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Portuguese Navy / Marinha Portuguesa Vasco da Gama class Frigate (MEKO 200PN) |
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| 03/24 |
| Ships: |
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F 330
NRP Vasco da Gama
(1991) F 331 NRP Alvares Cabral (1991) F 332 NRP Corte-Real (1992) |
| Specifications: |
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Displacement: 2920 tons (standard) / 3200 tons (full
load) Length: 115.9 meters (380 feet 3 inches) Beam: 14.2 meters (46 ft 7 in) Draft: 6.2 meters (20 ft 4 in) Speed: 32 knots (59 km/h) gas / 20 knots (37 km/h) diesels Range: 4000 NM (7400 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h) Complement: 180 Propulsion: Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) 2 x General Electric LM2500 gas turbines (38 MW / 51000 hp, each) 2 x MTU 20V 956 TB92 diesel engines (8.14 MW / 10920 hp, each) 2 shafts / 2 controllable-pitch propellers Armament: 1 x DCN/GIAT 100mm Mod.68 gun 1 x Mk.29 missile launcher for 8 x RIM-7 Sea Sparrow SAM or later 8 x RIM-162 ESSM 2 x Mk.141 missile laucher for 8 x RGM-84 Harpoon SSM 1 x Mk.15 Phalanx CIWS 2 x Mk.32 12.75" triple-torpedo tubes for Mk.46 torpedoes Aviation: flight deck + hangar for 2 helicopters (Westland Super Lynx Mk.95) Systems: Thales DA08 air search D band radar Thales MW08 air/surface search F band radar 2 x Thales STIR 180 fire-control radar AN/SQS-510 hull mounted sonar APECS II/700 ESM suite MK.36 SRBOC chaff/decoy launcher |
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The Vasco da Gama class is a class of frigates of the Portuguese
Navy. Named in honor of the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, the
ships are based on the German MEKO 200 design, and are Portugal's
major surface ships. Portugal operates three ships of this class,
which were built in Hamburg by Blohm + Voss (B&V) and by
Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel, using modular
construction techniques. Modernization: In 2019, the new Military Programming Law was approved by the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic, which provided an amount of 125 million euros for the modernization of the three frigates of the Vasco da Gama class. In November 2022, the order authorizing the Ministry of National Defence to proceed with the modernization, was signed, in order to be able to use the ships in scenarios of high intensity combat. Among the improvements to be made to the frigates is the incorporation of RIM-162 ESSM Block-2 missiles to replace the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow. The frigate NRP Álvares Cabral, within the scope of this modernization process, received in 2023 a new platform command, control and management system, installed by the Portuguese company Edisoft. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo, stated at the end of 2023 that the modernization program for the Vasco da Gama frigates will make it possible to modernize 2 frigates for high-intensity combat, namely the modernization or replacement of the SEWACO system. A third frigate will be updated in terms of platform management, communications systems and will also be capable of carrying out amphibious raids to project Portuguese Marine Corps forces. The modernization program for this class of ships will be made in Portugal by the Arsenal do Alfeite shipyard, that began in 2023 and will last until 2027 according to the navy's plans, with the last 2 years for the modernization of two frigates and the previous years to complete the upgrade of another frigate as a command platform. source: wikipedia |
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class + detail images for more images go to the individual ship's page |
 F 330 NRP Vasco da Gama  F 331 NRP Alvares Cabral  F 332 NRP Corte-Real    DCN/GIAT 100mm Mod.68 gun fire  |
| | seaforces.org | Portuguese Navy start page | |