NRP Bartolomeu Dias
The "Portuguese Triangle", between the Madeiras, Azores and metropolitan Portugal, covers about 333,000 square miles of ocean lines of communication from the south Atlantic to central Europe, the approaches to Gibralter and the Mediterranean, European oil supply lines where 65% of Europe's oil and 57% of other major imports travel. Antisubmarine warfare (ASW), which relates to ocean surveillance, was the primary reason for having Azores bases and is returning to the forefront with the ever-increasing Soviet submarine threat.
Eight Karel Doorman-class frigates were built at the Koninklijke Schelde Groep yard in Vlissingen. All ships of the Karel Doorman project were built from 1991 to 1995 and are designed to combat the submarines and surface ships of the enemy, as well as perform tasks on air defense. The displacement of the multipurpose frigate is 3300 tons, length - 122 meters, width - 14.4 meters. The main tasks of the multi-purpose frigates are to engage submarines and surface vessels. In addition, they can also be deployed for air defence tasks. The shape of their hull allows them to maintain their speed in heavy seas. These frigates have a helicopter deck and a hangar.
Multi-purpose frigates are propelled by diesel engines (cruising speed up to 19 knots) and gas turbines (high speed up to 29 knots). The maximum speed is 29 knots (54 kilometers per hour). This gives them a fast response time whilst limiting fuel consumption. The armament can combat various targets simultaneously.
NRP Bartolomeu Dias has a main mission of the anti-submarine fight, being able to be engaged in combatant and non-combatant missions, from which stand out the participation in EUROMARFOR, Operation Manatim or NATO Operation Sea Guardian. NRP Bartolomeu Dias (Ex-HNLMS Van Nes) was launched on the water on May 16, 1992 after construction at the Schelde Group shipyard in the Netherlands. It increased the size of the Portuguese Navy on January 16, 2009, as the first ship of the Bartolomeu Dias class.
Bartolomeu Dias is one of the navigators linked to the most significant moments of the History of the Discoveries. The event that immortalized his name was the folding of Cape Tormentoso, later named Boa Esperança by D. João II, because, by making evident the connection between the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, it opened the doors of the sea route to the fabulous India of spices.
The NRP D. Francisco de Almeida is the second ship of the class Bartolomeu Dias. It was built in the Royal Koninklijen Marine shipyards, and was the seventh Karel Doorman class vessel in the service of the Dutch Navy. It increased the size of the Portuguese Navy on January 15, 2010.
D. Francisco de Almeida was born in Lisbon in 1450 and was nominated by D. Manuel as 1st Vice-King of India. With an armada of 22 ships defeated the 2 of February of 1509, in front of Diu, an enemy armada establishing the Portuguese naval power in the Indico. He died on March 1, 1510, in a raid near the Cape of Good Hope.
D. FRANCISCO DE ALMEIDA has participated in many national and international missions and exercises, with special emphasis on the air and naval security during the celebration of the Mass held in Terreiro do Paço in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI, the operation Ocean Shield in 2011, integrated in the NATO Naval Force, actively participating in anti-piracy actions in Somalia, integration as a Steamship in the NATO Maritime Group 1 in 2015, the Sea Guardian operation in 2017, integrated in the NATO Naval Force and the operation Themis in cooperation with the European Agency FRONTEX.
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