The Brazilian Navy’s 3rd Scorpène Diesel-Electric Attack Submarine Has Been Launched
Itaguaí Construções Navais (ICN), a Brazilian defense and shipbuilding company, has launched “Tonelero”, the third of four Scorpène-class diesel-electric submarines in the ProSub program. Tonelero was built entirely in Brazil, thanks to Naval Group’s technology transfer program. The launching ceremony of the submarine took place on March 27 at the Itaguaí Naval Base with the participation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and French President Emmanuel Macron.
In his speech at the ceremony, Pierre Éric Pommellet, President and CEO of Naval Group, said: “The launching of the Tonelero is a major milestone for the Brazilian Navy, ICN, Naval Group and all our partners. This achievement is a result of our common work to make the ProSub program and its associated technology transfer a success. We are honoured by the high level of confidence the Brazilian Navy has placed in our expertise, and we remain fully committed to supporting the needs of the Brazilian Navy and contributing to the development a strong Brazilian naval industry.”
The Prosub program is an important extension of the strategic defense cooperation agreement signed by France and Brazil in Rio de Janeiro in December 2008. In 2009, the Brazilian Navy selected Naval Group to design and transfer technology for the local construction of four conventional Scorpène submarines, as well as design and production assistance for the non-nuclear portion of Brazil’s first nuclear-powered submarine. The contract also covered the design and construction of a naval base and shipyard in Brazil.
Riachuelo, the leading submarine of the class, was built by Itaguaí Construções Navais with the support of Naval Group. It was launched in December 2018 and entered service in September 2022. The second submarine of the class, Humaitá, was launched in December 2020 and entered service in January 2024. Tonelero, the third ship in the class, will soon begin sea trials before being delivered to the Brazilian Navy in 2025. The final submarine in the series, Angostura, will be launched in 2025 and will be ready for service in the last quarter of 2026.
Scorpene is a class of diesel-electric attack submarines developed by Naval Group for export markets, with missions including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, long-range strikes, special operations, and intelligence gathering. Aside from the Brazilian Navy, the design of these submarines, which also serve in the Chilean Navy (2), Malaysian Navy (2), and Indian Navy (6), may differ depending on the customer’s specifications. For example, the Brazilian Scorpene is 2 meters longer than the original 70-meter model, allowing it to carry a larger crew as well as additional food and fuel. Brazil’s Scorpene submarines also have a surface displacement of 1,600 to 2,000 tons, a top submerged speed of 20 knots, a diving depth of 300 meters, and the ability to operate independently for up to 45 days. These submarines are outfitted with the latest generation combat system SUBTICS, which addresses the growing challenges of modern submarine missions in blue and shallow waters across the entire submarine warfare domain. They also have six 533mm launch tubes for launching Naval Group F21 heavy torpedoes, MBDA Exocet SM39 Block 2 Mod 2 missiles, and mines.