NRP Arpão takes part in the Open Sea initiative, in the South Atlantic, which runs until the beginning of August and is scheduled to visit five countries and two continents
By Agência Marinha de Notícias – Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Last Sunday (7), the Almirante Castro e Silva Base (BACS), located at the Mocanguê Naval Complex in Niterói (RJ), received, for the first time, a Portuguese submarine, the NRP Arpão, after 110 years of existence of the Portuguese Navy’s Submarine Force. The second submarine of the Tridente class, the NRP Arpão is the first Portuguese submarine to dock in Brazil and cross the Equator.
Upon its arrival in Rio de Janeiro, the NRP Arpão was received by Brazilian naval leaders. Present at the occasion were members of the visiting party and diplomatic representatives of the Republic of Portugal in Brazil.
With a crew of 35 soldiers, including three women, the submarine traveled about 2,800 nautical miles over 20 days, patrolling the Atlantic during the transit to Rio de Janeiro. Since it left the Lisbon Naval Base, Brazil is the second stop. Before that, the submarine passed through a logistical stop in Cape Verde. The Open Sea initiative presupposes the establishment of bilateral contacts and diplomatic relations between Portugal and other countries, as well as the surveillance of maritime spaces of interest to that country.
Before leaving for its next destination, the submarine will be docked at BACS between May 7 and 12, and will conduct an exercise with the Brazilian Fleet submarine “Tikuna”. “The initiative will be of great operational gain, both for Brazil and Portugal, and represents another opportunity to promote interoperability between the two Navies, raising the level of readiness, training and combat, as well as strengthening the ties of friendship between the two countries,” said the Commander in Chief of the Fleet (of the Brazilian Navy), Vice Admiral Edgar Luiz Siqueira Barbosa.
Source: Agência Marinha de Notícias