The general arrangement of the Vard 7 411 design selected as the basis for Chile's Escotillón IV programme. (Vard Marine)
The first new Vard 7 411-class multi-purpose amphibious transport vessel being built by state-owned shipbuilder ASMAR for the Chilean Navy is starting to take shape on the slipway, with seven of a total of around 30 blocks now in final position, a Chilean Navy official has told Janes.
The ship is the first of a planned class of four 110 m long amphibious transport vessels that will be built under the navy's Escotillón IV programme, with the first two currently on contract. The ships are based on Vard Marine's Vard Series 7 design, which has been modified to meet Chilean Navy requirements.
Construction on the lead ship started at ASMAR's shipyard in Talcahuano, southern Chile, in February 2022 and the ship was laid down in May 2023.
Speaking to Janes at Defence iQ's Surface, Air and Seabed Warfare (SASW) 2024 conference in Portsmouth, the UK, on 18 June, the official said the aim is for the first ship to complete around 50% to 60% of its outfitting phase prior to leaving the slipway. The current projection is that it will be floated out around the mid-2026 timeframe, he said, with commissioning planned for 2027.
Meanwhile, the navy was hopeful of getting the green light to order the second batch of two by mid-2025, he said.
The multirole vessels will be capable of operating throughout the Pacific and Southern oceans, where they will be used for a wide range of missions including logistic support, search-and-rescue, sealift, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
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