The Brazilian Navy is the naval service branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces, responsible for conducting naval operations.
The Inhaúma class are a series of five corvettes operated by the Brazilian Navy. These ships were built in Brazil and designed with assistance from the German company Marine Technik. It was originally planned to build 12 to 16 ships but the economic situation in Brazil did not permit this and only five vessels were built. The first two ships were constructed at the Arsenal de Marinha in Rio de Janeiro, the second pair by Verolme. The programme was considerably delayed due to funding issues and the Brazilian Verolme yard's insolvency in 1991 which forced Júlio de Noronha and Frontin to be completed by Arsenal da Marinha. The first ship entered service in 1989 and the last in 2008. Three of the five ships have been taken out of service and one was sunk in a missile exercise in the Atlantic Ocean in 2016.
The João Coutinho-class corvettes were a series of warships built for the Portuguese Navy for service in Portugal's African and Indian colonies. Initially rated as frigates, they were downgraded first to corvettes and then patrol vessels with age. They 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. The relative cheap cost of the design led to it being the basis of several other classes in other navies. 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.
National Anti-Ship Missile also named AV-RE40 —previously known as MAN-1— is an all-weather, over-the-horizon Brazilian anti-ship missile developed by SIATT. The design aims to achieve performance similar to MBDA MM40 Exocet Block II.
The Battle of Paso de Mercedes was fought on 11 August 1865 during the Paraguayan invasion of the Argentine province of Corrientes.
The Imperial Brazilian Navy was the navy created at the time of the independence of the Empire of Brazil from the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. It existed between 1822 and 1889 during the vacancy of the constitutional monarchy.
NAM Atlântico (A140) is an amphibious helicopter carrier and current flagship of the Brazilian Navy. Originally constructed in the United Kingdom for service with the Royal Navy as a landing platform helicopter, she was commissioned on 30 September 1998 as HMS Ocean, serving until being decommissioned on 27 March 2018, and then commissioned into service with Brazil the following June.
The Tamandaré class is a series of stealth frigates under construction for the Brazilian Navy since 2022, based on the MEKO family of warships. The project was developed by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems in partnership with Embraer Defense and Security. As of 2024, four ships have been ordered, with other four planned as a second batch.
Niterói (F40) is a Niterói-class frigate of the Brazilian Navy. The Niterói was the lead ship of her class ordered by the Brazilian Navy, on 20 September 1970. The Niterói was launched on 8 February 1974, and was commissioned on 20 November 1976.
Tamandaré (F200) is the lead ship of the Tamandaré-class stealth frigates under construction for the Brazilian Navy.
Inhaúma(V30) was the lead ship of the Inhaúma-class corvette of the Brazilian Navy.
The Foca class, or simply F, was the first naval class of submarines operated by the Brazilian Navy. It consisted of the F1, F3 and F5 submarines designed by Italian naval engineer Cesare Laurenti and built in La Spezia, Italy. The name Foca comes from the Portuguese vessel of the class. The class was part of Brazil's 1906 naval program to acquire warships to modernize its navy. The submarines were acquired to serve as a training and maintenance platform for the crews, with few naval actions during the 19 years they were active. The navy incorporated the class on 17 July 1914 and, as a result, expanded its naval structure to house these new vessels, such as the creation of the first naval school for submariners and the incorporation of ships designed to support submarines only.
Dom Afonso was a steam frigate that served the Imperial Brazilian Navy, being the first steamship to serve in this navy. It was built in England under the supervision of chief of squad John Pascoe Grenfell and was named Dom Afonso in honor of Afonso, Prince Imperial of Brazil, son of emperor Pedro II of Brazil and empress Teresa Cristina.
The Brazilian ironclad Colombo was a Cabral-class armored corvette-type ironclad operated by the Imperial Brazilian Navy between 1866 and 1875. The vessel was built in the shipyard in Greenwich, England, by the British company J. and G. Rennie, along with her sister ship Cabral. It was launched in 1865 being commissioned on 4 July 1866. The battleship was entirely made of iron, displacing 1,069 tons. It had two steam engines that developed up to 750 HP of power, propelling the vessel at about 20 km/h. Its structure comprised a double casemate with eight gunports. The Brazilian navy had great difficulties with this ship, which was hard to navigate and, due to the casemate's model, had an unprotected section, which was vulnerable to diving projectiles.
Pedro II was a steam corvette warship that served in the Imperial Brazilian Navy in the second half of the 19th century. It took part in the Platine War.
Dalva Maria Carvalho Mendes is a Brazilian doctor and soldier. She was the first woman to be made a rear admiral in the Brazilian Navy.
Jerônimo de Albuquerque (F201) is a Tamandaré-class stealth frigates under construction for the Brazilian Navy.
Cunha Moreira (F202) will be the third Tamandaré-class stealth frigates for the Brazilian Navy.
Mariz e Barros (F203) will be the fourth Tamandaré-class stealth frigates for the Brazilian Navy.
This list shows the past, present and future strategic re-equipment and modernization programs of the Brazilian Armed Forces that was based on the documents of the National Defense Strategy of 2008, and subsequent versions of the Defense White Paper that outline the major defense programs in Brazil from 2008 until 2040. To see active equipment of the three branches, see the following pages for the Army, Navy and the Air Force.
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