João Coutinho-class corvette
 NRP António Enes, João Coutinho-class corvette entering the port of Horta
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | João Coutinho |
| Builders | Bazan, Ferrol (Spain) & Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (Germany) |
| Built | 1968-1971 |
| In commission | 1970-present day |
| Completed | 6 |
| Active | 2 |
| Retired | 4 |
| General characteristics Source: Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-95 | |
| Type | Frigate |
| Displacement | 1,252 tons standard, 1,401 tons full load |
| Length | 81 m |
| Beam | 10.3 m |
| Draught | 3.3 m |
| Propulsion | 2 shaft, 2 OEW Pielstick diesel engines, 10,560hp |
| Speed | 24 knots |
| Range | 5,000 nmi at 18 knots |
| Complement | 93 |
| Sensors and processing systems |
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| Armament |
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The João Coutinho-class corvettes were a series of corvettes built for the Portuguese Navy for service in Portugal's African colonies. The corvettes were designed in Portugal by naval engineer Rogério de Oliveira, but the urgent need of their services in the Portuguese Colonial War meant that the construction of the ships was assigned to foreign shipyards. Six ships were built; the first three ships were built by Blohm + Voss and the remaining three by Empresa Nacional Bazán. The ships were launched in 1970 and 1971.[1][2]
From 1970 until the end of the conflict in 1975, the corvettes were used for patrol and fire-support missions in Angola, Mozambique, Guinea and Cape Verde. After the African colonies gained their independence, the corvettes were assigned to patrol duties in Portuguese territorial waters.[1][2]
The João Coutinho class served as the basis for several other designs: Baptista de Andrade-class corvettes[3] (Portugal), Descubierta-class corvettes[4] (Spain, Egypt and Morocco), Espora-class (MEKO 140) corvettes[5] (Argentina) and D'Estienne d'Orves-class (A-69) avisos[6] (France, Argentina and Turkey) .
Ships
| Pennant Number | Name | Builder | Commissioned | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F471 | NRP António Enes | Bazán | 1971 | In service |
| F475 | NRP João Coutinho | Blohm + Voss | 1970 | Decommissioned |
| F476 | NRP Jacinto Cândido | Blohm + Voss | 1970 | In service |
| F477 | NRP General Pereira D'Eça | Blohm + Voss | 1970 | Decommissioned |
| F484 | NRP Augusto de Castilho | Bazán | 1970 | Decommissioned |
| F485 | NRP Honório Barreto | Bazán | 1970 | Decommissioned |
References
- ^ a b Afonso, Aniceto; Carlos de Matos Gomes (2000). Guerra Colonial. Editorial Noticias. pp. 378–380. ISBN 972-46-1192-2. (Portuguese text)
- ^ a b "Classe João Coutinho". Retrieved 2011-08-05. (Portuguese text)
- ^ "NRP Baptista de Andrade". Retrieved 2011-08-05. (Portuguese text)
- ^ Miller, David (2004). The Illustrated Directory of Warships: From 1860 to the Present Day. Greenwich Editions. pp. 248–249. ISBN 0-86288-677-5.
- ^ "Armada Argentina - Sitio Oficial - Reseña Histórica". Archived from the original on 2008-02-06. Retrieved 2009-02-13. (Spanish text. Copy in Internet Archive cache)
- ^ A Corveta Portuguesa dos anos 70, Operacional: 2009