United States warship transfers to Argentina, Brazil and Chile : options for U.S. policy.
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Author
Jenkins, Brent P.
Date
1991-12Advisor
Tollefson, Scott D.
Second Reader
Laurance, Edward J.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The United States Navy plans to decommission several
classes of warships in the next decade. Each of the major
Southern Cone countries of Latin America (Argentina, Brazil,
and Chile) perceives a geopolitically-driven need for a
blue-water navy. Each of these navies needs frigates and
destroyers to achieve blue-water status. This thesis
examines U.S. ship transfer policy to the Southern Cone. It
concludes that the Adams - . Coontz - . and Knox -class ships
that the U.S. navy is beginning to decommission should be
leased to the Southern Cone navies in order to bolster their
naval forces and to support mutual maritime security
interests. The poor economic status of these countries
mandates that the lease terms be made as favorable as
possible and that the annual number of ship leases be kept
to a few.