Viana Do Castelo Class Patrol Vessel
The Viana do Castelo is a class of offshore patrol vessels planned by and for the Portuguese Navy, as a result of the NPO2000 Project (Portuguese, Navios de Patrulha Oceânica, for Oceanic Patrol Vessels), that are being constructed in the Estaleiros Navais de Viana do Castelo (ENVC). The eight to ten vessels of this class, specially designed to operate in the waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, will replace the João Coutinho and Baptista de Andrade class corvettes — currently being decommissioned —, and the small patrol boats of the Cacine class in their primary fisheries protection role (SIFICAP) and in their search and rescue (SAR) roles. Two of these vessels of the version Navios de Combate à Poluição (NCP) will be fitted with anti-pollution systems — including Fast Oil Recovery systems. These vessels are named after Portuguese coastal cities.
The first vessel, the NRP Viana do Castelo (P360), was commissioned on March 2010 after several years of delay.
The Viana do Castelo was temporarily commissioned with an old 40mm gun, but the Portuguese navy is already acquiring two 30mm Oto Melara Marlin for the first two vessels.
Read more about Viana Do Castelo Class Patrol Vessel: Ships, Armament, See Also
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