New Brazilian Navy armored speedboats strengthen border defensesNew Brazilian Navy armored speedboats strengthen border defenses

Agreement with the Brazilian Army provides for the construction of four more units

By First Lieutenant (RM2-T) Daniela Meireles

Brazil’s river borders have yet another weapon in the fight against crime: the new armored riverboats designed and built by the Rio de Janeiro Navy Arsenal (AMRJ). The first ones are already working on river patrols in Guaíra and Foz do Iguaçu, in Paraná. In December, the Naval Force delivered the first of four ordered by the Army to the Amazon Military Command’s Vessel Center in Manaus (AM).

The new model is made of high-strength aluminum, equipped with ballistic protection and 50mm and 7.62mm MAG machine guns, capable of firing 600 to 1,000 rounds per minute. The 320 hp (horsepower) engines allow it to develop a maximum speed of 35 knots, around 65 km/h, carrying a total of 17 people. The tank capacity guarantees an autonomy of 13 hours at cruising speed (average achieved for fuel economy).

“The design of the speedboat is semi-automated, i.e. there is a 3D project, in which we can make modifications in advance of construction, at the design stage. This allows us to mitigate any problems and visualize future improvements, as well as reducing costs and speeding up production,” says André Patrocínio de Castro, the Civil Servant who manages the construction of vessels of up to 200 tons at AMRJ.

Another factor helping to speed up production is the use of a CNC (Computer Numeric Control) cutting machine, controlled by a computer and capable of producing parts in series with precision. “With regard to the assembly of the ballistic protection plate, the Arsenal’s technical staff developed an assembly system in such a way that any dimensional error in the construction of the boat would not be enough to prevent the protection from being assembled, nor would any additional service be necessary,” explains the manager.

The speedboats built by AMRJ are an evolution of the “Excalibur” class speedboat, designed and built by the Ladário River Base in Mato Grosso do Sul. This prototype, named “Cuiabá”, was delivered to the Mato Grosso River Operations Boat Group (GrEOPRibMT) in July 2021. This and three other similar boats that belong to the Group work in fire containment, hydrographic surveys and military training.

“During the year, we operate, for example, in fighting forest fires, transporting fire crews, firefighters, materials, fuel for use by other vessels in more remote places. We also collect data from navigable stretches of the Paraguay River and the Cuiabá River, and take part in military exercises in support of other ships,” says the GrEOPRibMT’s Maintenance and Repair Division Officer, First Lieutenant Marcus Bezerra.

Beyond the Navy

From the “Cuiabá” armored speedboat for riverine operations, the Arsenal designed the “Sinop”, delivered to the Guaíra River Police Station in May 2022, and the “São Félix do Araguaia”, in August of the same year, to the Paraná River Captaincy. In September 2023, the Decentralized Execution Term (TED) was signed for the construction of four units, as part of the Brazilian Army’s Armoured Vessel Procurement Project.

Cover image: First Lieutenant Marcus Bezerra

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