Tamandaré-class frigate

Brazilian frigate class From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tamandaré-class frigate

The Tamandaré class is a series of stealth frigates under construction for the Brazilian Navy since 2022, based on the MEKO family of warships. The project was developed by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems in partnership with Embraer Defense and Security. As of 2024, four ships have been ordered, with other four planned as a second batch.

Quick Facts Class overview, General characteristics ...
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Tamandaré, the first ship of the class, under construction (ThyssenKrupp shipyard, 2024)
Class overview
NameTamandaré class
BuildersThyssenKrupp Marine Systems
Operators Brazilian Navy
Preceded by
Cost$555M or R$2.77B per ship in November 2023
Built2022–present
In commission2025+
Planned8[1]
Building3
General characteristics
TypeGeneral-purpose frigate
Displacement3.500 t (3.445 long tons)
Length107.2 m (351 ft 8 in)
Beam16 m (52 ft 6 in)
Draught5.2 m (17 ft 1 in)
Installed power4 × Caterpillar C32 diesel generators 1,417 kW each
Propulsion
Speed
  • Maximum: 25.5 knots (47.2 km/h; 29.3 mph)
  • Economy: 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Range5,500 nmi (10,200 km; 6,300 mi)
Boats & landing
craft carried
2 × RHIBs
Complement136
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Systems:
  • Atlas ANCS combat management system
  • Hensoldt Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system
  • Search radar:
  • Hensoldt TRS-4D AESA C-band multi-function radar
  • Navigation radar:
  • Anschütz NautoScan X-band navigation radar
  • Sonar:
  • Atlas ASO 713 active/passive hull-mounted sonar
  • Fire control radar:
  • Thales STIR 1.2 EO Mk2 fire control radar
  • Electro-optical sensor:
  • Safran PASEO XLR extra long-range EO/IR system
  • Communications:
  • SATCOM terminal with SGDC satellite link
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • SIGINT/ESM suite:
  • Omnisys MAGE Defensor Mk3 ESM system
  • Countermeasures systems:
  • Terma anti-torpedo decoys
  • Seagnat chaff dispensers
Armament
Aircraft carried
Aviation facilitiesFlight deck and enclosed hangar for one medium-lift helicopter
NotesSources:[2][3][4][5][6]
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History

Summarize
Perspective

The program was created in 2017 with the main purpose of replacing all the current major surface combatants of the Niterói-class frigates in operation since 1975, the Broadsword-class boats acquired second-hand from the United Kingdom in the 1990s, and the Inhaúma-class corvettes.[7] Several companies from seventeen countries entered in the competition opened by the Ministry of Defence, offering different types of projects and offset packages. The list of all participating companies was released on 16 May 2017.[8]

After more than a year of studies by the Directorate of Program Management of the Navy and the Naval Projects Management Company, the short-list of the finalist projects was released in October 2018, the selected projects were: ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and the MEKO A-100, the Sigma-class of Damen Group, the Gowind-class of Naval Group and Fincantieri with Brazilian Navy's indigenous project variant.[9]

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems with a 3,500-ton MEKO A-100-class variant was declared winner in March 2019, with the contract for the first batch of four units signed on 6 March 2020.[10] In January 2021, ThyssenKrupp confirmed the acquisition of the Oceana shipyard in Itajaí, becoming the company's first shipyard in Latin America, with the objective of building the new Brazilian frigates.[11] The construction of the lead ship, Tamandaré, started in September 2022 and the launch ceremony of the boat took place in August 2024.[12]

The Brazilian Navy announced plans to build a second batch of four more units in August 2024, confirming the National Maritime Strategy published by the MoD in 2023.[12][13] As of November 2023, each ship of the first batch cost around $555 million (R$2.77 billion), the total program cost was reported $2.2 billion.[14]

Design

Summarize
Perspective
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Infographic of the Tamandaré class frigates

The class was based on the MEKO family of warships, a concept of modern naval shipbuilding based on modularity of armament, electronics and other equipment, aiming at ease of maintenance and cost reduction. Designed as multi-mission vessels, the class is able to fulfill the anti-aircraft warfare role with GWS-35 vertical launching system surface-to-air missiles cells, anti-surface warfare with the Brazilian MANSUP missiles, and anti-submarine warfare. The class was developed with the two island philosophy.[15]

Tamandaré is equipped with the Hensoldt TRS-4D active electronically scanned array radar, able to track 1,500 targets at a range of up to 250 km (160 mi). The combat management system (CMS) and the integrated platform management system (IPMS), designed by Atech, a subsidiary of Embraer, are a version derived from the Atlas ANCS and L3 Mapps, exclusively designed to meet the Brazilian requirements.[16]

Rheinmetall, a German defense company, is responsible for the supply of its new close-in weapon system, Sea Snake, armed with a 30 mm revolver cannon with ABM (air burst ammunition) capability.[17] The MAGE Defensor suite responsible for the electronic warfare support measures (ESM), electronic countermeasure (ECM) and the electronic signals intelligence (ELINT) systems of the class, was developed by the Brazilian company Omnisys. The class is fitted for, but not equipped with land-attack cruise missiles.[18][19]

Participation of Brazilian companies

Like other major defense programs in the country, the government demanded the construction of the ships in Brazil, the participation of Brazilian companies in the industrial process and the transfer of technologies.[7] Embraer, along its subsidiary Atech, are responsible for the integration of systems and sensors of the class, other companies like Akaer are involved in the industrial process, nationalizing components and parts of the structure to reduce costs and foreign dependence.[20] Around 40% of each ship's parts are produced in the country.[21]

Ships of the class

The ships are named after key people in the history of the Imperial Brazilian Navy.[22] Italics indicates estimated date.

More information Name, Hull number ...
Name Hull number Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Status
Tamandaré F200 ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Itajaí 24 March 2023[23] 9 August 2024[24] December 2025[25] Fitting out
Jerônimo de Albuquerque F201 6 June 2024[26] August 2025[12] 2026[24] Under construction; first steel cut 1 November 2023[27]
Cunha Moreira F202 July 2026[12] 2027[24] Under construction; first steel cut 13 November 2024[28]
Mariz e Barros F203 November 2027[12] 2028[24] Ordered[12]
TBD F204 Planned[12]
TBD F205 Planned[12]
TBD F206 Planned[12]
TBD F207 Planned[12]
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See also

References

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