Vasco da Gama class frigate

The Vasco da Gama class is a class of frigates, of the MEKO 200 PN German concept, and are the major surface ships of the Portuguese Navy. Portugal operates 3 ships of this class, which were built in Kiel by Blohm + Voss and later by HDW, using modular construction techniques.

The project for the construction of 3 frigates of this class was authorized by the Portuguese Government in 1985, five years after the request of the Portuguese Navy for the acquisition of new surface ships.

pecifications

*Length: 115.90 m
*Beam: 14.80 m
*Draft: 6.2 m
*Displacement: 3200t
*Propulsion: combined diesel or gas (CODOG)
**2 propeller shafts, controllable pitch propellers
**2 MTU 20V 956 TB92 diesel-engines, 8.14MW each
**2 General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, 38MW each
**Range: convert|4000|nmi|km|-3 at convert|18|kn|km/h|0
**Maximum speed:
***with Diesel-engines: convert|20|kn|km/h|0
***with Gas-turbines: at least convert|32|kn|km/h|0
*Sensors:
**1 Thales DA08 air search D band radar
**1 Thales MW08 air/surface search F band radar
**2 Thales STIR 180 fire-control radar
**1 SQS510 hull mounted sonar
**1 APECS II/700 ESM
*Countermeasures: SRBOC launcher
*Armament:
**1 100 mm Mod68 CADAM polyvalent artillery piece
**1 Phalanx CIWS 20 mm Vulcan anti-ship missile defence system
**2x3 12.75" Mk32 torpedo tubes in triple mountings
**2 Mk 141 quad-pack Launcher for a maximum of 8 RGM-84 Harpoon
**1 MK 21 Guided Missile Launching System for 8 RIM-7 Sea Sparrow
*Hangar for 2 Super Lynx Mk.95 helicopters
*Complement: 180 total
**19 officers;
**40 petty-officers;
**102 enlisted;
**13 air crew;
**6 boarding team.

hips

External links

*pt icon [http://www.marinha.pt/Marinha/PT/Menu/DescobrirMarinha/MeiosOperacionais/Superficie/Fragatas/VascodaGama/ Vasco da Gama class] , Portuguese Navy website