Portuguese Navy

Portuguese Navy
Country	Portugal
Type	Navy
Commanders
Current commander	Admiral Fernando Melo Gomes

The Portuguese Navy (Portuguese: Marinha Portuguesa, also known as Marinha de Guerra Portuguesa or as Armada Portuguesa) is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal. The Portuguese Navy also participates in missions related with international compromises assumed by Portugal (mainly with NATO), as well missions of civil interest. Today, the Portuguese Navy assumes a dual role capacity: the military defence of the country and the missions which in other countries are normally assigned to coast guards.

History

Creation of the Portuguese Navy

The Portuguese Navy history is connected to the history of Portugal, and we can say that the Navy history is the Portuguese History seen from the sea. The first known battle of the Portuguese Navy was in 1180, during the reign of Portugal's first king, Afonso I of Portugal. The battle occurred when a Portuguese fleet commanded by D. Fuas Roupinho defeated a Muslim fleet near Cape Espichel. He also made two incursions in Ceuta, in 1181 and 1182, and died during the last of these attempts to conquer Ceuta.

During the 13th century, the Portuguese Navy helped in the conquest of several littoral villages, like Alcácer do Sal, Silves and Faro, in the battles against Castile through incursions in Galicia and Andalucia, and also in joint actions from Christian fleets against the Muslims.

In 1312 the naval fleet was created with the goal of defending the country against the muslim pirates. In 1317 King Denis of Portugal decides to give, for the first time, a permanent organization of Royal Navy, contracting the genovese Manuel Pessanha for the first Admiral of the Kingdom. In 1321 the navy successfully attacks some Muslim harbours in North Africa.

In 1323 is created in Portugal the maritime insurance, and between 1336 and 1341 the first attempts of maritime expansion are made, with the expedition to Canary Islands, sponsored by King Afonso IV.

At the end of the 14th century, more Portuguese discoveries are being made, with the Navy having a main role in the exploration of the oceans and the defense of the Portuguese Empire. It was the first oceanic navy power.

Conquests and Discoveries

In the beginning of the 15th century, the country entered a period of peace and stability. Europe was still involved in wars and feudal conflicts which allows Portugal to be the only capable country to methodically and successfully start the exploration of the Atlantic.

Portuguese expansion during the 15th century can be divided in:

• Territorial expansion to North Africa
• Hydrographic survey of the African coast and Canary Islands
• Oceanographic and meteorologic survey of the Atlantic Ocean
• Development of navigation techniques and methods

Territorial expansion began in Morocco with the conquest of Ceuta in 1415. Exploration in the west African coast started in 1412 and ended with the crossing of the Cape of Good Hope in 1487.

The school of navigation in Sagres

After his return from Ceuta, Henry the navigator founded a school of navigation in Sagres, which was a place to discuss the art of navigation. The vessel employed in the beginning of the Discoveries was the caravel, varying from 50 to 160 tons. The first results came soon and Gonçalves Zarco discovers Porto Santo Island in 1419 and Madeira Island in 1420, Diogo de Silves discovers the azorean island of Santa Maria in 1427. In 1424 Gil Eanes crosses the Cape Bojador. Diogo Cão and Bartolomeu Dias arrived to the mouth of Zaire River in 1482 and the second crosses the Cape of Good Hope in 1487. The greatest achievement of these exploration voyages was attained by Vasco da Gama, whom between 1497 and 1499 discovers the sea route to India.

The 16th century

With the first established sea route to the Indian Ocean, the Portuguese started to use the carrack ship (nau in Portuguese). Nevertheless, the Portuguese penetration in the Indian Ocean was not peaceful due to the opposition of the Muslims. However, in 1509 Francisco de Almeida had a tremendous victory over the muslims in the naval battle of Rumes, in front of Diu and the Portuguese presence in the area is definitely attained.

In Morocco the Portuguese conquests still continue and they take over the cities of Safim, Azamor, Mazagão and Mogador.

In the east, Portuguese navigators continue their progress visiting the southeast of Asia, China in 1517 and Australia in 1522. They reach to Taiwan and Japan in the same period.

They enter the Red Sea in 1542 to destroy the Turkish armada in Suez.

In the west the Portuguese visited the coast of New England in 1520, California in 1542 and Hudson Bay in 1588.

All these actions were only possible with the naval capability, the navigation knowledge of these navigators, an enormous courage and determination.

Lost of independence

Portugal became a kingdom under Castile crown in 1580 but the Portuguese navy was still involved in several conflicts, and especially it maintained an important role in the fight against pirates. António Saldanha commanding a fleet of 30 carracks defeated a turkish fleet in the Mediterranean and conquered Tunis. Meanwhile, João Queiróz accomplishes a double cross of the Pacific Ocean leaving from California.

Linked to Castile by a dual monarchy, Portugal saw its large empire being attacked by the British, the French and the dutch, all enemies of Castile. The reduced Portuguese population (around one million) wasn't enough to resist to so many enemies, and the empire started to fall apart.

In 1618 the first naval military corp is founded (Terço da Armada Real da Coroa de Portugal, in Portuguese).

Restoration of Independence

In 1640 Portugal regained independence from neighbouring Castile, being forced to fight against it's powerful navy in difficult conditions. This led to the lost of several parts of the empire and the peace agreements with England, France and The Netherlands.

In 1641 the Portuguese navy was able to defend the national interests in the European continent and reconquer Angola and Brazil to the dutch.

During the reign of King John V of Portugal the navy suffers a large transformation, during which the warship starts to differentiate from the commerce ship.

In 1705 a squadron of 8 carracks went to Gibraltar to help England against Castile.

19th century to World War I

Political instability dominated Portugal during the 19th century after the Napoleonic invasions. The navy entered a period of crisis which only ended on the turn to the 20th century.

In the beginning of World War I the Portuguese navy was modernized and received a submarine and 3 frigates, amongst other warships.

World War I

During the first World War, the main role of the Portuguese navy was to patrol Portuguese waters, search for submarines, escort merchant vessels and transport troops to France and Africa. The most important events were the combat between the mine-hunter Augusto de Castilho with the German submarine U-139 and the sinking of the mine-sweeper Roberto Ivens due to a collision with a sea mine, outside Lisbon harbour. After the war Portugal acquired two ships from England and 6 frigates from Austria. In 1922 Sacadura Cabral and Gago Coutinho do the first South Atlantic aerial cross. From 1933 to 1936 the navy receives a total of 22 ships and suffers a deep reorganization.

World War II

During the second World War the Portuguese navy defended at sea and air the Portuguese neutrality. Due to the vast empire the assets were not enough, but still it was possible to maintain the integrity of the different parcels of the empire.

After the war Portugal joined NATO and acquired 3 submarines, 7 frigates, 4 patrol boats, 16 mine-sweepers, 4 mine-hunters and 3 survey vessels

Modern times

After half a century the Portuguese navy was in combat again during the second half of the 20th century. These combats took place in the Indian Ocean against India and in the African colonies during the Colonial War.

Ships and weapon systems

The main weapons systems of the Portuguese Navy are:

Surface Vessels

NRP Álvares Cabral (F-331) participates in an exercise with USS Enterprise (CVN 65). The ship is participating in Majestic Eagle, a multinational exercise being conducted off the coast of Morocco.

• Frigates
  • 3 Vasco da Gama class
  • 2 João Belo class
• Corvettes
  • 4 João Coutinho class
  • 3 Baptista de Andrade class
• Patrol Boats
  • 4 Cacine class
  • 2 Albatroz class
  • 10 Argos class
  • 4 Centauro class
  • 1 Rio Minho class

Submarines

• 1 Albacora class

Auxiliary vessels

• NRP Bérrio (former-Royal Fleet Auxiliary Blue Rover) fleet oiler
• NRP Schultz Xavier oil recovery ship
• NRP Sagres sail training ship
• UAM Creoula sail training ship
• UAM Polar sail training ship
• UAM Vega sail training ship

Landing craft

• 1 Bombarda class

Survey vessels

• 1 NRP D. Carlos I, ocean survey vessel
• 2 Andrómeda class, coastal survey vessel

Aircraft

A Portuguese Portuguese Navy Lynx Mk-95 helicopter takes off from the flight deck of the Vasco de Gama class frigate, NRP Vasco da Gama (F330).

• 5 Super Lynx Mk.95 helicopters

Future Developments

• 10 offshore patrol vessels of the Viana do Castelo class (NPO 2000).
• 2 submarines of 214/209PN, one more optional.
• 2 frigates of the Karel Doorman class.
• 1 amphibious transport dock designed by HDW.

See also

• Military history of Portugal
• Fuzileiros, Portuguese Navy Marine Corps
• Destacamento de Acções Especiais, naval commando unit
• Destacamentos de Mergulhadores Sapadores, combat divers unit.
• Ship prefix
• Pennant number

External links

• Marinha Portuguesa, official website.