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RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazil's top naval officers were quickly drawn to the International Patrol Frigate display when they stopped by Northrop Grumman's booth at the Latin America Aerospace and Defense exhibition, which opened here April 14.
"It's an outstanding ship; a very interesting project," Rear Adm. Cagle Ilques said after visiting the display.
Asked if the ship would have an application for the Brazilian navy, Ilques said, "of course."
The proposed ship is based on the National Security Cutter now being built by Northrop for the U.S. Coast Guard. Despite its Coast Guard origins, the patrol frigate presents an interesting "mixture of a sonar, [extensive] range, a combat center and anti-submarine capability, all on less than 5,000 tons," Ilques said.
Brazil's top naval officer, Adm. Alte Esq Vinicius, was also impressed. "We have a requirement for three frigates and five patrol ships," he said, "and we're looking for a ship already in production, not a prototype."
The Brazilian Navy is gathering information from several proposals for its frigate and patrol ship program, Vinicius said. "Probably in June, we are sending a group of officers to the United States to visit the shipyard," he said.
Northrop is hopeful the ship will become a serious contender for the Brazilians.
"The International Patrol Frigate meets most, if not all, of the requirements the Brazilians laid out in their maritime strategy," said Rocco Tomanelli, Northrop's director of coastal warfare and international programs.
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