Southern Hemisphere Firepower. Venzuela's Off Shore Patrol Vessel.

via Defesa Blog.

Venezuelan Navy´s (Armada Nacional Bolivariana de Venezuela -ANBV) PC-22 ANB “Warao” offshore patrol vessel has had an accident in Fortaleza, Brazil. Important damages were made to the ship´s hull.

The Venezuelan Navy is now evaluating the serious damages.

Four Avante 2200´s POV (Patrullero Oceánico de Vigilancia) ships were built by the Spanish shipbuilder Navantia according a contract firmed in Caracas, Venezuela on 28 November 2005. They were commissioned in March 2011, August 2011, December 2011 and April 2012 respectively.

Four Avante 1400´s BVL (Buque de Vigilancia Litoral) patrol vessels were also acquired under the same contract. The last BVL is being built by the Venezuelan shipbuilder Diques y Astilleros Nacionales CA (DIANCA) in Puerto Cabello.

A couple of things.

Venezuela and Brazil appear to be forging closer ties.  Good for them.  The second?  Not bad for what is essentially a Coast Guard Vessel.  A 76mm gun up front (a rapid fire multi-munition gun at that...adequate for anti-air, anti-surface and land attack applications) along with a 35mm revolver gun at the rear.  Wrap all that up in a semi-stealthy platform built by Navantia and you have an impressive little ship.

Its hard to get a handle on whats going on down south but something is.