Brazil has many neighbours, but all are much weaker than Brazil, and no country can now pose a credible threat
not even Argentina, once by far the richest and most powerful country in Latin America
This gives Brazil a geostrategic position similar to that of the US: a giant continental power with no landward threats
Currently, the core of Brazil's surface fleet are frigates of the Niterói class
A total of seven frigates were completed between 1975–1986, and are planned to be replaced by the Tamandaré class in 2026
The Niterói class were designed and built by the British shipyard Vosper Thornycroft in the 1970s
These frigates were designated the 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
When completed, the frigates had a full load displacement of 3,700 tons
Dimensions include an overall length of 129.2 m, a beam of 13.5 m and a draught of 5.5 m
Propulsion system is a Combined diesel or gas, including 2 x Rolls-Royce Olympus gas turbines generating 56,000 horsepower
and 4 x MTU marine diesels outputting 18,000 horsepower
Maximum speed in ideal conditions reaches 30 knots
Range is out to 5,300 nautical miles when cruising at an economical 17 knots
The crew is about 215 people including sailors and officers
Stores allow for the vessel to remain at-sea for up to 45 days before requiring replenishment
The vessel supports up to one Westland Super Lynx Mk.21A or similar medium-lift navy helicopter
A helipad is provided for this operation as is a full-service hangar area
The warship has a short forecastle compared to contemporary frigate designs with its turreted main gun seated in the "A" position
Behind this is a mortar launcher sat atop a raised section of hull superstructure
Aft of this is the all-important bridge section
The main mast containing various radar, sensors and communications installations
The bridge superstructure's sides are elegantly formed as part of the existing hull sides creating a slab-sided appearance
The ship's armament suite consists of a Vickers 113 mm Mk 8 gun, a 375mm Bofors twin-tubed mortar unit immediately aft as an anti-submarine measure
2 x Twin launchers are used for the French-made MM.40 Exocet anti-ship missile
2 × Bofors 40 mm Mk3 Sea Trinity;
2 × triple torpedo tubes for Mk-46 torpedoes
and 4 × M2 Browning machine gun
The warship is equipped with the AESN RAN 20S air-search radar
the Terma Scanter MIP for surface-search and the Furuno FR-1942 Mk 2 for navigation
2 x RTN-10X fire control radar
The EDO 997F is the hull-mounted sonar fit
The Racal Cutlass B-1B series suite forms the Electronic Warfare installation
A complete Electronic CounterMeasures suite is also carried