Brazil reaches submarine programme milestones
S Tonelero , shown here, was recently commissioned. (Brazilian Navy)
The Brazilian Navy's Submarine Development Program PROSUB (Programa de Desenvolvimento de Submarinos) reached milestones on 26 November with the commissioning of the third Riachuelo-class diesel-electric-powered attack submarine S Tonelero (S42), and christening and launch of the fourth and final boat S Almirante Karam (S43).
S Almirante Karam is scheduled to be commissioned in 2026, a spokesperson for the Navy General Directorate of Nuclear and Technological Development (DGDNTM) told Janes .
S Tonelero is joining in the S-BR submarines fleet of Submarines Force Command first-of-class S Riachuelo (S40) and S HumaitĂĄ (S41), which were commissioned in September 2022 and January 2024 respectively.
The Naval Group's ScorpÚne-based submarines are built by Itaguaà ConstruçÔes Navais (formed by Naval Group and Odebrecht Engenharia e Construção), and are fielded from the Ilha da Madeira Submarines Base, both located at the Itaguaà Naval Complex.
With a length of 71.6 m and a surface displacement of 1,870 tonnes for an autonomy of 70 days â the S-BR boat is bigger than the ScorpĂšne-class submarines delivered to Chile, India, and Malaysia.
Brazil chose to extend the hull to provide increased storage capacity for fuel, food, and supplies, thereby increasing endurance, a key requirement given the extent of Brazil's territorial waters.
For more information on Brazilian efforts to better maintain its submarines, please see Brazilian Navy activates new submarine maintenance shipyard .
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