Brazilian frigate Liberal (F-43)

The F Liberal (F-43) is a Niteroi-class frigate of the Brazilian Navy. The Defensora was the fourth ship of her class ordered by the Brazilian Navy, on 20 September 1970. The Niterói was launched on 7 February 1977, and was commissioned on 18 November 1978.[1][2]

F Liberal (F-43)
History
Brazil
Name:	Liberal
Namesake:	Liberal
Operator:	Brazilian Navy
Builder:	Vosper Thornycroft
Launched:	7 February 1977
Christened:	2 May 1975
Commissioned:	18 November 1978
Homeport:	Rio de Janeiro
Identification:	MMSI number: 710466000 Callsign: PWLI
Motto:	“Nosso barco, nossa alma” (Our boat, our soul)
Status:	Active
General characteristics
Class and type:	Niteroi class frigate
Type:	frigate
Displacement:	3,200 tons standard, 3,800 tons full load
Length:	129.2 m (424 ft)
Beam:	13.5 m (44 ft)
Draught:	5.5 m (18 ft)
Propulsion:	2 shaft CODOG 2 Rolls-Royce Olympus gas turbines 56,000 hp 4 MTU diesels 18,000 hp
Speed:	30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) (22 knots diesels only)
Range:	5,300 NM - at 17 knots 4,200 NM - at 19 knots 1,300 NM - at 28 knots
Endurance:	45 days
Crew:	209
Armament:	Missile antiship MM-40 Exocet; Anti-aircraft missile ASPIDE; 1 Vickers gun 4.5 inch Mk 8 (114 mm), (22 km range); 2 BAE Systems Bofors Trinity Mk 3 anti-Aircraft single-gun turrets; 2 × 3 torpedo tubes for Mk-46 torpedoes; double-barrel Bofors Boroc anti-submarine rocket launcher
Aircraft carried:	1 Westland Super Lynx Mk.21A (locally designated as AH-11A) or 1 Eurocopter AS-350/355 Squirrel (locally assembled by Helibrás as UH-12/UH-13 'Esquilo')
Aviation facilities:	Helipad and hangar

History

On October 15, 1998, the ship was docked to be submitted to the General Maintenance Period (PMG), and together with the Modernization Program (ModFrag).

From May 15 to July 12, the Ship was in the SWORDFISH / 2008 Commission, carrying out a presence action in the ports visited, strengthening ties of friendship between the navies of other countries and improving the degree of training of the ship in Operation Joint with the Armed Forces of Portugal and other participants. Participated in the commemorations related to the Naval Battle of Riachuelo (11JUN08) in the port of Lisbon; and made operational visits[3]

Gallery

• F Liberal Gallery
• 
  Liberal fitting out at Vosper Thorneycroft, Woolston on 22 October 1977.
• 
  Liberal underway on 22 November 2005.

References

1. "Liberal F43". Helis.com. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
2. "Brazilian Navy - Marinha do Brasil - Seaforces Online". www.seaforces.org. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
3. "DefesaNet - Naval - A Fragata F-43 Liberal". DefesaNet (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-09-03.