Brazilian Navy

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Brazilian Military>Military of Brazil

Components
Army
Air Force
Navy
Ranks of the Brazilian Military
Brazilian military ranks
History of the Brazilian Military
Military history of Brazil

The Brazilian Navy (Portuguese: Marinha do Brasil) serves the Federative Republic of Brazil is the largest navy in Latin America, having a 27,307 ton aircraft carrier, the NAeL São Paulo (former FS Foch of the French Navy), some American and British built frigates, a few locally-built corvettes, coastal diesel-electric submarines (with a nuclear submarine under development) and many other river and coastal patrol craft.

The Brazilian Navy also includes a Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais) which is the second-largest such force in the world. The Marine Corps is composed of an Operational Brigade and some Guard & Ceremonial Duty Battalions. All told, the Brazilian Marine Corps numbers about 14,600 Marines (2004). There is also a Naval Aviation arm, with about 1,150 members (2004). Of about 48,600 members of the Brazilian Navy, about 3,200 are conscripts (2004).

History

The Brazilian Navy was formed immediately after the nation's independence from Portugal (September 7, 1822). The Navy saw action during the War of Independence of Brazil, Cisplatine War, River Plate conflicts, Paraguayan War, several civil conflicts across Brazil and during the two World Wars.

After the independence, the navy was small. In 1860, the fleet consisted on 7 screw sloops and 8 paddle steamers plus a sailing fleet of 6 frigates and corvettes and 14 smaller vessels. During the Paraguayan War, several ironclads were purchased from Britain and France After the losses of the 1893 Navy Rebelion, very little naval building was done until the 1905 naval programme, which gave the Navy two of the most modern and powerful dreadnoughts of the world at the time , the Minas Gerais Class, the Brazilian Navy last battleships.

Order of Battle

1 Aircraft Carrier NAeL São Paulo
4 Tupi Submarines Class (German Type 209, 1 built in German, 3 in Brazil)
1 Tikuna Submarine Class (Modified German Type 209, built in Brazil)

10 Frigates of which:

3 Greenhaigh Class (ex UK Type 22, Batch 1)
6 Niteroi Class (4 built in UK, 2 in Brazil)
1 Para Class (ex US Garcia class frigate)

5 Corvettes of which:

5 Inhauma Class (built in Brazil)

47 Patrol Vessels of which:

16 Offshore Patrol Vessels
10 Coastal Patrol Vessels
16 Inshore Patrol Vessels
5 River Patrol Vessels

6 minesweepers ( ex German Schutze class)

3 Amphibious vessels

Various support ships

External links

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