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RIO – In a continental country, with a coastline of 7,367 kilometers, the submarine is practically indispensable. For this reason, on Friday (11), the Navy takes a new step towards the renewal of its fleet, with the launch of the second unit of the Scorpene class, which is part of the ProSub, called Humaitá. The submarine program, launched in 2008 under the Lula government, foresees a total investment of R $ 37.1 billion, including four conventionally powered vessels – with French-made diesel-electric engines – and a fifth (and more expected) propulsion. nuclear, with a delivery forecast only in 2031 and whose production is, at least, challenging.
In the latter, the atomic development falls exclusively on Brazil, in a highly complex project, started in 2012. So far, the Navy has invested R $ 20.8 billion in ProSub. All submarines are equipped with high-precision torpedoes, mines and SM 39 Exocet missiles.
The event, which will take place this Friday at the Itaguaí Naval Complex and will be attended by President Jair Bolsonaro, marks two advances for ProSub. In addition to the inauguration of Humaitá, which is entering the testing phase, the modules of the third submarine in the program, the Cooper, will be integrated.
‘Japanese car’ x ‘Beetle’
Initially, it was planned that the Navy could celebrate, on the same date, the start of operations of the Riachuelo submarine, the first in the series. However, the testing phase took longer than expected. At this time, the Riachuelo is still subjected to so-called platform tests, in which aspects such as navigation, maneuvers, propulsion and operation of the rudder are analyzed.
According to people close to the project, the delay in the Riachuelo’s operation is due to the adaptations made to the French model for navigation in Brazil. The Scorpene, in the Brazilian version, is longer, which lengthens its maximum continuous operating time in relation to the original model, which ranges from 50 to 70 days.
Admiral Celso Mizutani Koga, the engineer responsible for the project, points out that the adaptation is due to the vast expanse of the Brazilian coastline.
Currently, Brazil has Tupi-class submarines to operate underwater. All five units were purchased from Germany in the 1980s. However, today, in addition to the performance differences with the new ones – the maximum depth of the Tupi class, for example, is 270 meters, compared to 300 meters of the French-, some of the current ships are subject to long periods of inactivity for maintenance.
– There is a tremendous evolution. There is a significant advance in the processing of probe data, for example. It’s like comparing a Volkswagen Beetle to a Japanese car these days. Not just the sensors, but the periscope’s own ability to produce images quickly, keeping the sub low-key, is far superior, Admiral Koga explained.
Select group
ProSub also includes what can be called a separate project within the program. A third of all multimillion-dollar investment is directed to the development of the so-called SN-BR, Brazil’s first nuclear-powered submarine, a type of equipment that integrates the fleet of a select group of nations, such as the United States, China, the United Kingdom, France. and Russia.
Among the most important differences, in addition to speed, as long as the S-BR is submerged a little more than two months, the SN-BR can remain in operation indefinitely. The estimate is that missions with this type of equipment can occur for up to one year.
This capability will only be possible after the Navy overcomes a number of development hurdles, all of which are on schedule and, for the time being, show no apparent signs of inevitable deadlocks. All atomic structures need to be miniaturized, especially the reactor. This near-inexhaustible energy-producing “kettle” needs to be managed to maintain safety, heat and noise under stable conditions and for long periods.
For this reason, the Navy built a prototype on land, which reproduces conditions similar to those that the reactor must face within the SN-BR. This system will be developed in the Nuclear Generation Laboratory (Labgene), in Iperó (SP), which has not yet been completed. All atomic components will be tested in this environment, before being installed on the vessel.
– It will simulate the reactor. There is already a housing, an underwater hull where the reactor will be installed. Labgene is the one that will guarantee us that what is being developed to be inserted into the submarine will work within specifications. It has not yet received fuel, tests are being carried out, for now, with steam boilers. Then we can finally test the nuclear reaction – explains Admiral Koga.
In addition to budgetary and technical challenges, such as maintaining a nuclear reactor at great depth, with noise, pressure and temperature control, the nuclear submarine faces other not inconsiderable obstacles, such as barriers to the acquisition of essential components.
– The autonomous development of nuclear technology will require a firm position from the government and the Navy in the face of economic and strategic pressures – explains Nelson Durante, editor-in-chief of Portal DefesaNet.
