NRP Vasco da Gama (F330)

For other ships with the same name, see NRP Vasco da Gama.

NRP Vasco da Gama during Exercise NATO Trident Juncture.
History
Portugal
Namesake	Vasco da Gama
Builder	Blohm + Voss
Laid down	2 February 1989
Launched	26 June 1989
Commissioned	18 January 1991
Identification	MMSI number: 263022000 Callsign: CTFJ
Status	Inactive
General characteristics
Class and type	Vasco da Gama-class frigate
Displacement	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	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	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	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	1 APECS II/700 ESM Countermeasures: SRBOC launcher
Armament	1 100 mm Mod68 CADAM polyvalent artillery piece 1 Phalanx CIWS 20 mm Vulcan anti-ship missile defence system 2 × 3 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	Flight deck and hangar for 2 Super Lynx Mk.95 helicopters

NRP Vasco da Gama is a Portuguese frigate of the Vasco da Gama class operated by the Portuguese Navy. She was laid down by Blohm + Voss on 2 February 1989, launched on 26 June 1989, and commissioned on 18 January 1991.

Service history

In 1995, Vasco de Gama spent five months deployed in the Adriatic Sea as part of Operation Sharp Guard, enforcing economic sanctions and an arms embargo against the former Yugoslavia, with the frigate inspecting 91 merchant ships during the deployment. ^[1] In July 1998, she was deployed off Guinea-Bissau to rescue Portuguese and other European citizens threatened by the Guinea-Bissau Civil War. ^[1] Vasco da Gama was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce from 16 November 1999 to 22 February 2000. ^[2]

Citations

1. Matos 2020 , p. 86
2. Stevens, David (2007). Strength Through Diversity: The combined naval role in Operation Stabilise (PDF). Working Papers. Vol. 20. Canberra: Sea Power Centre - Australia. p. 14. ISBN   978-0-642-29676-4. ISSN   1834-7231. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2010.

References

• Matos, Jose (December 2020). "Unleash the Lynx". Air International . Vol. 99, no. 6. pp. 82–87. ISSN   0306-5634.

External links

• (Portuguese) NRP Vasco da Gama Portuguese Navy website