Brazil aims to build first N-powered sub
Iran Press TV
Sat Mar 2, 2013 9:15AM GMT
Brazil has opened a naval shipyard installation as the South American country aims to build its first nuclear-powered submarine in partnership with France.
On Friday, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff inaugurated the factory in Rio de Janeiro state while highlighting that Brazil is a peaceful nation which is in need of a defense deterrent.
"This facility allows our country to affirm itself on the world stage and, above all, develop in an independent sovereign way," Rousseff said.
The president further said that with the installations Brasilia is entering "the select club of countries with nuclear submarines: The United States, Russia, France, Britain and China."
The factory, which is called the Metallic Structures Construction Unit, is located in the city of Itaguai near Rio de Janeiro. It is part of Brazil's ProSub program that started in 2008.
According to the 7.8 billion reais (USD3.95 billion) program, Paris is set to provide Brazil with four conventional submarines and assist the country in developing the non-nuclear components of its first nuclear-powered attack submarine.
Meanwhile, Brazil's Defense Ministry has noted that the Brazilian Navy will be given the first of the four conventional Scorpene-class subs in 2017. The nuclear-powered submarine will be commissioned in 2023.
The ProSub program is part of the Brazilian government's effort to protect the country's huge oil reserves as well as its 8,500-kilometer (5,280-mile) coastline.
Brasilia is already in possession of the uranium enrichment technology that is needed for producing nuclear fuel and intends to employ it to power the submarine.
MR/HN
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