Vasco da Gama-class frigate

	NRP Corte Real
Class overview
Name	Vasco da Gama , MEKO 200 PN
Builders	list error: <br /> list (help); B&V, Hamburg and; HDW, Kiel, Germany
Operators	Portuguese Navy
In commission	1990 - present
Completed	3
Active	3
General characteristics
Type	Frigate
Displacement	list error: <br /> list (help); 2,920 tons standard; 3,200 tons full load
Length	115.9 m (380 ft)
Beam	14.8 m (49 ft)
Draught	6.2 m (20 ft)
Propulsion	list error: <br /> list (help); 2 shaft CODOG, controllable pitch propellers; 2 MTU 20V 956 TB92 diesel-engines, 8.14MW each; 2 General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, 38MW each
Speed	list error: <br /> list (help); 32 knots (59 km/h) (gas turbines); 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) (Diesel only)
Range	4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement	list error: <br /> list (help); 180; 19 officers; 40 petty-officers; 102 enlisted; 13 air crew; 6 boarding team
Sensors and ; processing systems	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;
Electronic warfare ; & decoys	list error: <br /> list (help); 1 APECS II/700 ESM; Countermeasures: SRBOC launcher
Armament	list error: too many at start of list (help) 1 100 mm Mod68 CADAM polyvalent artillery piece; ; 1 Phalanx CIWS 20 mm Vulcan anti-ship missile defence system; 2x3 12.75-inch 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;
Aviation facilities	Hangar for 2 Super Lynx Mk.95 helicopters

The Vasco da Gama class is a class of frigates of the Portuguese Navy. Named in honor of the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, the ships are based on the German MEKO 200 design, and are Portugal's major surface ships. Portugal operates three ships of this class, which were built in Hamburg by Blohm + Voss (B&V) and by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel, using modular construction techniques.

The project for the construction of three 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. According to Conway's, 60% of the funding for these ships came from NATO military aid. Similar ships have been built for the navies of Greece, Turkey, Australia and New Zealand.

Ships

Pennant	Name	Laid down	Shipyard	Launched	Commissioned
F330	Vasco da Gama	2 February 1989	B&V, Hamburg	26 June 1989	20 November 1990
F331	Álvares Cabral	2 June 1989	HDW, Kiel	2 May 1990	18 January 1991
F332	Corte-Real	20 October 1989	HDW, Kiel	22 November 1991	1 February 1992

Similar ships

MEKO
Hydra class frigate - Greece
Anzac class frigate - Australia and New Zealand
Barbaros class frigate - Turkey
Yavuz class frigate - Turkey

External links & References

Template:Pt icon Vasco da Gama class, Portuguese Navy website
Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995