DTN News: Portugal Commissions ex-Dutch M-Frigate / Minister Of Defence Presides Delivery Ceremony For Frigate “Bartolomeu Dias”

DTN News: Portugal Commissions ex-Dutch M-Frigate / Minister Of Defence Presides Delivery Ceremony For Frigate “Bartolomeu Dias”

(NSI News Source Info) May 27, 2009: The Minister of National Defence, Nuno Severiano Teixeira, presided over the May 19 ceremony marking the delivery of the first of two Bartolomeu Dias-class frigates. The ceremony was attended by the Dutch Minister of Defence, Eimert van Middelkoop, and of the chiefs of the two countries’ naval staffs.

In May 2006, Portugal's National Defense Minister, Luís Amado, showed interest in buying two Karel Doorman class frigates to replace the two remaining frigates of the João Belo class in service with the Portuguese Navy — instead of buying two frigates of the Oliver Hazard Perry class, offered by the United States. A committee of the Portuguese government arrived in the Netherlands to evaluate the condition of two frigates to be bought. In the end of May 2006, the Portuguese Government Official News Bulletin published the order for the creation of an Official Portuguese Navy's "technical team" to supervise the transfer of two M-Class Frigates to Portugal. On November 1st 2006, the Portuguese Defense Minister Nuno Severiano Teixeira signed a contract for the purchase of the frigates Van Nes and Van Galen. Van Nes, renamed NRP Bartolomeu Dias (F333), was transferred to Portugal on January 16, 2009 and Van Galen, renamed NRP Francisco de Almeida (F334) will be transferred on November 1, 2009. With the sale of two M-class frigates to Portugal only two of the eight ships will remain with the Dutch Navy.

The M-class frigates, built in the Netherlands during the 1990s, are modern-technology multi-purpose vessels, capable of carrying out anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air warfare missions, and are thus also suited for anti-terrorism operations.

Their specific characteristics will allow Portugal to continue to operate an ocean-going naval force capable of carrying out both national missions, such as sovereignty and law enforcement at sea, and in support of the state’s international missions, when integrated into naval forces of NATO and the European Union.

These frigates, whose cost is 240 million euros, are being purchased under the current Military Program Law. The acquisition contract was signed with the Netherlands on November 1, 2006.

Dutch Transfer of Two Frigates to Portuguese Navy / Dutch Technical Transfer of Frigates to Portuguese Navy

Dutch Transfer of Two Frigates to Portuguese Navy / Dutch Technical Transfer of Frigates to Portuguese Navy (NSI News Source Info) January 19, 2009: The documents for the transfer of the Dutch frigates to the Portuguese Navy were signed today by the General Directors for Armaments of the Ministry of National Defence of Portugal and of the Netherlands.

On the Portuguese side, the signatory was Vice Admiral Filipe Viergas. This action, an exclusively military procedure, took place in the Netherlands, and was attended by the Portuguese Navy’s Chief of Staff, Admiral Fernando Melo Gomes.

On November 1st 2006, the Portuguese Defense Minister Nuno Severiano Teixeira signed a contract for the purchase of the frigates Van Nes and Van Galen. Van Nes (renamed Bartolomeu Dias ) will be transferred to Portugal on December 1, 2008 and Van Galen (renamed Francisco de Almeida) on November 1, 2009. With the latest sale of two M-class frigates to Portugal pushing through, only two of the eight ships will remain with the Dutch Navy.

The official delivery ceremony, as part of the celebrations for Navy Day, will take place in the presence of the Minister of National Defence, Nuno Severiano Teixeira. The commissioning of the two “Bartolomeu Dias”-class frigates is a major milestone in the reinforcement of the Navy’s fleet.

These ships will replace the “Joao Belo”-class frigates that have been in service for about 40 years. The two new ships are fitted with modern technologies for systems automation, and thus require a smaller crew, but will deliver an increase in productivity and in operational availability. They can reach a top speed of 29 knots, and have a range of 5,000 nautical miles.

DTN News: Portuguese Type 209PN Submarine Is Quick Off The Mark With Harbour Trials

Portuguese Type 209PN is quick off the mark with harbour trials 17 July 2008: The first of two Type 209PN submarines for the Portuguese Navy was named and launched at ThysssenKrupp Marine Systems' Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft shipyard (HDW) in Kiel, Germany, on 15 July.

Tridente began harbour trials immediately following the ceremony and the 68 m-long boat is due to commence sea trials early in 2009, with delivery to the customer by the end of that year.

A procurement contract for Tridente and sistership Arpao - worth around EUR800 million (USD958 million), including offset agreements - was signed by the Portuguese government and the German Submarine Consortium (consisting of HDW, Nordseewerke and trading house MAN Ferrostaal) in April 2004.

Construction of Arpao is running to schedule, according to HDW, and is expected to start sea trials in early 2010, with delivery later that year. The two units will form the 5th Submarine Squadron based in Lisbon.

The boats will replace three ageing Albacora-class submarines built for Portugal in the 1960s, only one of which - NRP Barracuda - remains in service. It is due to decommission in December 2009, leaving the country temporarily without an underwater capability.