Brazilian Navy
From Roach Busters
| Brazilian Navy | ||
| [[Image:120px-Naval_Jack_of_Brazil_svg.PNG | Naval Jack of Brazil]] 
| |
| Headquarters | ||
|---|---|---|
| Brasília/DF | ||
| History and traditions | ||
| Establishment: 1822 | ||
| Navy Day: November 10 | ||
| Patron: Marquês de Tamandaré | ||
| Battles | ||
| War of Independence (1822-1823) | ||
| Argentina-Brazil War (1825-1828) | ||
| War of the Farrapos | ||
| War of the Triple Alliance | ||
| World War I | ||
| World War II | ||
| Components | ||
| Ships of the Brazilian Navy | ||
| Corps of Naval Fusiliers | ||
| Naval Aviation | ||
| Personnel | ||
| Admiral Julio Soares de Moura Neto | ||
The Brazilian Navy (Portuguese: Marinha do Brasil) is the navy of Brazil. It is the second largest navy in Latin America, with a 27,307-ton aircraft carrier, the NAe São Paulo (formerly FS Foch of the French Navy), some American and British-built frigates, a few locally-built corvettes, coastal diesel-electric submarines, and many other river and coastal patrol craft.
The Brazilian Navy also includes a marine corps, the Corps of Naval Fusiliers (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais). The Corps of Naval Fusiliers is composed of an operational brigade and some guard and ceremonial duty battalions. All told, the Corps of Naval Fusiliers numbers about 14,600 marines. There is also the Naval Aviation arm, with about 1,150 members. Of about 48,600 members of the Brazilian Navy, about 3,200 are conscripts.
Brazil has committed nearly USD$500 million towards the goal of producing an indigenous nuclear propulsion system for submarines over the next eight years. This project is managed by the Brazilian Navy.
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History
A navy was assembled immediately after Pedro I of Brazil declared independence from Portugal in September 1822. These naval forces were then used in the Brazilian War of Independence, which had begun a year earlier. The navy would later figure in the Cisplatine War; the River Plate conflicts; the Paraguayan War; both World War I and World War II; and in the sporadic civil conflicts that would mark Brazil's history.
In the initial decades following independence, the country had maintained a modest naval presence. In 1860, the fleet consisted of eight paddle steamers, seven screw sloops, six frigates and corvettes, and 14 smaller vessels. During the Paraguayan War, several ironclads were purchased from the United Kingdom and France.
After the losses of the 1893 naval rebellion, very little naval expansion occurred until the 1905 naval program was initiated. It was then that Brazil acquired two of the most powerful and advanced dreadnoughts of the day. These vessels, of the Minas Gerais class, were the last battleships of the Brazilian Navy. The aircraft carrier Minas Gerais, served the Navy until its decommission in the year 2001.
Mission
In addition to the roles of a traditional navy, the Brazilian Navy also carries out the role of organizing the Merchant Navy and other operational safety missions traditionally conducted by a coast guard. Other roles include:
- Providing riverine and brown water security;
- Contributing to the formulation and conduction of country-wide sea policies;
- Implementing sea-related laws and regulations and inspecting their fulfillment in the sea and in the inland waters.
Comparison chart
Naval fleet
The Brazilian Navy has 89 ships in commission, and others in construction, process of acquisition, and modernization in 2007. The Brazilian Navy operates one aircraft carrier, NAe São Paulo which was the former French Aircraft carrier Foch. A-4 Skyhawks operate from São Paulo.
Brazilian Navy operates the Type 209 submarines. The four Tupi class submarines will be upgraded by Lockheed Martin at a cost of 35 million dollars. The modernization includes the replacement of existing torpedoes with new MK 48 torpedoes. Brazil plans to build a nuclear submarine and has sought international partnership. Negotiations are going on with the U.S., France, India, Russia and the U.K.
Ships
Aircraft carriers (1 in service)
- A-12 São Paulo (Clemenceau class)
Submarines (5 in service and 1 ordered)
- S-30 Tupi (Tupi class)
- S-31 Tamoio (Tupi class)
- S-32 Timbira (Tupi class)
- S-33 Tapajó (Tupi class)
- S-34 Tikuna (Tikuna class)
- S-35 (class unknown; under construction)
Frigates (11 in service)
- F-46 Greenhalgh (Greenhalgh class)
- F-47 Dodsworth (Greenhalgh class)
- F-48 Bosisio (Greenhalgh class)
- F-49 Rademaker (Greenhalgh class)
- D-27 Pará (Pará class)
