Barracuda Submarine

Category: Military Architecture > Submarine

District: Setúbal > Almada > Cacilhas > Quinta da Alegria

Location

The Barracuda Submarine is berthed in the dry dock of Cacilhas, a riverside area in the municipality of Almada. Located in the area known as Quinta da Alegria, this site offers a unique setting, characteristic of Cacilhas' waterfront, with its connection to the Tagus River estuary.

Its presence here contributes to the richness of the region's maritime heritage, integrated into an urban environment that reflects the historical importance of Almada and its port, inviting a discovery experience in the heart of Cacilhas.

A Life of Service

Launched into service in 1968, the Barracuda Submarine was the second of a class of four submersibles that served the Portuguese Navy. Built in France, this vessel played a crucial role for 42 years, participating in various missions in national and international waters, until its decommissioning in 2010.

Throughout its remarkable career, the Barracuda stood out as the oldest operational submarine among NATO navies at the time of its retirement from service. Currently, it acquires a new life as a museum ship, inviting exploration of its past in the depths.

Life Onboard

With a length of 54 meters and a submerged displacement of 1038 tons, the Barracuda was designed for various missions, from patrol and strategic information gathering to the projection of special operations forces. It had the capacity to embark 12 torpedoes and could operate at depths of up to 300 meters.

Onboard, the crew of 54 military personnel faced a challenging daily life. Conditions required adaptation, with only 35 beds for the entire crew, who rotated in shifts. Although it carried 12 thousand liters of water, this was primarily for consumption, with no space for the luxury of showers, demonstrating the austerity of submarine life.

A New Destiny

After a life of dedicated service, the Barracuda embraced a new chapter, transforming into a museum space accessible to the public. This transition allowed a historic warship to become a place of learning about naval engineering and daily submarine life.

To facilitate exploration by visitors, significant adaptations were made, such as the creation of lateral entrances that replace the original narrow hatches. This alteration ensures greater convenience and safety, while maintaining the authenticity of the experience of getting to know a submarine from the inside. Throughout its active life, it covered a distance of 263,358 nautical miles, equivalent to twelve circumnavigations of the world, with 180,000 miles submerged, a testament to its extraordinary journey.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt