MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Brazil opens naval shipyard to build conventional submarines and eventually a nuclear powered one
President Rousseff: “to affirm Brazil on the world stage and develop in an independent sovereign way” Brazil advanced toward its target of joining the small club of nations that have nuclear-powered submarines with the opening of a naval shipyard installation that will build French-designed submarines.
President Dilma Rousseff inaugurated the factory that will make metal hull structures for four conventional diesel-electric Scorpene attack submarines and eventually a fifth submarine powered by a nuclear reactor developed entirely by Brazil.
She said Brazil, which is Latin America’s largest economy was a peaceful country but a defence industry was needed to deter and prevent violent conflict.
“This facility allows our country to affirm itself on the world stage and, above all, develop in an independent sovereign way,” Rousseff said.
The submarines will be made by French shipbuilder DCNS in a joint venture with Brazil’s Odebrecht at the Brazilian Navy base on Sepetiba Bay south of Rio de Janeiro.
The 7.8 billion Reais (3.95bn dollars) program will turn out the first conventional submarine in 2015 and the nuclear-powered submarine will be commissioned in 2023 and enter operation in 2025, the Brazilian Navy said in a statement.
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Read all commentsI dont understand!
Mar 04th, 2013 - 06:57 am 0Based on the RG arguement about Brits nuclearising the South Atlantic, and that that is not allowed, will the Brasilian Nuclear Sub will only be able to sail north?
Neuclear 'powered'
Mar 04th, 2013 - 07:40 am 0Not 'neuclear 'armed' mate.
Kinda like the Trafalgar and Astute classes of SSN (which might be near to the Falkland Islands, which has Argentina virtually wetting itself) rather than the Vanguard class SSBN (which almost certainly wouldn't - aside from anything else, the British nuclear deterrent would only be used to retaliate against a nuclear attack on the UK and aside from the South-East of the USA there are no nuclear powers within range of the Falkland Islands).
Mar 04th, 2013 - 10:42 am 0If Argentina start screaming about the potential presence of British SSNs, then they should be screaming with far greater ferocity about the potential certainty of Brazilian SSNs.
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