Brazilian Navy of the Brazilian Armed Forces |
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History and future |
Commands and components |
Air and space command |
Fleet |
The Brazilian Navy has a large number of active and planned projects, under the modernization plans of the Brazilian Armed Forces, defined in the National Defense White Paper (Portuguese: Livro Branco da Defesa Nacional - LBDN). [1] From 2010, Brazil started a radical change in its military policy, aiming to consolidate itself as the major power of Latin America, [2] [3] then the country's military strategists saw the great importance in modernize the Navy, both in terms of global projection and deterrence against possible threats to national interests by foreign powers from the year 2040, the total estimated budget for the plan was estimated in US$ 119 billion in 2010. [2]
The prospective scenario analysis developed in 2005 by the U.S. Pentagon for the year 2035, foresees a permanent growth of Brazil's influence in international relations. [4] The intensification of projection in the concert of nations and its greater insertion in the global decisions, conduct the Armed Forces to a new structure compatible with the country's new political-strategic status. [4] In 2020, was approved by the MoD the increase of the defense budget from 1.4% to 2% of the GDP. [5]
From 2018 under the PROSUB program (initials in Portuguese to Submarine Development Program), Brazil started the construction of the first national nuclear submarine of the Álvaro Alberto-class SSNs, the estimated costs related to development and construction surpassed the US$ 7.4 billion in 2020. [6] [7] The country plans six units of the class by the 2040s. [8]
In 2009, under the PROSUB, Brazil signed cooperation agreements with France, for the joint-development and construction of four Scorpène-class SSKs, in a deal of US$ 10 billion, with construction of the four boats in Brazil and total transfer of technology agreement. [9] The country has launched two of the boats as of 2021, the Riachuelo in 2018, and the Humaitá in 2020. The other two, Tonelero and Angostura will be launched in 2021 and 2022 respectively. [10]
Under the PROSUPER program (initials in Portuguese to Surface Means Obtainment Program), Brazil signed in 2020 a € 2 billion contract with Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, [11] for the joint-development and construction of four Tamandaré-class general purpose frigates. Same as Scorpenes agreements, this contract define the construction of the four boats in Brazil and also total transfer of technology from Germany. [12] In the same year, was reported that the Brazilian Navy plans to order two more class frigates until 2024–25, extending the total to six boats. [13]
The country is conducting the construction of two Macaé-class patrol vessels. The boats designated as Maracanã (P72) [14] and Mangaratiba (P75), [14] other two ships were commissioned in 2009 and 2010 respectively, the Macaé (P70) and Macau (P71). Between 2012 and 2013, Brazil also commissioned three Amazonas-class OPVs of 2,000 tonnes. [15]
In 2020, the Navy launched a project for the construction of a new research icebreaker for the Brazilian Antarctic Program, in order to replace the ship Ary Rongel (H-44), in operation since 1994, [16] the new boat will be fully operational by 2025. [17] The new hospital ship, named Anna Nery (U-170), is planned to be operational in 2022. [18]
Since 2008, the Navy's receive annually new Eurocopter EC 725s from Helibras factory in Itajubá, Minas Gerais, as part of an initial order of 50 EC725s for the Brazilian Armed Forces, the agreement was estimated US$ 1 billion at the time. [19] [20] From 2018, Brazil also placed deals for the SH-60 Seahawk, eight units are in operation as of 2020. [21] The Navy's has also a modernization program for the Westland Lynx Mk.21, with upgrade of the eight units with new CTS800 engines and avionics, the helicopter was redesignated as Super Lynx Mk.21B. [22]
In the beginning of the 2010s, Brazil's military strategists saw the development's necessity of an anti-ship missile and a heavyweight torpedo for the use in the future ships and submarines of the Navy from the 2020s, and to secure the technological independence in these types of armaments. In 2011, the Ministry of Defence launched both the MANSUP and TPNer programs, to the development of the very first national anti-ship missiles and heavyweight torpedoes. As of 2021, the MANSUP completed three firing tests, [23] the TPNer is still in development. [24] The Navy received in 2020 the first batch of the French torpedo F21 Artemis, for the Scorpene submarines, [25] and the Mark 54 for the use in the S-70B Seahawks. [26] [27]
Since 2010, through the Brazilian Space Agency, the Brazilian Armed Forces launched several satellites to orbit, like the SGDC-1 and the Amazônia-1 in order to integrate the MoD's military communications with the three branches across the country, also to conduct imagery intelligence, reconnaissance and earth observation operations. Several other are planned to the 2020s.
The Blue Amazon Management System, is a surveillance system developed by the Brazilian Navy, in order to oversee the Blue Amazon, the country's exclusive economic zone and a resource-rich area covering about 4,500,000 km2 (1,700,000 sq mi) off the Brazilian coast. This area is home to a huge diversity of marine species, valuable metallic minerals and other mineral resources, petroleum, and the world's second largest rare-earth reserve. [28] The SisGAAz integrates equipment and systems composed of radars incorporated on land and vessels, as well as high resolution cameras and features such as the fusion of information received from collaborative systems. [29]
The future aircraft carrier possibly named as Rio de Janeiro is planned under the PAEMB program (initials in Portuguese to Brazilian Navy Coordination and Equipment Plan), aiming to a completely operational carrier in the 2040s. The plan was revised in the last LBDN edition and accepted by the Ministry of Defence, the National Congress and former President Jair Bolsonaro in 2020. [30] In 2018, the Former Brazilian Navy Commander Eduardo Bacellar Leal Ferreira, confirmed the plans for a national aircraft carrier of 50,000 tonnes, [2] possibly using the original projects of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, offered to Brazil in 2012, the doubt was the propulsion system and its costs, estimated in US$ 3.5 billion for a conventional carrier with catapults, and US$ 5.25 billion for a nuclear powered carrier, using an adapted version of the naval reactor under development for the Álvaro Alberto-class SSNs. [31]
Under PROSUPER, the Navy also plans up to five 6,000-7,000 tons air-defence destroyers, to be part of the future carrier strike group. [2] In 2019, the Admiralty began evaluating the deal for ships already operating in foreign navies, the Arleigh Burke class Flight 1 destroyer, was reported to be one of the candidates, with an estimated budget of US$ 1 billion for future negotiations. [32] In 2020, the Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems presented to the Navy its most modern 7,200 tonnes MEKO A-400 air defense destroyer, an updated version of the German F-125-class frigates. The similarities of the F-125 class frigates with the Tamandaré-class frigate made a good impression with the Admiralty. [13]
The Brazilian Navy plans up to 48 naval fighters for the use in the new aircraft carrier. [2] The Navy has shown interest in a proposed naval version of the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, already in operation in the Brazilian Air Force. [33]
The Ministry of Defence will start in the 2020s, [34] the acquisition of a medium-range air defense system. In December 2020, the MoD approved the prerequisites. The system will be operated by the three branches of the Brazilian Armed Forces, in order to reduce operational costs and to facilitate the integration between all systems already in operation in the forces. The battery will have to comply with the following operational requirements: must be able to effectively engage aerospace threats simultaneously in a minimum horizontal engagement range not exceeding 2,000 meters; maximum horizontal engagement range not less than 40,000 meters; minimum vertical engagement range not exceeding 50 meters; and maximum vertical engagement range not less than 15,000 meters. The system will be capable of engaging fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, cruise missiles and guided bombs. [34]
The Brazilian Navy is the naval service branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces, responsible for conducting naval operations.
The Brazilian Naval Aviation is the air component of the Brazilian Navy, currently called Força Aeronaval. Most of its air structure is subordinated to the Naval Air Force Command, the military organization responsible for providing operational air support from Navy vessels, while four squadrons are subordinated to the Naval Districts, responsible for inland and coastal waters. ComForAerNav is headquartered at the Naval Air Base of São Pedro da Aldeia, where all aircraft fleet level maintenance is carried out and where the Aeronaval Instruction and Training Center is located, which forms its staff. Its pilots, all officers with one to three years of prior naval experience, fly its helicopters, airplanes and Remotely Piloted Aircraft as extensions of the ships' weaponry and sensors.
National Anti-Ship Missile also named AV-RE40 —previously known as MAN-1—is a US$75 million anti-ship missile project under development by Avibras, Mectron, Atech and Omnisys for the Brazilian Navy. The design aims to achieve performance similar to MBDA MM40 Exocet Block II. It is expected to begin field tests in 2017, and should begin production around late 2018 or early 2019.
NAM Atlântico (A140) is an amphibious helicopter carrier and current flagship of the Brazilian Navy. Originally constructed in the United Kingdom for service with the Royal Navy as a landing platform helicopter, she was commissioned on 30 September 1998 as HMS Ocean, serving until being decommissioned on 27 March 2018, and then commissioned into service with Brazil the following June.
Álvaro Alberto, Brazil's first nuclear-powered attack submarine, is part of a strategic partnership signed between France and Brazil on 23 December 2008 by then-presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Nicolas Sarkozy, that created the Submarine Development Program, a naval modernization plan of the Brazilian Armed Forces. The boat is the fifth unit of the Riachuelo-class, based on the French Scorpène-class. The submarine is being constructed by the Brazilian state-owned naval company ICN.
The Tamandaré class are a class of future stealth guided-missile frigates for the Brazilian Navy, based on the MEKO family of ships. The project is being developed by the Ministry of Defence and the Águas Azuis consortium, composed of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and Embraer Defense & Security. The construction of the four planned frigates started in 2022 and are scheduled to be delivered between 2024 and 2028.
F Liberal (F-43) is a Niterói-class frigate of the Brazilian Navy. She was the fourth ship of her class ordered by the Brazilian Navy, on 20 September 1970. Liberal was launched on 7 February 1977, and was commissioned on 18 November 1978.
Riachuelo (S40) is a Brazilian Riachuelo-class submarine built for the Brazilian Navy by DCNS in Cherbourg and ICN in Itaguaí, Brazil.
The Itaguaí Construções Navais S.A. known as ICN, is a Brazilian state-owned defence company specialized in naval-based platforms and naval nuclear engineering, founded on 21 August 2009. The company employs nearly 2,000 people.
Torpedo Pesado NacionalTPNer also known as TP-1, is a Brazilian heavyweight anti-submarine warfare torpedo under development by the Brazilian defense company Mectron S.A. and the Brazilian Navy.
Tamandaré (F200) is a Tamandaré-class stealth guided-missile frigate under construction for the Brazilian Navy.
The Aerospace Operations Command is a joint command of the Brazilian Armed Forces in charge of planning, coordinating and conducting the employment of aerospace assets. Although part of the Brazilian Air Force's structure, it includes personnel from the Brazilian Army and Navy. COMAE is the central body in the Brazilian Aerospace Defense System and as such, it is directly responsible for the aerospace defense of Brazilian territory and may control Air Force, Army and Navy units.
Madeira Island Submarine Base, commonly shortned BSIM is a submarine base of the Brazilian Navy, located in Itaguaí, Brazil.
The Brazilian Submarine Force Command, is the submarine force of the Brazilian Navy. The ComForS is one of the oldest commands of the Brazilian Armed Forces.
The Foca class, or simply F, was the first naval class of submarines operated by the Brazilian Navy. It consisted of the F1, F3 and F5 submarines designed by Italian naval engineer Cesare Laurenti and built in La Spezia, Italy. The name Foca comes from the Portuguese vessel of the class. The class was part of Brazil's 1906 naval program to acquire warships to modernize its navy. The submarines were acquired to serve as a training and maintenance platform for the crews, with few naval actions during the 19 years they were active. The navy incorporated the class on 17 July 1914 and, as a result, expanded its naval structure to house these new vessels, such as the creation of the first naval school for submariners and the incorporation of ships designed to support submarines only.
The Submarine Development Program (PROSUB) is a partnership signed between Brazil and France in 2008, with the objective of transferring technology for the manufacture of military vessels. It is a component of the Brazil's Defense Strategy to develop the country's naval power with the production of four conventional submarines and the first Brazilian nuclear-powered submarine. The program will make Brazil one of the few countries to have nuclear technology, alongside the United States, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, China, and India.
The Riachuelo class are a Brazilian class of diesel-electric and nuclear-powered attack submarines developed by the state-owned shipyard Itaguaí Construções Navais, based on the French Scorpène class as part of the Submarine Development Program (PROSUB), a naval modernization plan of the Brazilian Armed Forces.
Jerônimo de Albuquerque (F201) is a Tamandaré-class stealth guided-missile frigate under construction for the Brazilian Navy.
Cunha Moreira (F202) will be the third Tamandaré-class stealth guided-missile frigate for the Brazilian Navy.
Mariz e Barros (F203) will be the fourth Tamandaré-class stealth guided-missile frigate for the Brazilian Navy.