This type of ship was designed by the Arsenal do Alfeite, Lisbon, but was built in private shipyards located in Vila Real de Santo António.

The ships of the class are mainly employed in the surveillance and control of the Portuguese territorial waters, in Mainland Portugal and in the Madeira Archipelago.

The ships are also employed in other missions as the search and rescue, maritime pollution control and force protection of combatant ships in confined waters.

In 2000, an upgraded version of the Argos class entered service in the Portuguese Navy.

It is to note, that from 1963 to 1975, the Portuguese Navy employed a class of large patrol boats that was also designated Argos class.