Tamandaré frigate keel laying marks innovation in military shipbuilding in Brazil

On March 24th, the Brazilian Navy and Águas Azuis, a special purpose entity (SPE) formed by thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, Embraer Defense & Security and Atech, celebrated another milestone in the construction of the Tamandaré frigate: the ship's keel laying. The ceremony, which took place at thyssenkrupp Estaleiro Brasil Sul in Itajaí, Santa Catarina, was attended by the Commander of the Navy Fleet Admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen, and other civil and military authorities from the defense sector and the naval industry.

Traditionally celebrated in shipbuilding, the keel laying takes place when the keel, the "backbone" of the vessel, is completed, allowing the construction of the other parts. Nowadays, with the engineering evolution and the modern production processes adopted in the Tamandaré Class Frigates Program (PFCT), it is possible for the ships to be built in blocks. In the case of the Tamandaré frigate, the first of the four ships in the PFCT, the keel laying was characterized by the positioning at its building site of an important structural block, which corresponds to the forward engine room. In this metal structure, which weighs approximately 52 tons, two engines, a gearbox and several pumps and auxiliary equipment will be installed.

Fleet Admiral Arthur Fernando Bettega Corrêa, General Director of Navy Materiel, highlighted the importance of this ritual: "Today, we witnessed the meeting of tradition with compelling technological modernity, resulting in the optimization of production and increased security for both employees and information."

Oliver Burkhard, CEO of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, added: "We will provide the Brazilian Navy with high-end frigates that combine the edge of naval technology, innovation and robust combat capabilities and that will contribute greatly to Brazil's national security in protecting the Amazônia Azul and beyond."