Argentina nears deal with France for Scorpene submarines as it rebuilds sea control.

In a Nov. 6 television interview reported by Argentine outlets, President Javier Milei said his government is moving ahead with French-built submarines and offshore patrol vessels to rebuild sea control and tighten fisheries enforcement. The plan, long discussed with Paris, points to Scorpène-class submarines and OPV-87 boats, shifting the debate to configurations and delivery timelines as talks with France have already been underway since late 2024.

President Javier Milei has put fresh political weight behind Argentina’s long-running talks with France, saying the government is proceeding with the acquisition of French submarines and patrol vessels as part of a broader industrial and diplomatic track with Paris. Local reporting aligns with negotiations that accelerated after Emmanuel Macron visited Buenos Aires in November 2024, when both sides outlined a package built around Scorpène-class submarines and additional OPV-87 offshore patrol vessels for the Argentine Navy and maritime authorities. Officials and trade publications have consistently framed the program near the two billion dollar mark, with a Letter of Intent already acknowledged by defense sources in late 2024.
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Developed by Naval Group, the Scorpène is a modular export design with an optional air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, fielded at around 1,600 to 2,000 tonnes submerged. (Picture source: Naval Group)

The Scorpène choice marks a pragmatic return to a submarine capability that Argentina has not effectively operated since the withdrawal of the TR-1700 boats and the prolonged unavailability of ARA Santa Cruz and ARA Salta. Developed by Naval Group, the Scorpène is a modular export design with an optional air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, fielded at around 1,600 to 2,000 tonnes submerged. Published performance for series variants indicates roughly 6,000 nautical miles at 8 knots on diesel-electric transit and more than 50 days of endurance, with a crew of about 31. The SUBTICS combat system integrates bow and flank sonars, electronic support measures, and fire control. Armament includes the F21 heavyweight torpedo and the Exocet SM39 anti-ship missile, giving the platform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare capacity suited to South Atlantic waters.

On the surface side, the president’s reference to “buques para patrullar las costas” points to the OPV-87 family already in Argentine service as the Bouchard class. Measuring 87 meters and about 1,650 tonnes, these patrol vessels reach nearly 20 knots and typically carry a 30 mm Marlin-WS gun supplemented by machine guns. The later hulls add cold-water adaptations, active stabilization, a bow thruster for harbor maneuvering, and upgraded combat and communications suites. They operate RHIBs, have a helicopter deck, and support UAV operations, which makes them adaptable for fisheries control, search and rescue, and sovereignty patrols out to the edges of the EEZ.

If Buenos Aires confirms Scorpène, early configuration choices will determine operational effects. AIP extends submerged endurance and reduces the acoustic signature on patrol, a key benefit under radio silence and controlled emissions (EMCON), enabling discreet, prolonged stations near chokepoints. The sensor and fire-control suite supports construction of a Recognized Maritime Picture (RMP) and a Common Operational Picture (COP), while the F21/SM39 set provides selective surface-denial options. Range and endurance parameters allow deterrent patrols that cover the Southern Cone approaches and sea lines of communication without continuous snorkeling, while the hull size remains suitable for littoral workups, mine-laying, or special operations insertion. For the OPV-87s, integration of the Polaris combat system and the NiDL tactical data link on the latest Argentine units enables continuous contribution to the joint RMP/COP alongside naval aviation and coastal stations.

OPV-87s provide presence, law-enforcement tasks, and updates to the maritime picture in peacetime, freeing higher-end assets from constabulary duties. Through steady ISR watch, they cue the submarine and naval aviation, notably against illegal fishing or abnormal surface behavior. The Scorpène then adds discreet deterrence and a strike option that any opponent must account for, complicating coercive action in Argentina’s approaches. In more demanding scenarios, the combined anti-surface and anti-submarine functions and the penetration effect of the Exocet SM39 support sea denial and the protection of coastal and offshore infrastructure. Under EMCON, surprise is enhanced; with controlled burst transmissions, the boat can still feed the COP when the risk is assessed as acceptable. The result is a more layered posture, with the OPV sustaining daily governance at sea and the submarine underwriting escalation control.

Argentina has already absorbed the logistics chain and training pathways tied to OPV-87s, which reduces introduction risk for an additional batch, whether for the Armada Argentina or the Prefectura Naval in a maritime policing role. On the submarine side, Naval Group’s export experience opens options for local support, life-cycle training, and targeted technology transfers, with the possibility of aligning these with the national Defence Industrial and Technological Base (BITD) and the shipyard ecosystem for maintenance periods. Financing architecture will be decisive, with precedents pointing to French credit lines and a phased schedule extending several years after signature, in line with complex naval programs.

The plan tightens defense ties with Paris, aligns with Argentina’s search for Euro-Atlantic financing and partnerships, and improves interoperability with other regional Scorpène operators, notably Brazil and Chile, during combined ASW exercises and RMP data exchanges. A credible submarine capability, even in small numbers, changes calculations in the South Atlantic by raising the cost of opportunistic incursions and securing energy fields and seabed cables or sensors. For France, it sustains a long-term maritime partnership in the hemisphere and maintains high-value workload for its naval sector. If the government sequences OPVs and submarines methodically, integrates training and data-link architectures early, and protects sustainment budgets, Argentina moves from intermittent capacity to a steadier maritime posture that supports international security through lawful sea control and predictable crisis management.