The Committee on Foreign Relations and National Defense on Wednesday approved the agreement between Brazil and France concerning submarines, signed on 23 December 2008. The text, which incorporates the Message 908/09, from the Executive Branch, provides support and cooperation on defense technologies, to develop the Brazilian program for submarine forces.

The agreement determines method cooperation in the methods, technologies, tools, equipment, and technical assistance for all stages of Scorpène-type conventional submarine project (SBR), including a submarine with conventional weapons (SNBR) to receive a nuclear reactor developed by Brazil.

In addition, assistance is provided for the design and builds a suitable shipyard for these submarines and a naval base able to hold them. There will also be cooperation for the design, building, and maintenance of infrastructure and equipment necessary for the nuclear part.

The collaboration will be from the acquisition of four SBR submarines, with technology transfer extended to all stages of this submarine project.

Transmitting knowledge
The agreement provides transferring academic knowledge on submarines in the fields of science and technology, by training students, teachers, and instructors at institutions within the Ministry of Defense, in addition to existing cooperation in training of related fields.

Brazil has undertaken not to permit re-export, resale, loan, donation or transferring knowledge, technology, and equipment supplied by France without the prior consent of the French government, and to use them only for purposes defined within the agreement, which will run for three years after the first dive of the first SNBR submarine, not exceeding the limit of 25 years.

Appropriate option
The rapporteur of the Message 908/09, deputy Raul Jungmann, said that the national needs to use submarines and conditions to agree with France show that the choice of Scorpène model is more appropriate. He noted that Brazil was initially among the German, Russian, and French model.

Jungmann said that nuclear submarines are better for maneuvering strategies because, by virtue of their autonomy and average speed, they are not confined to coastal areas. That was why the German proposal was dropped from the national fleet renewal.

The deputy also pointed out that the Scorpène was the best served in the Brazilian Navy; not only for being more technologically modern, but mainly because of its greater range of maintenance. Further, it is a key factor for Brazil, with shipping interests fully extended throughout the South Atlantic.