Government of Brazil Highlights its "Ambitious" Commitment to the Construction of Submarines

Staff, Maritime Herald

21 February 2018 

The president of Brazil, Michel Temer, reiterated his government's commitment to the construction of conventional submarines and a nuclear submarine, when visiting works at a naval base in Rio de Janeiro (southeast).

"We are moving forward in firm steps towards a broad and ambitious project, the Prosub (Submarine Development Program) is a key piece not only in our defense policy, but also in our strategy of scientific and technological development," said the president, According to a statement from the Executive.

The Prosub was created in 2008 during the Government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003-2011) through a bilateral agreement with France, which transferred technology for the South American country to build its own submarines.

The first will be incorporated into the fleet in 2019, and from then until 2023 each year a new submarine will be added, according to Navy Commander Leal Ferreira.

The head of the Navy assumed that there is a delay of two years in the project, mainly due to the difficulties derived from budget cuts.

In addition to the four submarines of the conventional class Brazil is also building its first nuclear-powered submarine, made with fully national technology and which is expected to be ready by 2029.

Temer stressed that the construction of this submarine will boost technological sectors such as medicine and the energy matrix, in addition to generating highly skilled labor jobs.

The Minister of Defense, Raul Jungmann, stressed that although Brazil is a peaceful country, it does not renounce its sovereignty or external interference, so it is important to have the deterrent capability provided by submarines.

"Brazil needs the deterrent capacity to defend its sovereignty, its territory and its interests, in spite of being peaceful it is not disarmed and will never be in defense of its people and its interests," he summarized.

Brazil currently has five submarines: one of the Tikuna class (built in Brazil and inaugurated in 2008) and four of the Tupi class.

Government of Brazil Highlights its Commitment to the Construction of Submarines

The first of these four was built in Germany between 1987 and 1989 and the other three, equal to German, were assembled in Brazil between 1990 and 2000.