Portugal operates three ships of this class, which were built in Hamburg by Blohm + Voss (B&V) and by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel, using modular construction techniques.

In 2019, the new Military Programming Law was approved by the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic, which provided an amount of 125 million euros for the modernization of the three frigates of the Vasco da Gama class.

The frigate NRP Álvares Cabral, within the scope of this modernization process, received in 2023 a new platform command, control and management system, installed by the Portuguese company Edisoft.

A third frigate will be updated in terms of platform management, communications systems and will also be capable of carrying out amphibious raids to project Portuguese Marine Corps forces.

[4] The modernization program for this class of ships will be made in Portugal by the Arsenal do Alfeite shipyard, that began in 2023 and will last until 2027 according to the navy's plans, with the last 2 years for the modernization of two frigates and the previous years to complete the upgrade of another frigate as a command platform.