IHS Jane's reported that during her career with the Brazilian Navy, São Paulo suffered from serviceability issues and never managed to operate for more than three months at a time without the need for repairs and maintenance.

In September 2000, she was purchased by Brazil for US$12 million[6] – no aircraft were included in the price – to replace the aged World War II-era carrier Minas Gerais, which had been in commission for over 40 years.

The incorporation of São Paulo and the AF-1 fighter group marked the realization of Brazil's long-held goal of being able to conduct aerial defense of its naval forces with fixed-wing aircraft.

We are and we will always be a nation that fights for peace, however, that does not mean being able to do without modern Armed Forces, enabled and endowed with adequate dissuasive potential.

[11] In her first three years of service as São Paulo, the ship completed several missions, some in foreign waters, particularly Operations ARAEX,[12] PASSEX, and TEMPEREX,[13] which is used annually to qualify and train the Argentine Navy's Super Étendards and S-2T Turbo Trackers.

[14] Toward the end of her commissioned life, São Paulo mainly served to train pilots to fly carrier operations.

She was actively used for the carrier qualification and re-qualification of rotary and fixed-wing pilots, and also to practice carrier-based attack missions.

[15] The upgrade included repair of the steam turbines; maintenance of the surface condensers; retubing of boilers; repair of two high-pressure compressors; revision of the AC electrical generator; purchase of spare parts; maintenance of pumps, valves, and structural items; addition of two API oil-water separators; installation of two water cooling units; upgrade of the chemical oxygen generator; repair and treatment of oil tanks; substitution of the Naval Tactical Data System, installation of a closed-circuit television system; installation of an IFF transponder; installation of a MAGE system (ESM), flight deck inspection, repair, and painting; upgrade of the Optical Landing System processing unit; and revision of the aircraft catapults.

The Brazilian Navy contracted Marsh Aviation to convert four S-2T Turbo Trackers to an airborne early warning (AEW) configuration, and four more for tanking and Carrier Onboard Delivery duties.

[21] According to an article in the October 2010 issue of Air Forces Monthly,[citation needed] it was confirmed that Brazil had purchased ex-Australian and ex-Uruguayan C-1 Trader airframes, for conversion into AEW planes and tanker aircraft.

The Brazilian Navy planned upgrades of the airframes to S-2T Turbo Tracker configuration with Honeywell TPE 331-14GR engines.

[23] At the end of 2010, sea trials began, and as of 2011 São Paulo had been evaluated by the CIASA (Inspection Commission and Training Advisory).

[26] Scheduled to arrive at Aliağa, Turkey on 7 September 2022 for scrapping, the ship was towed from Rio de Janeiro on 4 August 2022 by the Dutch tugboat Alp Centre, after being bought for R$10,550,000.00 or US$1,919,857.35 from Sök.

[30] After the decommissioning was announced, a private foundation called Instituto São Paulo/Foch [pt] (ISP) formed by former crew and enthusiasts attempted to transform the carrier into a museum ship.

Concerns over the potential risk of "massive ecological damage" were made by several national and international environmentalist organizations.

[38] The former Turkish owners of the ship criticized the decision as showing indifference and attempts to evade responsibility by the Brazilian authorities.