The Portuguese government has approved plans to acquire a third batch (NPO3S) of Viana do Castelo-class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) as part of the Portuguese Navy's Intersectoral Program for the Renewal of the Fleet (PIRE).
Portugal currently operates four Viana do Castelo-class OPVs. It will acquire six more units with improved capabilities. (Victor Barreira)
A tender for the construction of six vessels will be issued in 2021 by the state-owned company idD – Portugal Defence, the Ministry of National Defence said. The first unit is scheduled to enter service in 2023, with the final ship to be introduced in 2029.
The government formally endorsed the third batch of OPVs on 20 May. EUR352 million (USD429 million) has been authorised to fund the acquisition in line with the country's 2019–2030 Military Programming Law: EUR283 million has been earmarked for construction, with the remaining EUR69 million for outfitting and management.
With the six new OPVs, Portugal will complete the replacement of João Coutinho-class and Baptista de Andrade-class corvettes.
The new OPVs will be based on the same design of the earlier vessels in the class but with a number of modifications. Most notably, they will incorporate multifunction features to increase utility in areas such as mine warfare, underwater surveillance, force projection, pollution combat, and law enforcement, the Portuguese Navy previously told Janes . Additionally, the vessels will be equipped to carry out operations with helicopters and unmanned systems.
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