Keel Laid for Brazilian Navy’s First Tamandaré Frigate

The Brazilian Navy and Águas Azuis laid keel for the Brazilian Navy’s Tamandaré frigate at thyssenkrupp Estaleiro Brasil Sul in Itajaí, Santa Catarina.

Aguas Azuis is a special purpose entity (SPE) formed by thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), Embraer Defense & Security and Atech.

Traditionally celebrated in shipbuilding, the keel laying takes place when the keel, the “backbone” of the vessel, is completed, allowing the construction of the other parts. Nowadays, with the engineering evolution and the modern production processes adopted in the Tamandaré Class Frigates Program (PFCT), it is possible for the ships to be built in blocks. In the case of the Tamandaré frigate, the first of the four ships in the PFCT, the keel laying was characterized by the positioning at its building site of an important structural block, which corresponds to the forward engine room. In this metal structure, which weighs approximately 52 tons, two engines, a gearbox and several pumps and auxiliary equipment will be installed.

Based on TKMS’ MEKO A100 design, the Tamandare-class frigate will have a displacement of 3,500t. Each vessel will have a length of 107.2m, a width of 15.95m and a draft of 5.2m. The frigate will feature stealth characteristics for minimizing radar signature.

The frigates will serve as escort ships with superior combat capability to ensure the safety of maritime traffic. The vessels will inspect and protect the exclusive economic zone, which together makes up the Blue Amazon, spanning over 4.5 million square kilometres of maritime area.

The vessel will be manned by 136 crew members. It can carry an unmanned vertical take-off and landing aircraft (drone) and a helicopter capable of performing anti-submarine (ASW) missions.

The new Tamandare-class frigates will be equipped with Sea Ceptor air defense missile system and Common Anti-air Modular Missiles (CAMM).

Each ship will integrate two twin launchers for the MANSUP (AV-RE40) anti-ship missiles and two triple torpedo launchers for Mark 46 anti-submarine torpedoes.

The frigates will also be armed with a Leonardo OTO Melara SRGM 76/62mm multi-purpose naval gun, a SeaSnake remote-controlled close-in weapon system (CIWS), and two Sea defender remote weapon stations (RWS) mounted with 12.7mm remote-controlled guns.