First three sections of the Brazilian Navy’s lead Riachuelo-class (Modified Scorpene-class), the S40 ‘Riachuelo’ is currently at the Estaleiro de Construção (ESC) assembly hall and will be moved to TTS Syncrolift’s ship lift to be lowered into the water on the launch date. The submarines is being built by a joint venture company set up by Naval Group (DCNS0 and Odebrecht of Brazil. The ship will then spend another estimated two years undergoing pier tests and sea trials. It is scheduled for delivery to the Brazilian Navy in 2020. The other three diesel-electric submarines, Humaita (S41), Tonelero (S42) and Ango Stura (S43), are all at different stages of construction at UFEM. In addition to the construction of the four conventional submarines, PROSUB (Submarine Development Program) plans to design and construct the first Brazilian submarine with nuclear propulsion and the necessary infrastructure for the construction, operation and maintenance of the two models.
The Brazilian Navy and company Itaguaà Construções Navais (ICN), a joint venture comprised of prime contractor Odebrecht and Naval Group, used a 320-wheeled special vehicle to transfer the first parts of the S40 Riachuelo from the UFEM (Unidade de Fabricação de Estruturas Metálicas) engineering plant to the submarine construction shipyard, on the other side of the bay. The sections of the first Scorpene were built and pre-equipped in Itaguai by the Brazilian shipyard Itaguaà Construções Navais (ICN) and moved from the pre-outfitting to the assembly site in January this year. With a length of 71.62 m and a surface displacement of 1,870 tonnes, the S-BRs are designed for a full range of roles, including anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions, special operations, and intelligence-gathering. The ships feature six 533 mm tubes firing either Naval Group F21 torpedoes or MBDA Exocet SM39 Block 2 Mod 2 missiles. Naval Group CANTO decoys launched from two Naval Group Contralto-S countermeasures launchers provide the S-BRs with anti-torpedo capability.
In 2009, Brazil purchased four enlarged Scorpènes for US$9.9 billion with a technology transfer agreement and a second agreement to develop a French/Brazilian nuclear-powered submarine. The hull of the first S-BR (S35) was laid down at Cherbourg on 27 May 2010 and is to be jumboized at the Brazilian Navy Shipyard in Sepetiba in late 2012. The latter three submarines will be built there entirely, and are planned to be commissioned in 2018, 2020, and 2021. The nuclear-powered submarine could be a variant of the Scorpène class (which would make it similar in concept to the Rubis-class submarine) or one of the more powerful Barracuda class. Naval Group contributed to this project achieving technology transfers by providing the submarine blueprint, the inner equipment as well as technical assistance. ICN construction crews were also trained in submarine construction techniques. As part of a vast training plan for Brazilian welders, trainers, pipe fitters and electricians, one of the sections was built in 2013 at the Naval Group site in Cherbourg, France.
Brazilian Navy Riachuelo-class submarine will be protected by submarines: 7,400 kilometers of coastline, the largest coast of the South Atlantic, that approximately 90% of all Brazil oil reserve is in the Brazilian Sea. Brazilian Navy need to be able to defend, control, and deter, and this is an essential instrument for Brazil, its progress and development, and to ensure peace and sovereignty. PROSUB (Submarine Development Program) has intensive participation of universities and research centers which, among other benefits, generates technology transfer to the country. The Admiral also stressed that PROSUB has so far trained professionals, and generated approximately 16,000 direct and indirect jobs.
