picture 187128

In 1971 the Portuguese corvette Jacinto Cândido (F476), carrying two 40mm anti-aircraft guns and an MLA-1B air surveillance radar, arrived at Bissau to defend the city and its vital port facilities from air attack. This João Coutinho-class corvette had just entered service with the Portuguese Navy (1970) when Spínola requested the vessel’s deployment, although its meagre anti-air capability offered little defence against the expected threat. Following the Ultramar wars this corvette enjoyed a long career in the Portuguese Navy, serving until 2018. (Artwork by David Bocquelet)