Niterói-class frigate

União in 2020
Class overview
NameNiterói class, Mk10
BuildersVosper Thornycroft, Arsenal de Marinha do Rio de Janeiro
Operators Brazilian Navy
Built1975–1986
Completed7
Active6
Retired1
General characteristics
TypeFrigate
Displacement
  • 3,355 tons standard
  • 3,707 tons full load
Length129.2 m (423 ft 11 in)
Beam13.5 m (44 ft 3 in)
Draught5.5 m (18 ft 1 in)
Installed power
PropulsionCombined diesel or gas, two shafts
Speed
  • 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) (maximum)
  • 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) (diesels only)
Range
  • 5,300 nautical miles (9,800 km; 6,100 mi) at 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
  • 4,200 nautical miles (7,800 km; 4,800 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
  • 1,300 nautical miles (2,400 km; 1,500 mi) at 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Endurance45 days
Complement217
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Before modernization:
  • AWS2 air search radar
  • ZW-06 surface search radar
  • 2 × RTN-10X fire control radar (not in F42/43)
  • EDO-610E hull-mounted sonar
  • EDO-700E variable-depth sonar (not in F42/43)
  • Computer-Aided Action Information System (CAAIS)
  • After modernization:
  • RAN-20S air search radar
  • Terma 'Scanter Mil' surface search radar
  • 2 × RTN-30X fire control radar
  • Saab EOS-400 optronic director
  • upgraded EDO-610E hull mounted sonar
  • SICONTA Mk 2 C3I system
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • Before modernization:
  • RDL-2/3 ESM
  • Two 12 × 102 mm rocket launchers
  • After modernization:
  • Cutlass B1W ESM
  • ET/SQL-1 ECM
  • Two 12×102 mm rocket launchers
Armament
Aircraft carried
Aviation facilitiesHelipad and hangar

The Niterói-class frigates are a class of frigates of the Brazilian Navy.

History[edit]

The Niterói class were designed and built by the British shipyard Vosper Thornycroft (VT) in the 1970s. These frigates were designated the Mk 10 by Vosper Thornycroft and are the largest of a series of ships built by that shipyard for both foreign buyers and the Royal Navy.

All of them were extensively modernized between 1996 and 2005 under the 'ModFrag' program. The projected completion was 2001, but due to lack of funds and sea trials to verify the new software, the entire program had been slipped to 2005.

A total of six ships were built. Two of the anti-submarines (ASW) and both of the general purpose (GP) version were built in England. The remaining two ASW ships were built at the Arsenal da Marinha in Rio de Janeiro with assistance from VT. The ASW ships had an Ikara missile launcher in Y position aft of the flight deck. This was removed as part of the modernisation programme. The GP ships had a second 4.5-inch (114 mm) gun in "Y" position. A seventh ship was built as the navy's main training unit. The ship is identical to the other ships of the class, but is not fitted with weapons or sensors.

From 2024, the class will be gradually replaced by the modern Tamandaré-class frigates, the survivors will be modernized and revitalized with the new combat system SICONTA MkII Mod. 1, developed by the Brazilian company Akaer Engenharia and transferred to patrol duties in the fleet.[1]

Ships[edit]

No. Name Type[2] Laid down[2] Launched[2] Commissioned[2] Status/Decom.
F40 Niterói ASW 8 June 1972 8 February 1974 20 November 1976 28 June 2019[3]
F41 Defensora ASW 14 December 1972 27 March 1975 3 March 1977 In service
F42 Constituição GP 13 March 1974 15 April 1976 31 March 1978 In service
F43 Liberal GP 2 May 1975 7 February 1977 18 November 1978 In service
F44 Independência ASW 11 June 1972 2 September 1974 3 September 1979 In service
F45 União ASW 11 June 1972 14 March 1975 12 September 1980 In service
U27 Brasil Training 18 September 1981[4] 2 September 1983[4] 21 August 1986[4] In service

Gallery[edit]

  • Niterói-class Frigate Gallery
  • Defensora operating with the tanker Almirante Gastão Motta on 18 November 2007.
    Defensora operating with the tanker Almirante Gastão Motta on 18 November 2007.
  • União underway on 22 January 2008.
    União underway on 22 January 2008.
  • Constituição on 2 June 2009.
    Constituição on 2 June 2009.
  • Brasil under way in 2011.
    Brasil under way in 2011.
  • F-44 Independência and F-42 Constituição on patrol in 2017.
    F-44 Independência and F-42 Constituição on patrol in 2017.
  • União during Aspirantex 2018.
    União during Aspirantex 2018.
  • Liberal during Aspirantex 2018.
    Liberal during Aspirantex 2018.
  • F-45 União at nightfall during Aspirantex 2018.
    F-45 União at nightfall during Aspirantex 2018.
  • Escort to the G-40 Bahia During Aspirantex 2020.
    Escort to the G-40 Bahia During Aspirantex 2020.
  • F-43 Liberal and F-45 União during Aspirantex 2020.
    F-43 Liberal and F-45 União during Aspirantex 2020.
  • F-43 Liberal and F-45 União during Aspirantex 2020.
    F-43 Liberal and F-45 União during Aspirantex 2020.
  • Liberal conducts drills with the Spanish Navy's Tornado in the Gulf of Guinea, 2023.
    Liberal conducts drills with the Spanish Navy's Tornado in the Gulf of Guinea, 2023.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ "Akaer revitalizará consoles do sistema SICONTA MkII Mod. 1 de três fragatas classe Niterói". Poder Naval (in Portuguese). 31 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d Saunders 2002, p. 61.
  3. ^ "FOTOS: Mostra de Desarmamento da Fragata Niterói – F40". 28 June 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Saunders 2002, p. 70.

Sources[edit]

  • Marinha do Brasil (Brazilian Navy)
  • Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995
  • Cicalesi, J.C. e Del Gaizo, Cesar: La Marina brasiliana oggi, RiD magazine, Chiavari, June 2006, pag. 50–55
  • Saunders, Stephen. Jane's Fighting Ships 2002–2003. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2002. ISBN 0710624328.

External links[edit]

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