Niteroi class frigate

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Constituição (F42)

The Niterói class frigates are a class of warships of the Brazilian Navy

[edit] History

The Niterói Class Frigates were designed and built by the British shipyard Vosper Thornycroft in the 1970's. These ships were designated 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 ( Type 21 frigate - Amazon class).

All of then 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, four of an anti submarine version built in England. These ships had an Ikara missile launcher in Y position aft of the flight deck. This was removed as part of the modernisation programme.

Pennant number	Name	Launched	Completed	Current status
F40	Niterói	8/2/74	20/11/76	In service
F41	Defensora	27/3/75	5/3/77	In service
F42	Constituição	15/4/76	31/3/78	In service
F43	Liberal	15/4/76	31/3/78	In service

The remianing two general purpose ships were built at the Arsenal da Marinha no Rio de Janeiro with assistance from VT. These ships had a second 4.5 inch gun in Y position.

Pennant number	Name	Launched	Completed	Current status
F44	Independência	2/9/74	3/9/79	In service
F45	União	14/3/75	17/9/80	In service

[edit] General Characteristics

Displacement (tons):
- 3,355-standard
- 3,707-full load

Dimensions:
- Length : 129.2m
- Beam: 13.5m
- Draught 5.5m

Machinery: 2 shaft CODOG
- 2 Rols Royce Olympus gas turbines, 56000 hp
- 4 MTU Diesels 18,000 hp

Speed : 30 knots (22 knots diesels only)

Range: 5,300 nm - at 17 knots / 4,200-a 19 knots /1300 nm -a 28 knots, endurance 45 days
Crew: 217 men

Armament (after the modernization):
- Missile antiship MM-40 Exocet;
- Anti-aircraft missile ASPIDE;
- 1 Vickers gun 4.5 inch Mk 8 (114 mm), (22 km range);
- 2 Cannons Antiaircraft Bofors SAK 40mm/70;
- 2 x3 torpedo tubes for Mk-46 torpedoes;
- anti-submarinee rocket launcher

Helicopter: 1 Westland Super Lynx Mk.21A (locally designated as AH-1A) or 1 Eurocopter AS-350/355 Squirrel (locally assembled as UH-12/UH-13 'Esquilo')