History
Brazil
NameParnaíba
NamesakeParnaíba
BuilderArsenal de Marinha do Rio de Janeiro
Laid down11 June 1936
Launched2 September 1937
Commissioned9 March 1938
HomeportRio de Janeiro
Nickname(s)
  • Jaú do Pantanal ("Jaú of the Pantanal")
  • Caverna Mestra da Armada ("The Oldhead of the Armada")
  • Velho Barco ("Old Boat")[1]
Statusin active service
General characteristics
TypeRiver monitor
Displacement
  • 620 tons - Standard
  • 720 tons - full load
Length55 m (180.4 ft)
Beam10.1 m (33.1 ft)
Draught1.6 m (5.2 ft)
Propulsion
  • Diesel engines
  • Two propellers
Speed12 knots (22 km/h)
Range1,350 mi (1,170 nmi; 2,170 km) (2500 km) 10 knots (19 km/h)
Endurance
  • 16 days
  • 90 tons of fuel
Complement74
Armament
Aviation facilitiesHelipad

Parnaíba (U-17) [paʁnaˈibɐ] is a river monitor of the Brazilian Navy. She is currently one of the last monitors in service.

History

She was built for the navy in Rio de Janeiro and commissioned on 9 March 1938. She participated in the Second World War and is, as of 2022, one of the world's oldest commissioned warships still in active service.[2] She is assigned to the Mato Grosso Flotilla.

During the Second World War, the ship was assigned for service in the port of Salvador, Bahia, where she underwent light escort missions and coastal patrols against the threat of German submarines, mainly because of her extremely shallow draft which in theory would let any torpedo attack pass under her without any damage to the ship. Her escort missions were mainly in coastal waters because of her poor seaworthiness in open waters, which necessitated constant repairs on the ship.

Modernization

She underwent a modernisation program at the Ladario Riverine Naval Base between January 1998 and 6 May 1999, during which her original reciprocating engine was replaced with diesel engines to increase her range and endurance. One of her original engines was placed on display at the Sixth Naval District's Lieutenant Maximiano Memorial Hall.[3] A helicopter platform has been fitted over the fantail, allowing her to operate the IH-6B Bell Jet Ranger III, replacing the Eurocopter AS350.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "M Parnaíba U 17" (in Portuguese). Poder Naval. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  2. ↑ Beckhusen, Robert (25 May 2018). "One of the World's Oldest Military Ships Is Sailing Down a River in Brazil". warisboring.com. Bright Mountain Media. Retrieved 26 May 2018. In terms of operational and active ships doing military work, perhaps only the Russian salvage ship Kommuna is older...
  3. ↑ "Diretoria de Engenharia Naval realiza VISITEC às OM do 6º Distrito Naval" [Naval Engineering Directorate conducts VISITEC to OM of the 6th Naval District]. Pantanal News. August 16, 2010. Archived from the original on October 5, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2012. (in Portuguese)

Bibliography

  • Wertheim, Eric (2007). Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-955-2.
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