Brazil and Germany have reached an agreement to expand the Tamandaré-class frigate program with the addition of four new vessels for the Brazilian Navy. The ships will be constructed locally by Águas Azuis, a joint venture comprising Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, Embraer Defence & Security, and Atech, which is already delivering the initial batch.
According to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the new frigates are expected to be delivered by 2028 following talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Hannover.
The broader Tamandaré initiative, led by the Brazilian Navy and coordinated by EMGEPRON, was launched in March 2020 under a 9.1 billion real contract. Its objective is to modernize the fleet by replacing legacy vessels such as the Niterói-class, second-hand Type 22 frigates acquired from the UK, and the Inhaúma-class corvettes.
Derived from the MEKO A-100 platform, the frigates feature a length of 107 meters, a beam of 16 meters, and a displacement of around 3,500 tonnes, with accommodation for approximately 130 crew members. Their combat suite includes a 76mm naval gun, a 30mm CIWS, remote-controlled 12.7mm guns, missile systems for air and surface threats, torpedoes, and aviation facilities for helicopters or unmanned systems.
