A consortium of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Embraer Defense & Security and Atech has been chosen as the preferred bidder to construct four new Tamandaré-class corvettes for the Brazilian Navy.

Companies in the Águas Azuis Consortium will now create a specific purpose company (SPC) to proceed with the implementation of the programme.

The Tamandaré Corvettes Class Program (CCT) involves the delivery of four corvettes between 2024 and 2028 to modernise the Brazilian Navy’s fleet.

The vessels will serve as escort ships to tackle potential threats and to ensure the protection of maritime traffic.

Furthermore, the corvettes will be deployed to control the Brazilian jurisdictional waters and exclusive economic zone, covering a total area of more than 4.5 million square kilometres.



The Brazilian Navy can also use them in peace and humanitarian aid missions.

“This partnership will bring high-skilled jobs and technology to Brazil, strengthening its defence industry.”

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems CEO Dr Rolf Wirtz said: “Being part of the CCT Program reinforces our leadership position and the proven technologies we have offered to the naval defence industry around the world for almost two centuries.

“This partnership will bring high-skilled jobs and technology to Brazil, strengthening its defence industry.”

The CCT programme is expected to create more than 1,000 direct jobs and 4,000 indirect jobs throughout the entire supply chain in Brazil.

The programme is also likely to involve the transfer of technology (ToT) in the naval engineering for military shipbuilding, combat and platform management systems.

Oceana shipyard in Itajaí, Brazil, will be responsible for building the vessels and acting as ToT receiver related to the project.

The combat management system (CMS) and integrated platform management system (IPMS) will be supplied by Atech in partnership with ThyssenKrupp’s subsidiary ATLAS ELEKTRONIK and L3 MAPPS.

Embraer Defense & Security’s role in the project will be to integrate sensors and weaponry into the combat system.

The consortium’s winning bid is based on the concept of the MEKO-class design for the corvettes.

The design is claimed to deliver acquisition, maintenance, and modernisation cost savings as it enables local integration and transfer of technology.