November 26 was far from an ordinary day for Brazil and its Navy, as it marked an important milestone in the long-established roadmap for developing new submarine capabilities to defend and protect, from the depths, the vast maritime coastline of the South American giant. Framed by the facilities of Itaguaí Construções Navais —a company founded in 2009 to drive, with French assistance, the PROSUB program— the Brazilian Navy celebrated the commissioning of the third of its new Riachuelo-class submarines, Tonelero (S-42), while also launching the fourth and final unit of the conventional series, Almirante Karam (S-43).
The official ceremony was attended by the highest military authorities of the Brazilian Navy and civilian officials from the Ministry of Defense, as well as representatives from Naval Group and the French government. This is no minor detail, as the partnership between Brazil and France not only includes the construction of the four Riachuelo-class submarines—based on the Scorpène-class design—but also the next major challenge facing PROSUB: the development and construction of the nuclear-powered submarine Álvaro Alberto.
The ceremony began with important official speeches highlighting the milestone achieved by Brazil’s naval industry, and included the formal change of crews, during which the personnel of Itaguaí Construções Navais handed over Tonelero to the new crew who will command it in the defense of the “Blue Amazon,” thus marking its official delivery and incorporation into the Navy’s operational sector.
Afterward, the launch ceremony of Almirante Karam (previously named Angostura) took place. The submarine touched water for the first time, bringing this phase of its construction to an end and beginning the next, which—just as with its sister vessels—will involve harbor and sea trials to evaluate the proper functioning of its sensor, navigation, communication, and weapons systems. According to the official schedule, these trials will culminate in its delivery to the Submarine Force in 2026.
With the commissioning of Tonelero and the launch of Almirante Karam, the Brazilian Navy is on track to field its full lineup of domestically built Riachuelo-class submarines, which are intended to replace the Tupi and Tikuna classes, both based on the German Type 209 design.
At the same time, progress will continue on the next major step and milestone of PROSUB: the construction of Álvaro Alberto, intended to be the first nuclear-powered submarine built in South America and set to become a cornerstone of Brazilian naval power in the South Atlantic.
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