It is the fourth Brazilian Navy submarine made in Brazil and the largest ever built in the country.

The name of this submarine is a tribute to South American indigenous tribe Tikuna inhabiting the region of the Upper Solimões, in the western part of the State of Amazonas.

The submarine was built in the Brazilian Navy Yard in Rio de Janeiro and was put out to sea at 10:30 of 9 March 2005.

On 21 July 2006, she was transferred from the Department of Material for the Naval Operations Command, in a ceremony held at the Navy Yard in Rio de Janeiro.

She has a crew of seven officers and 29 enlisted, eight torpedo tubes and is powered by diesel-electric propulsion, with electric motor, batteries and sets of diesel-engine generators.