Amazonas-class offshore patrol vessel

The Amazonas class comprises three offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) built by VT Shipbuilding (now BAE Systems Surface Ships). The ships entered service with the Brazilian Navy during 2012 and 2013.

Araguari departing Portsmouth for Brazil on 12 July 2013
Class overview
BuildersBAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships
Operators Brazilian Navy
Planned3
Completed3
Active3
General characteristics
TypeOffshore patrol vessel
Displacement2,000 t (2,000 long tons; 2,200 short tons)[1]
Length90.5 m (296 ft 11 in)[1]
Beam13.5 m (44 ft 3 in)[1]
Propulsion
  • 2 × MAN 16V28/33D diesel engines, 14,700 kW (19,713 hp), 2 shafts
  • 2 × controllable-pitch propellers
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)[1]
Range5,500 nmi (10,200 km)[1]
Endurance35 days[1]
Complement80[2]
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Aviation facilities20 m (66 ft) flight deck[1]

Design and construction

The vessels are based on the Royal Navy's River-class patrol vessels, are 90 m (295 ft) long, and have 80 man crews plus accommodation for 40 troops.[7] They are designed to perform a range of Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ) management, special operations and maritime law enforcement tasks.

The first vessel was named Port of Spain at her launch at BAE Systems Surface Ships’ Portsmouth facility, on 18 November 2009.

The second was named Scarborough on her launch a day later at Scotstoun in Glasgow, and began sea trials in July 2010, reaching 25.38 knots (47.00 km/h; 29.21 mph).[8]

The third was named San Fernando when launched on 16 July 2010 at Scotstoun on the River Clyde.[9]

Operators

The Amazonas class were originally named as the Port of Spain class and built for the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. Then, despite two of the vessels having been completed at the time and awaiting delivery, and with crew training ongoing in the United Kingdom,[10] the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GORTT) cancelled the order in September 2010.

In December 2011 it was reported that the Brazilian Navy were interested in buying the vessels, and possibly up to five additional vessels of the same design.[11] The sale, for £133 million, was then confirmed on 2 January 2012.[12]

Amazonas was commissioned into the Brazilian Navy on 29 June in Portsmouth. During her one-month voyage to Brazil, she docked in the cities of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte and Salvador, Bahia in September, and was expected to arrive in Rio de Janeiro on 5 October.[13][14]

Ships of class
Pennant No Name Builder Launched Commissioned Fleet Status Remarks
P120 Amazonas BAE Systems Portsmouth 18 November 2009 29 June 2012 Grouping Naval Southeast (Brazilian Navy) In service Launched as Port of Spain
P121 Apa BAE Systems Scotstoun, Glasgow. Scotland 15 July 2010 30 November 2012 Grouping Naval Southeast (Brazilian Navy) In service Launched as Scarborough
P122 Araguari BAE Systems Scotstoun, Glasgow. Scotland 16 July 2010 21 June 2013 Grouping Naval Northeast (Brazilian Navy) In service[2] Launched as San Fernando

Images
  • Araguari berthing Portsea, 24 April 2013.
    Araguari berthing Portsea, 24 April 2013.
  • Araguari departing Portsmouth, 12 July 2013.
    Araguari departing Portsmouth, 12 July 2013.
  • Trinidadian Port of Spain at Portsmouth 2010.
    Trinidadian Port of Spain at Portsmouth 2010.
  • Trinidadian Scarborough at Portsmouth 2010.
    Trinidadian Scarborough at Portsmouth 2010.

See also

References
  1. "Offshore Patrol Vessels". www.baesystems.com. BAE Systems. Archived from the original on 30 July 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  2. "Third BAE Systems built OPV for Brazilian Navy "ARAGUARI" handed over during ceremony". 22 June 2013. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  3. "Britain orders Kelvin Hughes radar system". United Press International. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  4. "Terma's SCANTER 4100 radar system has been selected and ordered by BAE Systems for integration on board Royal Navy's OPVs" (Press release). Terma A/S. 17 December 2014. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  5. "Construction begins on new Royal Navy warships". BAE Systems (Press release). Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  6. "Combat Management Systems". BAE Systems. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  7. "Third BAE Systems built OPV for Brazilian Navy "ARAGUARI" handed over during ceremony". Naval Recognition. 22 June 2013. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  8. "Scarborough is ship-shape". Trinidad & Tobago Newsday. 8 September 2010. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  9. "Trindad & Tobago Ships Sail into the Clyde for First Sea Trials". defpro. 2010. Archived from the original on 18 July 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  10. "BAE may lose £150m ship deal". The News. 2010. Archived from the original on 23 September 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  11. "Brazil could buy the 3 BAE System's OPV that were canceled by Trinidad and Tobago". Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  12. "BAE Systems sells patrol vessels to Brazil". BBC News. 2 January 2012. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  13. "Brazil's Newest Navy Patrol Vessel to Arrive in Rio de Janeiro | Dialogo forum Breaking News from South America the Caribbean". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  14. "UK Welcomes 250th Brazilian Navy Sailor for Maiden Sea Trials". 9 April 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
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