Portal:Argentina/Selected article/14
The Rivadavia-class was a two-ship group of battleships (Spanish: acorazados) designed by the American Fore River Shipbuilding Company for the Argentine Navy (Armada de la República Argentina). Named Rivadavia and Moreno after important figures in Argentine history, they were Argentina's counter to Brazil's two Minas Geraes-class battleships.
During their construction, the Argentine battleships were frequently subject of rumors involving their sale to a foreign country, especially after the beginning of the First World War. Under diplomatic pressure not to sell, Argentina kept the two ships. Throughout their careers, Rivadavia and Moreno were based in Puerto Belgrano and served principally as training ships and diplomatic envoys. They were modernized in the United States in 1924 and 1925 and were inactive for much of the Second World War due to Argentina's neutrality. Struck from the navy lists on 1 February 1957, Rivadavia was scrapped in Italy beginning in 1959. Moreno was struck on 1 October 1956 and was towed to Japan in 1957 for scrapping in what was then the world's longest tow (96 days). (Full article...)