Águas Azuis Consortium is one of the finalists of the Brazilian Navy CCT Program bid

On 15 October, the Brazilian Navy announced the short-list for the bidding process of the CCT Program (Corvettes Class Tamandaré) that will supply four ships to the Brazilian Navy. One of the finalists is the Consortium Águas Azuis, formed by thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and Embraer Defense & Security. 

Based on a long-term relationship and strong footprint in Brazil, both companies, and its subsidiaries, have built a solid national partnership with proven capability to absorb technology and ensure its development not only for the CCT Program, but also for future strategic defense projects in the country. 

The Consortium Águas Azuis has presented to the Brazilian Navy a proposal based on MEKO^® class concept, a world-class reference through proven solutions in naval shipbuilding. Its modular design facilitates local integration and transfer of technology, helping to reduce cost of acquisition, maintenance and modernization. 

Combining state-of-the-art technology, innovation and robust fighting capabilities, the MEKO^® class is an authentic blue-water ship. These vessels have outstanding, far-reaching and robust marine qualities, and are cost-efficient to operate. As a result, Navies have a flexible and versatile fighting platform, and a general purpose ‘workhorse’ for diversified mission profiles.

Dr. Rolf Wirtz, CEO of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems: “We are very glad to move forward to the final phase of the CCT Program bid. It reinforces our leading position and the proven technologies we have been offering to the naval defense sector worldwide. We highly recognize the expertise of the Brazilian Navy and appreciate the good relationship we have since the delivery of the first Tupi-class submarine in the late 1980s. In the consortium with Embraer we strongly believe that not only we can offer ships and systems that meet the Navy’s demand for the next decades to come but also bring high-skilled jobs and technology to Brazil, strengthening the local defense industrial base.”

Since 1982, 82 MEKO® corvettes and frigates have been delivered to Navies in 14 different nations, 37 built outside Germany, and all these vessels are still in full operation – offering a lifecycle of more than 40 years. This class flaunts the benefits of five generations of vessels thanks to its design iteration, whereby the best features of each project evolve into the next project, ensuring the new ships have solid, well-proven maturity, technology, materials and standards.

With the contract awarding, Embraer subsidiary Atech will provide the Combat Management System (CMS) of the ships in a close cooperation with thyssenkrupp Marine Systems’ subsidiary Atlas Elektronik. It is planned that engineering and software from Atlas Elektronik will support and develop the local engineering, equipment, systems integration and project management by Atech. 

Jackson Schneider, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security: “In a consortium with thyssenkrupp Marine Systems we offer the only solid national partnership model with proven capability to retain the transfer of technology and ensuring its development for future strategic defense projects in Brazil. We are confident we can put together a package that outperforms the needs of a modern Navy today and in the future while ensuring local production and lifecycle management and support.”