Brazilian submarine Riachuelo (S40)

The S Riachuelo (S40) is a Brazilian Scorpène-class submarine built for the Brazilian Navy by DCNS in Cherbourg and ICN in Itaguaí, Brazil.

For other ships with the same name, see Brazilian ship Riachuelo.
S Riachuelo in sea trials
History
Brazil
Name: Riachuelo
Namesake: Battle of the Riachuelo
Ordered: 2009[1]
Builder: DCNS Cherbourg & ICN Itaguaí
Laid down: 27 May 2010[1]
Launched: 14 December 2018[2]
Identification: S40
Status: In sea trials
General characteristics
Class and type: Scorpène-class submarine
Displacement: 2,000 t (2,000 long tons)[3]
Length: 75 m (246 ft 1 in)[3]
Beam: 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in)[3]
Draft: 5.8 m (19 ft 0 in)[3]
Propulsion:
  • 4 × MTU 12V 396 SE84 diesels[3]
  • 1 × Jeumont-Schneider EPM Magtronic electric[3]
  • 3,909 hp (2,915 kW)[3]
  • 1 x shaft[3]
Speed: 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) surfaced/submerged[3]
Range:
  • 6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced[1]
  • 550 nmi (1,020 km; 630 mi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged[1]
Test depth: 400 m (1,300 ft)[4]
Complement: 32[3]
Sensors and
processing systems:		 DCNS Submarine Tactical Information and Command System[3]
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
Armament:

The Brazilian boats are larger in length, tonnage and cargo capacity compared to the original French project. The Brazilian version are 75 m (246 ft) and 2,000 tons, compared to the original Scorpènes that are 61.7 m (202 ft) and 1,565 tons.[5]

Program history

In 2009, Brazil purchased four enlarged Scorpènes for US$9.9 billion with a total technology transfer agreement and a second agreement to develop the first Brazilian nuclear-powered submarine, Álvaro Alberto. The hull of Riachuelo was laid down at Cherbourg, France on 27 May 2010 and it was jumboized at the Brazilian Navy Shipyard in Itaguaí in late 2012.[1]

Riachuelo was launched on 14 December 2018, and began sea trials in September 2019,[6] the Humaitá was launched on 11 December 2020.[7]

Development and design

The first stage of construction of the submarine took place in France, at the headquarters of DCNS in Cherbourg, with the cutting of the first steel plates of the structure. At this point, technology transfer from French technicians to Brazilians began.[8] In the middle of 2013, internal parts manufactured in France arrived, which were then integrated to the other parts built in Brazil. In September 2015, the first construction stage was completed, with the delivery of the last section of resistant hull.[8]

The initial Navy predictions for the delivery of Riachuelo were for 2015, however, after some postponements, the boat was launched in 2018, in order to start the platform acceptance testing phase, with two years in duration, plus six months of tests of the combat systems, with its incorporation to the operative sector foreseen for the middle of 2021.[9]

The other boats of the Brazilian class are Humaitá (S41), Tonelero (S42) and Angostura (S43).[3]

Namesake

The Riachuelo is the seventh boat of the Brazilian Navy to receive this name, in honor of the Battle of the Riachuelo, which took place in 1865, in the Paraguayan War.[10]

The others were:

  • Riachuelo - Yacht.
  • Riachuelo - Steamboat, later renamed Marquês de Caxias.
  • Riachuelo - Flat-bottomed boat.
  • Battleship Riachuelo - Steam battleship of the Imperial Brazilian Navy. (1883 - 1910)
  • S Riachuelo (S15) - Submarine of the Gato-class, used in World War II by the U.S. Navy, before being incorporated into the Brazilian Navy. (1943 - 1968)
  • S Riachuelo (S22) - Submarine of the Oberon-class, currently serving as a museum. (1977 - 1997)

References
  1. Nicolas von Kospot (2 June 2010). "First Steel Cut for Brazilian Submarine Programme". www.defpro.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  2. "Brazil launches first of 5 navy attack submarines". EFE. 14 December 2018.
  3. Luiz Padilha (5 December 2012). "SBr – Submarino 'Riachuelo' (S-40)". Defesa Aérea & Naval. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  4. Beatriz Freitas Pereira (3 December 2020). "S-41 Humaitá pronto para ser lançado". Defesanet. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  5. "Diferenças entre o submarino Scorpène e o S-BR brasileiro". Poder Naval (in Portuguese). 7 December 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  6. "Submarino Riachuelo inicia provas de mar" (in Portuguese). Poder Naval. 25 September 2019.
  7. "Brazil launches first of 5 navy attack submarines". EFE. 14 December 2018.
  8. "Marinha do Brasil PROSUB" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  9. "Submarino Riachuelo inicia provas de mar" (in Portuguese). Veja. 14 December 2018.
  10. "NAVIOS DE GUERRA BRASILEIROS - 1822 - Hoje" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 8 December 2020.
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