving for the joint exercise "VenBras-2012" with the Brazilian Navy. She was assisted by sister Kariña and refloated by Brazilian tugboats.[3] The hull and propulsion system were heavily damaged and it was decided to repair her in Brazil with assistance from Navantia.[4] In March 2013 she arrived at the naval dockyard at Rio de Janeiro aboard Dutch heavy-lift dock Rolldock Sea.[5]

On 31 March 2016, the accidental discharge of a cannon on Guaiquerí left at least one dead and six injured.[6]

Ships of class
Name Pennant Laid down Launched Commissioned Fate
Guaiquerí PC-21 11 September 2008 24 June 2009 14 April 2011[7]
Warao PC-22 12 May 2009 3 November 2009 August 2011 out of service after grounding incident in 2012.
Yekuana PC-23 22 September 2009 1 March 2010 9 December 2011
Kariña PC-24 17 February 2010 N/A January 2012

References
  1. "Wartsila Propulsion Solutions for OPVs" (PDF).
  2. "Navantia launches first Venezuelan OPV".
  3. "Navio de guerra venezuelano encalha no litoral de Fortaleza". Tribuna Hoje, Maceió AL (in Portuguese). 3 August 2012. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  4. "El patrullero oceánico Warao (PC-22) de la Armada de Venezuela será reparado en Brasil". infodefense.com (in Spanish). 9 January 2013.
  5. "El patrullero oceánico Warao de la Armada de Venezuela arriba a Río de Janeiro para su eventual reparación". infodefense.com (in Spanish). 7 March 2013.
  6. "Explosión en buque Patrullero Oceánico AB Guaiquerí (PO-11) en la Base Naval de Puerto Cabello deja un muerto y seis heridos". notiactual.com (in Spanish).
  7. Indodefensa (15 de abril de 2011): Navantia entrega a la Armada venezolana el primer Patrullero Oceánico de Vigilancia
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