Portuguese Navy Orders Six New Viana do Castelo-class OPVs - Naval News

Gonzalo Vázquez 17 Jan 2024

Among the attendees to the signing ceremony were the Secretary of State for National Defense, Carlos Lopes Pires; the Navy Chief of Staff, Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo; and the President of the National Defense Commission, Marcos Perestello. In his remarks, Admiral Gouveia e Melo highlighted: "today is another remarkable day for the Portuguese Navy", as it "materializes the vision of a comprehensive Navy, with the capacity to protect and promote Portuguese national interests in and from the sea."

The new OPVs will have a length of 83 m, a beam of 12.95 m, and a draft of 3,8 m, with a maximum top speed of 21 knots. They will complement the existing four units of the Viana do Castelo-class operated by the Portuguese Navy. These vessels were built at the Viana do Castelo shipyards, and are designed for long-range maritime surveillance and patrol missions, and SAR operations. The first two vessels, NRP Viana do Castelo and NRP Figueira da Foz, entered service in 2011 and 2013, respectively. The other two units, NRP Sines and NRP Setúbal, followed in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

It has been announced that the following two units will be named NRP Funchal and NRP Aveiro. The six upcoming third-generation units, expected to be delivered between 2027 and 2030, will have a modular and adaptive design with both patrol and combat functions.

According to Jane's, they will also have: "a new mast and electric propulsion with azimuth thrusters, a multisensor gyro-stabilized electro-optical imager, a surface and air surveillance radar, a Mode 5 identification friend-or-foe (IFF) suite, automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) technology, an electronic support measures (ESM) system, towed array sonar,Link 16/22 data link capability, military satellite communications (satcom) terminal, additional armament, and a diving bay."

They will be armed with a 30 or 40mm Oto Melara Marlin canon (instead of the 40mm L/60 turreted gun that the third and fourth units have) and two 12.7mm remote weapon stations, two launching systems for Mk55 Mod 2 mines, a Sagem SA Vigy 10 Mk III naval surveillance and observation platforms, and will be able to accommodate a Super Lynx Mk95 light helicopter.

Aside from the traditional surveillance and maritime patrol functions, Admiral Gouveia e Melo said the vessels will also be fitted to perform anti-submarine and mine warfare, and could eventually be used as auxiliary ships for combating maritime pollution.

"With the signing of the contract for the construction of Oceanic Patrol Vessels, the country takes a very important step towards strengthening the capacity of the Armed Forces to fulfill their missions." According to Costa, the construction of the vessels represents an important step in the modernization of the Portuguese Navy, and will also help strengthen its naval industry."

Antonio Costa, Portuguese Prime Minister on X (ex-Twitter)