During April 2006, Navantia (formerly Izar) of Spain received an initial down payment from Venezuela to begin construction of four new offshore patrol vessels for the oil-rich South American nation. The Navantia-released line drawing shows the warships fitted with what appears to be two antiship missile canisters amidships, a 76-mm gun mount forward and a small caliber close-in weapon system aft. Other Venezuelan air and naval orders pending in Spain include 4 inshore patrol...