Tamandaré-class frigate

Batch 1

The program was created in 2017 with the main purpose of replacing all the current major surface combatants of the Niterói-class frigates in operation since 1975, the Broadsword-class boats acquired second-hand from the United Kingdom in the 1990s, and the Inhaúma-class corvettes.^[9] Several companies from seventeen countries entered in the competition opened by the Ministry of Defence, offering different types of projects and offset packages. The list of all participating companies was released on 16 May 2017.^[10]

After more than a year of studies by the Directorate of Program Management of the Navy and the Naval Projects Management Company, the short-list of the finalist projects was released in October 2018, the selected projects were: ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and the MEKO A-100, the Sigma-class of Damen Group, the Gowind-class of Naval Group and Fincantieri with Brazilian Navy's indigenous project variant.^[11]

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems with a 3,500-ton MEKO A-100-class variant was declared winner in March 2019, with the contract for the first batch of four units signed on 6 March 2020.^[12] In January 2021, ThyssenKrupp confirmed the acquisition of the Oceana shipyard in Itajaí, becoming the company's first shipyard in Latin America, with the objective of building the new Brazilian frigates.^[13] The construction of the lead ship, Tamandaré, started in September 2022 and the launch ceremony of the boat took place in August 2024.^[14] As of November 2023, each ship of the first batch cost around $555 million (R$2.77 billion), the total program cost was reported $2.2 billion.^[1]

Batch 2

The Brazilian Navy announced plans to build a second batch of four more units in August 2024,^[14] confirming the National Maritime Strategy published by the MoD in 2023.^[15] On 7 November 2025, was reported that a negotiation for additional ships "would begin in the coming months".^[16] In February 2026, the Brazilian Navy confirmed the construction of a second batch of more four boats.^[17][18] On 20 April 2026, the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva together with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced four additional boats,^[19][20][21] with the German and Brazilian defense ministries signing an agreement on the same day.^[22][23][24]

On 24 April 2026, the Brazilian Navy signed a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with TKMS and Embraer for four more ships with the new contract with an estimated cost around $2 billion (R$10 billion).^[25] The Batch 2 ships may be equipped with a 200 km extended range variant of national built MANSUP anti-ship missile, and the Strales system with DART guided ammunition within the Oto Melara 76 mm main gun.^[25][26]

Participation of Brazilian companies

Like other major defense programs in the country, the government demanded the construction of the ships in Brazil, the participation of Brazilian companies in the industrial process and the transfer of technologies.^[9] Embraer, along its subsidiary Atech, are responsible for the integration of systems and sensors of the class, other companies like Akaer which is involved in the industrial process, building and nationalizing components and parts,^[34] and Usiminas supplying the steel, are responsible for the reduction of costs and foreign dependence.^[35] The ammunition for the Oto Melara 76 mm naval gun will be produced domestically, including the VULCANO variant.^[36] Around 40% of each ship's parts are produced in the country.^[37]