Brazil's newest combat ship arrives in Rio de Janeiro for test firing, commissioning

The Tamandaré class was designed for various missions, including patrol; surveillance; and anti-surface, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare. The first-of-class ship F Tamandaré is shown just prior to its arrival in Rio. (Brazilian Navy)

The first Tamandaré-class MEKO A-100MB multi-purpose light frigate for the Brazilian Navy arrived at its homeport, the Naval Base of Rio de Janeiro, on 16 January, the service told Janes .

The Naval Base of Rio de Janeiro is located in the Island of Mocanguê, within the municipality of Niterói, in the State of Rio de Janeiro.

Commissioning of the first-of-class combat surface ship F Tamandaré (F200) by Surface Force Command is to take place on 24 April, the navy said.

Before the formal commissioning, a test-fire campaign with RTX MK 54 lightweight torpedoes and the Leonardo Electronics OTO 76/62 Super Rapido 76 mm multifeeding gun system is to take place off the coast of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the navy told Janes on 18 March.

The Frigate F Tamandaré is the first of the Tamandaré Class Frigate Program (Programa Fragatas Classe Tamandaré: PFCT), a strategic initiative at modernising the navy's surface force, the service said.

TKMS Estaleiro Brasil Sul, a Brazilian operation of Germany's TKMS is building another three ships in the PFCT programme: F Jerônimo de Albuquerque (F201), F Cunha Moreira (F202), and F Mariz e Barros (F203), with commissionings scheduled for 2027, 2028, and 2029, respectively.

Brazil is considering an additional four frigates, the head of the Directorate of Navy Programs Management, Vice-Admiral Marcelo Silva Gomes, told Janes in November 2025.