Brazilian Navy

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Military of Brazil

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Army
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Navy
Ranks of the Brazilian Military
Military ranks of Brazil
History of the Brazilian Military
Military history of Brazil

Brazilian Navy Jack

The Brazilian Navy (Portuguese: Marinha do Brasil) is the navy of Brazil. It is the largest navy in Latin America, with a 27,307-ton aircraft carrier, the NAeL São Paulo (formerly FS Foch of the French Navy), some American and British-built frigates, a few locally-built corvettes, coastal diesel-electric submarines (with a nuclear submarine under development) and many other river and coastal patrol craft.

The Brazilian Navy also includes the Brazilian Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais). The Marine Corps is composed of an operational brigade and some guard and ceremonial duty battalions. All told, the Brazilian Marine Corps numbers about 14,600 Marines (2004). There is also a naval aviation arm, with about 1,150 members (2004). Of about 48,600 members of the Brazilian Navy, about 3,200 are conscripts (2004). The Brazilian Navy has shown interest to purchase the Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles.^[1]

1 History
2 Strength
3 References
- 3.1 Notes
4 External links

[edit] History

Joint operations.

A navy was assembled immediately after Pedro I of Brazil declared independence from Portugal in September 1822. These naval forces were then used in the Brazilian War of Independence, which had begun a year earlier. The navy would later figure in the Cisplatine War; the River Plate conflicts; the Paraguayan War; both World War I and World War II; and in the sporadic civil conflicts that would mark Brazil's history.

In the initial decades following independence, the country had maintained a modest naval presence. In 1860, the fleet consisted of eight paddle steamers, seven screw sloops, six frigates and corvettes, and 14 smaller vessels. During the Paraguayan War, several ironclads were purchased from the United Kingdom and France.

NAe São Paulo.

After the losses of the 1893 naval rebellion, very little naval expansion occurred until the 1905 naval program was initiated. It was then that Brazil acquired two of the most powerful and advanced dreadnoughts of the day. These vessels, of the Minhas Gerais class, were the last battleships of the Brazilian Navy.

[edit] Strength

[edit] Aircraft Carrier

NAe São Paulo (one in service)

[edit] Submarines

Tupi-class submarines (German-designed diesel-electric Type 209 submarines) (Four in service) [1][2]

- S-30 Tupi
- S-31 Tamoio
- S-32 Timbira
- S-33 Tapajó

Tikuna-class submarine (modified Type 209, one in service) [3]

- S-34 Tikuna

[edit] Frigates

Greenhaigh-class frigates (British Type 22 (Batch 1) Broadsword-class frigates) (Three in service, One in reserve)

- F-46 Greenhalgh
- F-47 Dodsworth (reserve)
- F-48 Bosisio
- F-49 Rademaker

Para-class frigate (American Garcia-class frigate) (One in service)

- D-27 Pará

Niteroi-class frigates (Six in service)

- F-40 Niterói
- F-41 Defensora
- F-42 Constituição
- F-43 Liberal
- F-44 Independência
- F-45 União

[edit] Corvettes

4 Inhaúma Class (Four in service)
- V30 Inhaúma
- V31 Jaceguai
- V32 Julio de Noronha
- V33 Frontin

[edit] Patrol Vessels

47 in service

16 offshore patrol vessels
10 coastal patrol vessels
16 inshore patrol vessels
5 river patrol vessels

[edit] Minesweepers

ex German Schutze class (6 in service)

[edit] Amphibious vessels

2 Ceara class LPD (ex US Thomaston class)
1 Newport class LST (Mattoso Maia)

Various support ships are also operated by the Brazilian Navy.

[edit] Aircraft inventory

The Navy operates 94 aircraft, with all but the A-4 Skyhawks being helicopters.

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service^[2]
Bell 206	United States	utility helicopter	206B	18
Eurocopter Cougar	France	transport helicopter	AS 332F AS 532	5 2
Eurocopter Fennec	France	utility helicopter	AS 355F2	9
Helibras HB 350	Brazil	utility helicopter	HB 350B	17
McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk	United States	attack lead-in trainer	AF-1 (A-4KU) AF-1A (TA-4KU)	20 3
Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King	United States	anti-submarine helicopter		7
Westland Lynx	United Kingdom	anti-submarine helicopter	HAS Mk.21A	13